Government of Canada encouraging Indigenous participation in its response to COVID-19

GATINEAU, QC, Sept. 21, 2020 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring Canadians stay safe and healthy during the pandemic. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has been working with suppliers in Canada and internationally to aggressively purchase much-needed personal protective equipment and medical supplies to meet Canada's urgent needs as quickly as possible.

The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, today announced that the Government of Canada signed contracts with 7 Indigenous companies that participated in a process limited to businesses led or owned by Indigenous individuals. These contracts, worth approximately $2.5 million in total, will provide 15 million disposable masks for the Essential Services Contingency Reserve (ESCR).

As the country gradually restarts the economy, essential services organizations that experience short-term gaps in their personal protective equipment and supplies can apply for the ESCR to avoid disruptions in services to citizens.

While Indigenous businesses have been part of the response from the outset of the pandemic, PSPC is encouraging a greater presence of Indigenous businesses and individuals in its supplier base.

Quotes

"Together with my department, we have been working to increase access to procurement opportunities for Indigenous businesses. These contracts will not only help protect Canadians by providing them with disposable masks, but also increase Indigenous participation in federal procurement."

The Honourable Anita Anand
Minister of Public Services and Procurement

Quick facts

• As part of Canada's plan to ensure a safe restart of the economy, PSPC launched a Request for Proposals to solicit interest strictly from Indigenous businesses to provide disposable masks.
  
  
• The department received 233 proposals and awarded 7 contracts to the following companies:
• Kingaunmiut Services Ltd., from Kelowna, British Columbia
• Akkada Professional Services Inc. & Zernam Enterprise Inc. in joint venture, from Ottawa, Ontario
• Animal Marketing Inc., from Vancouver, British Columbia
• Integral Containment Systems, from Edmonton, Alberta
• Guardian Safety Training, from Trenton, Ontario
• Dreamline Canada, from Fort McMurray, Alberta
• MiNi TiPi, from Gatineau, Quebec
  
  
• Additional contracts resulting from this Request for Proposals may be awarded in the near future. Winning bids were selected first on lowest price, followed by technical evaluation. This was deemed the fairest and most transparent approach given the volume of the bids.
  
  
• Approximately $68.5 million in contracts have been awarded to Indigenous businesses to date for requirements related to COVID-19.
  
  
• In line with the Government of Canada's socio-economic objectives and its COVID-19 long-term procurement strategy, PSPC will continue to foster the participation of Indigenous businesses in its procurement processes.

Associated links

Supplying Canada's response to COVID-19
Essential Services Contingency Reserve
Supplying goods and services in support of Canada's response to COVID-19
Indigenous-owned company delivering essential goods to help all Canadians 
Better Buying

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SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada