UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO - NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SINGLE SOURCE CONTRACT: #21-064
International food policy research survey panels – longitudinal study
The University of Waterloo (UW) intends to renew a contract for the continuation of services supporting international survey panels, to AC Nielsen Company of Canada, of Markham, Ontario, as outlined below.
This is an advanced Notice indicating to the supplier community that UW intends to award a contract for these services to a pre-identified supplier. If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date of this notice, a challenge with a suitable plan for an alternate approach, the competitive requirements of the University are considered to have been met. Following notification to any suppliers not successful in demonstrating an approach that is in the best interests of the University, the contract will then be awarded to the pre-identified supplier.
Overview
The University of Waterloo’s School of Public Health is engaged in a longitudinal study that conducts on-line surveys for the International Food Policy Study (IFPS) – Adults 18+ years of age, including 17,600 adult respondents across four countries (Canada, Australia, UK and USA) broken out by age/sex quotas. The contract will include access to the Nielsen consumer panel for conducting the surveys.
We are also conducting online surveys for the International Food Policy Study – Youth with 12,450 respondents aged 10-17 years in 6 countries across the globe (Canada, Australia, UK, USA, Mexico and Chile). Nielsen is the only company that was able to provide the necessary sample in terms of the number of respondents aged 10-17 in each of the six countries.
This will be our fifth annual wave of data collection using the Nielsen sample for the adult study, and, the third wave for youth. By using AC Nielsen, we will be able to re-contact respondents from previous waves to examine and document changes over time.
The budget for these services totals approximately $350,000 (not including HST) as follows:
-An adult survey funded from a CIHR grant (quoted at $241,600 CAD)
-A youth survey funded by a Health Canada contract (quoted at $106,675 CAD)
PROPOSED SOLUTION:
In order to continue the work done to date, and without interruption, the University of Waterloo’s School of Public Health research team has requested a continuation of services from AC Nielsen to preserve the integrity of the longitudinal research.
SINGLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION:
Nielsen conducted the survey collection for the previous waves of the IFPS, and it is necessary to continue with the same survey panels to ensure consistent sampling methodology between survey waves:
by using Nielsen for the ongoing surveys, we are able to compare responses to previous years using the same sample and methodology. This would not be possible if we changed to a different survey agency using different commercial panels of respondents.
Process
Agencies who wish to challenge the award of this work may, in writing, detail their reasons, including their suggested alternate approach, to the attention of the contact person identified below, on or before the closing date of this Notice.
Date of issue: September 21, 2021
Closing Date: October 7, 2021, at 2:30 P.M. Eastern Time
Contact:
Christine Wagner, CPPB, CSCP – Procurement Specialist, Research
Procurement and Contract Services
University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1
Ph: 519-888-4567 ext. 32074
Email – cpwagner@uwaterloo.ca, or, procure@uwaterloo.ca
