ScaleUp

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What is ScaleUp?

ScaleUp is a social procurement initiative led by Shared Services Canada’s Center of Expertise in Agile and Innovative Procurement (CoEAIP) in collaboration with TECHNATION. This initiative is directly focused on supporting micro and small businesses that are indigenous or owned/led by underrepresented groups including women, visible minorities and persons with disabilities. All ScaleUp procurements are limited exclusively to these businesses.

ScaleUp can be used by any department for most commodity, even if the requirement falls under the PSPC’s mandatory methods of supply.

Here is a short video for a great overview of ScaleUp.

Why should you choose this process?

It’s a win-win-win situation. It is easier and quicker for clients, buyers and bidders. Not only do you partake in the effort to increase the diversity of bidders, but we all save time and effort! It is a fast, simple and open process that allows buyers to issue contract within 2 weeks, with simplified and fillable solicitation documents.

ScaleUp Process

First things first, it should be determined if ScaleUp is suitable for the requirement.

Is the estimated value of the requirement under $238,000.00?

Is the requirement low risk and low complexity?

Are the clauses in the ScaleUp bid solicitation documents covering the complexity of the requirement?

Secondly, buyers must draft the solicitation documents. We’ve made it pretty easy.

Requirements can be directly submitted to the COEAIP, and we will conduct the process. Or buyers can follow the remaining steps. We have developed a two-in-one Bid Solicitation Form. It’s new, but quite simple. Buyers only have to fill the cover page, which will generate the rest of the form to be completed by the suppliers. The entire form is interactive and user-friendly.

The form can be customized to your need. For example, when point rated criteria are included, bidders have to complete a self-assessment.

If the Interactive Sessions option is selected from the main dialogue of the form, it allows for a no-written bid approach, which means bidders have to complete the self-assessment in the evaluation criteria section, but do not have to submit any written information. The information relevant to the bidders’ experience, certification or education, and such, is obtained during interactive sessions. Interactive sessions allows a free flow and a more natural exchange of information.

There are also options for webinars and demonstrations as well so that you can conduct the solicitation process the way you want to.

We have included other templates, such as a financial bid form (in excel format), as well as an Interactive Contract Builder, but these are not mandatory.

Thirdly, you have to issue the bid solicitation

You can post it on BuyandSell just like any regular requirements. We recommend a solicitation period of at least 1 week. Keep in mind that it is a lot more fast for them to submit via ScaleUp, but it still takes a minimum of time and effort. Publishing on BuyandSell is not mandatory as there is an on-going notice for all of ScaleUp requirements and therefore is at your entire discretion.

Or, you can look up Canada’s digital marketplace, powered by TECHNATION, to see if there are any potential bidders. As a minimum you must select the following filters: Canadian businesses, Micro or Small businesses, Indigenous businesses and business owned/led by underrepresented groups. Buyers can send the solicitation package directly to the potential bidders.

Fourthly, you will have to conduct the evaluation.

Here is something new again, following the evaluation of mandatory criteria (if any), you can conduct what we call Interactive Sessions. Interactive sessions consist of an individual session with each bidder to go over their response and validate their score by actively discussing their experience. If the interactive session process was not selected, proceed to a regular evaluation.

The financial evaluation and contractor selection process stays the same, so you know the drill.

As usual, don’t forget to send regret letters and conduct debriefings, if you chose to do so.

Fifthly, it’s time for contract award. We’re almost done here, we promise.

Once you finalized the Contract both parties have signed, there is one last step to undertake.

Here at CoEAIP, we love feedback! We would really appreciate it if you could fill out this survey to let us know what you thought of the process, so we can keep improving it.

Templates

Here are our templates:

Psssst. The PDF forms must be opened and completed using ADOBE.

Stay connected

Don't hesitate to reach out for any questions or potential requirements. Email us at coeaip-ceaan@ssc-spc.gc.ca

Previous requirements

Curious to see what we have done so far? Check out these ScaleUp pilots:

What’s new?

We will be presenting ScaleUp at the 32nd CIPMM Annual National Workshop, Innovate Today, Plan for Tomorrow, taking place on June 7-8th, 2022. Don’t miss it!