Elvers Traceability Information Management System

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has a requirement for an Information Technology (IT) Solution to track the harvesting, possession, and movement of elvers along the Canadian supply chain to support this high value fishery. This requirement is to detect and deter the laundering of illegally caught and foreign-caught elvers into the legal supply chain, contributing to challenges for DFO Fisheries Management, and conservation risks for the species. The purpose of this RFI is: 1) To inform vendors of the scope of DFO’s requirement for Elvers Fishery Traceability Information Management System; 2) To seek feedback from the industry on the proposed capability to support the finalization of the intended RFP. This includes the desire for a better understanding of: a. Industry capabilities and constraints; b. Time estimates of the acquisition component of the proposed capabilities; and c. Required adjustments/changes to the technical requirements, if any, that are needed to ensure that a viable system can be delivered at an acceptable cost and within time deadlines. 3) To assess potential suppliers’ compliance with the technical requirements in the draft Statement of Work (SOW; see Annex “A”); and 4) To understand the level of interest, and experience of the marketplace in delivering all of such a requirement; 5) To inform DFO about the development of a procurement and implementation strategy for acquiring and implementing such a requirement; 6) To establish a formal communication channel with the industry that will remain open until a procurement method has been established or the requirement is cancelled. DFO may release a solicitation for such a requirement (or any subset thereof) depending on several factors, including availability and viability of solutions and funding approvals.