Additional instructions (Applicable to bid solicitation)

1. Submission of bids

1. It is the bidder's responsibility to:
   1. return a signed original of the bid solicitation, duly completed, IN THE FORMAT REQUESTED;
   2. direct his bid ONLY to the bid receiving address specified;
   3. ensure that the Bidder's name, the bid solicitation reference number, and closing date and time are clearly visible;
   4. provide a comprehensive and sufficiently detailed bid, including all requested pricing details, to allow a complete evaluation in accordance with the criteria set out in the bid solicitation.

   Timely and correct delivery of bids to the specified bid delivery address is the sole responsibility of the bidder. Service Canada(ServCan) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) will not assume such responsibility under any circumstances. The bidder assumes all risks and/or consequences resulting from an incorrect bid delivery.

2. Bids may be accepted in whole or in part. The lowest bid or the other bids will not necessarily be accepted. Where there is error in the prices extension, the unit price will prevail. The department may enter into contract without negotiation.
3. Bids will remain open for acceptance during a period of not less than sixty (60) days from the closing date of the bid solicitation, unless otherwise indicated by Canada in such bid solicitation.
4. While the department may enter into contract without negotiation, the department reserves the right to negotiate with bidders on any procurement.
5. Bid documents and supporting information may be submitted in either English or French.
6. Bids received on or before the stipulated bid solicitation closing date and time will become the property of the department and will not be returned. All bids will be treated as confidential, under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

2. Late bids

It is ESDC policy to return, unopened, bids delivered after the stipulated bid solicitation closing date and time, unless they qualify as a delayed bid as described below.

3. Delayed bids

1. A bid delivered to the specified bid receiving area after the closing date and time but before the contract award date may be considered, provided that the delay can be proven to have been due solely to a delay in delivery that can be attributed to the Canada Post Corporation (CPC) (or national equivalent of a foreign country). The only pieces of evidence relating to a delay in the CPC system that are acceptable to ESDC are:
   1. a CPC cancellation date stamp;
   2. a CPC Priority Courier Bill of Lading; and
   3. a CPC Xpresspost label,that clearly indicate that the bid was mailed prior to the bid closing date.

   Example: If the bid closing date was May 15, 2003, then the CPC cancellation date stamp should read no later than May 14, 2003, to be accepted.

2. Please request the postal employee to date stamp your envelope.
3. For bids transmitted by facsimile, only the date and the time of receipt recorded by ESDC at the bid receiving number stated in the bid solicitation will be accepted as evidence of a delayed bid.
4. Misrouting, traffic volume, weather disturbances, or any other causes for the late delivery of bids are not acceptable reasons for the bid to be accepted by ESDC.

4. Postage meters

Postage meter impression, whether printed by the supplier, the CPC or the postal authority outside Canada, are not acceptable as proof of timely mailing. It should be noted that CPC does not normally apply a cancellation date stamp to metered mail; this is usually done only when postage stamps are used.

5. Responses transmitted by facsimile

1. If you are in doubt that your bid will be delivered on time at the specific location designated for bid receiving , you may use a facsimile, unless otherwise instructed in the bid solicitation.
   
   
   
   

   Note: Due to the volume of technical material required for some bids, certain bid solicitations may specify that submissions by facsimile are not acceptable (e.g. solicitations relating to science requirements).

2. Unless otherwise instructed in the bid solicitation, the only acceptable facsimile number for responses to bid solicitations issued by ESDC headquarters sectors is (819)953-6859.
3. The facsimile number for responses to bid solicitations issued by ESDC regional offices is identified on the front page of the bid solicitation.

   If the bidder chooses to submit a bid by facsimile, the department will not be responsible for any failure attributable to the transmission or receipt of the faxed bid including, but not limited to the following:

   1. receipt of garbled or incomplete bid;
   2. availability or condition of the receiving facsimile equipment;
   3. incompatibility between the sending and receiving equipment;
   4. delay in transmission or receipt of the bid;
   5. failure of the bidder to properly identify the bid;
   6. illegibility of the bid; or
   7. security of bid data.
4. Bids submitted by facsimile constitute a formal bid and must contain:
   1. the bid reference number;
   2. the closing date and time;
   3. sufficient data to allow evaluation, such as unit prices, country of currency in the event that the bid is submitted in a foreign currency, sales tax, duty, technical data (where applicable) and any deviation(s) from the bid solicitation document.
5. For responses transmitted by facsimile, written confirmation is required within two (2) working days after bid closing, unless otherwise specified in the bid solicitation. All documents confirming bids should bear the word "CONFIRMATION".

6. Customs clearance

It is the responsibility of the bidder to allow sufficient time to obtain customs clearance, where required, before the scheduled bid closing. Delays related to the obtaining of customs clearance cannot be construed as "undue delay in the mail" and will not be accepted under the late bids rule.

7. Further information

1. For further information, please contact the contracting authority identified on page 1 of the bid solicitation.
2. For bid solicitations issued from ESDC National, enquiries concerning receipt of bids may be addressed to the Bid Receiving Unit, Procurement Operational Support Division, by e-mail to NC-SOLICITATIONS-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.

8. Identity or legal capacity of bidder

In order to establish the legal capacity under which a bidder proposes to enter into the contract, any bidder who carries on business under another name other than its own personal name shall, if requested by the contracting authority, provide proof of the is legal capacity to the contracting authority prior to contract award. Such proof may be a copy of the articles of incorporation or the registration of the business name of a sole proprietor, of a trade name, of a partnership, etc.