CIDA'S Aboriginal Procurement Strategy (CAPS)
In response to a request from the government to promote Aboriginal business development through the federal government procurement process, CIDA has implemented a strategy consisting of the following three key elements:
- For CIDA's aid budget: Aboriginal Supplier Incentive;
- For the operating budget: Voluntary Set-Asides;
- Information Sessions (for both internal & external).
Aboriginal Supplier Incentive - CIDA has introduced an Aboriginal supplier incentive component in its Request for Proposals (RFP) documents which consists in providing additional points (up to a maximum of 50 points which represents 5% of 1,000 total evaluation points) when Aboriginal direct hiring, subcontracting or supply activities are proposed. These points are to be:
- applied to all RFP for projects financed by CIDA's aid budget;
- attributed after technical and financial proposals are evaluated; and
- awarded on pro rata of the Aboriginal component in relation to the value of the Consultant's proposal; the total value includes fees and expenses.
No minimum is required for the Aboriginal component.
The DIAND's Aboriginal Supplier Inventory (ASI) - which is accessible through internet at www.inac.gc.ca -, will be used by CIDA to determine if sub-consultants or suppliers proposed are indeed Aboriginal. CIDA reserves the right to request, before and/or after the signing of the contract, that the Consultant provide official certification as to the Aboriginal status of employees, sub-consultants or suppliers proposed.
For example, a proposal which has $100,000 value for the Aboriginal component against a total value of $1,000,000 will be awarded 5 additional points [($100,000/$1,000,000) x 50 points = 5 points]. It is only when a proposal is entirely Aboriginal that the 50 points will be awarded.
Voluntary Set-Asides - At the request of DIAND, CIDA reviewed and analyzed its operating budget with a view to identifying mutually acceptable objectives for set-asides within the Aboriginal supplier community for the next three years. The entire operating budget could not be included as the basis for setting performance objectives because many commodities, such as telecommunications, cannot be acquired from Aboriginal suppliers. The base from which the objectives are to be calculated has been set at 14 million.
In order to meet these objectives, CIDA staff are encouraged to utilize, as much as possible, Aboriginal suppliers. A list of potential suppliers is available from the Aboriginal Business Directory.
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