For immediate release
Edmonton, Alberta, October 15, 2012 – The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, today announced that the Government of Canada has issued a Request for Information (RFI) on the Government Electronic Tendering System (operated as MERX) for the acquisition of natural gas for federal departments and agencies from British Columbia to Quebec.
“Our Government is focused on what matters to Canadians—jobs and economic growth. Our objective is to invest taxpayer money wisely and effectively in the delivery of programs and services to Canadians,” said Minister Ambrose. “By grouping the purchase of commodities such as natural gas, we can streamline the procurement, management, and payment processes for the natural gas consumption of Government of Canada departments, thereby preventing the expenditure of significant additional funds that would accumulate with multiple contracts. In short, we pay less when we buy in bulk.”
Preliminary estimates show that the Bulk Natural Gas Initiative has the potential to save $60 million over a five-year period. This initiative builds on the success of the current bulk electricity purchase in Alberta, for which Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) has saved approximately $23 million in costs to the Crown.
The Bulk Natural Gas Initiative has three objectives: to reduce the overall cost of natural gas consumption by federal departments; to further the federal government’s greening of government operations initiative; and to improve budgeting strategies among all participating departments.
The RFI will seek feedback from industry and stakeholders, which will inform the proposed statement of work, three options for the basis of payment, and proposed evaluation criteria.
The RFI is the first in a number of steps required to carry out this major procurement. A Request for Proposal will be issued following the review of the information received from industry. The contract is anticipated to be awarded in late fall 2013.
PWGSC is committed to a fair, open and transparent process for selecting contractors to undertake initiatives such as this.
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