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Temporary Help Services
Since August 1st, 2019, Cost Centre Managers in the NCR no longer have the delegated authority to issue call-ups and all THS requirement must be processed by Materiel and Assets Management Division (MAMD). The Temporary Help Services (THS) Standing Offers (SOs) and Supply Arrangements (SAs) for the NCR ended and Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC) did not renew the THS SO for the NCR.
Temporary Help Services for Regional Offices
The use of the Regional Master Standing Offers (RMSOs) is still mandatory and the maximum allowed per call-up is $100K for 48 weeks. Cost Centre Managers have the delegated authority to issue call-ups up to $100K using the RMSO.
THS in the NCR
MAMD has developed a Temporary Help Services form (found on the Tools and Templates page) to assist you in determining your THS need.
Temporary Help Services At A Glance for National Capital Region (NCR)
Additional information can be found on the Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC) website.
When using Method 1 – Right fit, PSPC has created a calculator (link not working) to determine the hourly rates to be used. This calculator will be used by MAMD after the client will have determine the responsive (Right fit) proposal that needs to be evaluated.
- Day Counter Tool (link not working)
| Non-Competitive30 calendar days | Competitive Method 177 calendar days | Competitive Method 277 calendar days | |
| Requirement | 1 or multiple resources | 1 resource | 1 or multiple resources |
| Contract FinancialLimits | $40K incl. taxes & travel | Lowest price responsive $400K incl. taxes & travel
Right-fit $100K |
$1M incl. taxes & travel
Multiple contracts may be awarded and the total value of all contracts cannot exceed $1M |
| Contract period | 48 weeks - can be amended by 24 consecutive weeks | 48 weeks - can be amended by 24 consecutive weeks | 48 weeks - can be amended by 24 consecutive weeks |
| Evaluation criteria in addition to the minimum mandatory criteria | No additional mandatory criteria | Maximum of 2 additional mandatory criteria. Rated criteria are not permitted
Justification for selection of the resource required for Right-fit |
More than 2 additional mandatory criteria are permitted as are rated criteria
Asset criteria are not permitted |
| Basis of selection | Directed to one supplier that meets the minimum mandatory criteria for SA category | Lowest price responsive
or Right-Fit (Pilot) for requirement under $100K |
Lowest price responsive
Highest combined rating of technical merit & price Minimum point-rated |
| Financial criteria for right-fit | Not applicable | Median Band from 20% below to 20% above median rate (Calculated by MAMD) | Not applicable |
| Centralized professional services system (CPSS) | Client selects any supplier from the CPSS Search List | System randomly chooses 5 suppliers that are certified as diverse suppliers (3 out of the 5 being low volume)
System randomly chooses another 6 suppliers for a total of 11 suppliers Client may choose up to 4 additional suppliers |
System randomly chooses 5 suppliers that are certified as diverse suppliers (3 out of the 5 being low volume)
System randomly chooses another 6 suppliers for a total of 11 suppliers Client may choose up to 4 additional suppliers |
| Solicitation period | Not applicable | Lowest price minimum 48 hrs–2 business days
Right-fit minimum 96 hrs – 4 business days |
Minimum 5 to 15 business days depending on the complexity of the requirement |
| Bid validity | Not applicable | 15 calendar days | 60 calendar days |
| Notice of Proposed Procurement | Not applicable | Not applicable | For requirements above $400K |
The Temporary Help Services (THS) Supply Arrangement (SA) is a mandatory method of supply for the National Capital Region (NCR) and must only be used in the following three situations:
- When a public servant is absent for a temporary period of time
- When there is a requirement for additional staff during a temporary workload increase, in which there is an insufficient number of public servants available to meet the requirement
- A position is vacant and staffing action is being completed
THS must not be used when the client is seeking a solution to a departmental business requirement or for requirements outside the NCR. Other professional services methods of supply are available for these types of requirements.
Streams and categories
There are 14 streams in the following functional areas:
- Stream 1—Office support services
- Stream 2—Operational services
- Stream 3—Electrical and electronics services
- Stream 4—Mechanical and machining
- Stream 5—Computer services
- Stream 6—Architectural and design services
- Stream 7—Miscellaneous engineering
- Stream 8—Financial services
- Stream 9—Procurement services
- Stream 10—Communication services
- Stream 11—Library services
- Stream 12—Human resources
- Stream 13—Policy and advisory services
- Stream 14—Health and scientific services
Link to categories: https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/sat-ths/sat-thc-26112018-eng.html
Right-fit basis of selection (Pilot program) $100K
The right-fit basis of selection is a pilot program, which PSPC will monitor for a year. This method allows clients to choose a bid, which is technically responsive to the minimum mandatory criteria and has a price within the plus and minus 20% band for more than 3 suppliers or plus or minus 25% band for 2 suppliers.
Interviews may be administered to select the best resource among the responsive bids.
Please ensure to notify MAMD Procurement Officer that you will interview the resource
- When using right-fit basis of selection only, clients may interview proposed resource
- For any other basis of selection, resources may be interviewed only to validate the information submitted in response to the solicitation is accurate
- Suppliers must not invoice for interview time and telephone interviews are encouraged
This basis of selection is only an option when using method 1, for one resource only:
- To be declared responsive, a bid must:
- Comply with all the requirements of the bid solicitation
- meet all mandatory criteria
- comply with the following pricing rules:
- A band between -20% and +20% of the median hourly rate will be used when 3 or more bids are responsive to the mandatory technical criteria. Any bids outside of this band will be considered non-responsive
- When only 2 bids are responsive to the mandatory technical criteria, the higher priced bid may be selected if the hourly rate is within 25% of the lowest priced
- The selection will be based on the following justifications only:
- Specialized education which will improve the quality of services to be provided
- Additional certifications which will improve the quality of services to be provided
- Additional experience which will improve the quality of services to be provided
- Knowledge of relevant government policies or procedures which will improve the quality of services to be provided
- Better proficiency in one or both official languages, which will improve the quality of the services to be provided.
- If only 1 bid is responsive to the mandatory technical criteria, the client should determine that the bid represents fair market value to Canada before awarding a contract.
- Unsuccessful bidders must be advised of the results including the justification and the median rate used.
DEFINITION
Diverse (underrepresented) suppliers
- THS is also participating in a pilot program to promote social procurement, which creates greater inclusiveness and opportunities for participation by underrepresented groups in federal government procurement. Groups currently included in the pilot program are women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, and Indigenous peoples. These underrepresented supply groups will be referred to as diverse suppliers and will have the opportunity to self-identify when submitting their arrangement.
Procurement specific to services contracts
- Clients must make themselves aware of the following considerations:
Contracting with former public servants
- Contracts with former public servants in receipt of a pension or of a lump sum payment must bear the closest public scrutiny, and reflect fairness in the spending of public funds.
Pay-rolling
- Pay-rolling is strictly forbidden and is the practice by which firms are instructed by a government department or agency to employ specified individuals who are then assigned to provide services to that department or agency under contract.
Employer-employee relationships
- Contractor resources are employees of the contractor. Performance and administrative matters must be managed through the contractor. Ensure that no work begins until a written contract is in place.
- When contracting for the services of individuals, including temporary help, contracting officers should carefully review the circumstances in order to avoid establishing an employer-employee relationship which would be contrary to or in conflict with the Public Service Employment Act and common law principles dealing with employer-employee relationships
- Per sections 4.1.9(e) and 16.3 Employer-employee relationships of the Treasury Board Contracting Policy, contracting officers must ensure that an employer-employee relationship will not result when contracting for the services of individuals.
- Criteria for assessing an employer-employee relationship have been established by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and pertinent court rulings. For guidance, seek legal advice.
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