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Request for Information (RFI) – Facilitation and Virtual Webinar Support Services
Closes in 7 hours 26 Aug 2026 00:00 UTC
IT fit 70 Virtual webinar support services could be delivered by a small IT shop with web conferencing expertise.
AI workability
Effort & value
51 h AI · 64 h human · 115 h total
Deliverable mix
agent · assisted · human
Dates
19 Aug
19 Aug
26 Aug
26 Aug
AI can handle roughly 44% of the effort—registration, reporting, survey automation, and platform configuration—but live facilitation and A/V support require humans. The mandatory ProServices Supply Arrangement qualification is a hard blocker for bidding.
Bid call: NO_GO Mandatory ProServices Supply Arrangement Stream 9.15 qualification is not held, making the shop ineligible. AI workability is moderate at 44%, but the compliance barrier is fatal for a bid.
| Deliverable | Mode | AI share | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Project management and coordination
Overall coordination, client communication, scheduling, and status tracking across three webinars. |
ai assisted | 50% | 20 | AI can handle scheduling, status tracking, and draft communications; a human must manage client relationships and approvals. |
|
Virtual platform setup and configuration
Select and configure a webinar platform for 200+ participants, bilingual formats, simultaneous interpretation, chat/Q&A, polling, downloadable resources, and exit survey prompt. |
ai assisted | 60% | 15 | AI can research, configure settings, and create runbooks; a human owns accounts and final testing. |
|
Registration management
Coordinate participant registration, maintain the participant list, and provide a final list. |
ai agent | 85% | 10 | AI can automate registration workflows, deduplication, and list generation; human spot-check is still needed. |
|
Bilingual facilitation (3 webinars)
Facilitate three 2-2.5 hour webinars in English, French, and bilingual formats, including preparation and dry runs. |
human only | 5% | 30 | Live facilitation requires human presence, judgment, and stakeholder engagement. AI can prepare materials and briefs but cannot replace the facilitator. |
|
A/V technical support
Provide A/V support personnel during webinars and rehearsal sessions. |
human only | 10% | 12 | Requirement explicitly calls for personnel. AI can monitor chat and suggest fixes, but a human technician must operate. |
|
Note-taking and final reports
Professional note-taking for each webinar (English only) and three final reports. |
ai assisted | 70% | 20 | AI transcription, summarization, and report drafting are feasible; a human editor must verify accuracy and tone. |
|
Exit survey development, administration, and reporting
Build, administer, and report the exit survey for each webinar. |
ai agent | 80% | 8 | AI can draft questions, configure the survey, analyze results, and generate reports; human review is still required. |
Risks
-
high
Mandatory ProServices Supply Arrangement qualification is not held.
Mitigation: Pursue qualification before any future solicitation or partner with a qualified supplier. -
medium
Core facilitation is human-only and cannot be replaced by AI.
Mitigation: Secure an experienced bilingual facilitator early, ideally with OCSE/gender-based violence knowledge. -
medium
AI-generated notes and reports may miss nuance in sensitive subject matter.
Mitigation: Use a human editor with domain knowledge to review all AI outputs. -
medium
Simultaneous interpretation quality in English/French may not meet professional standards with AI alone.
Mitigation: Use platform interpretation features and consider professional human interpreters for live events. -
low
Short RFI response window (7 days) limits preparation.
Mitigation: Respond quickly with capabilities, questions, and a clear statement of AI-assisted delivery model.
Human roles needed
- Bilingual facilitator · 44% — Live facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and bilingual delivery require a human.
- A/V technician · 17% — Requirement explicitly demands A/V support personnel during webinars and dry runs.
- Project manager / client liaison · 16% — Client relationship, approvals, and accountability require a human.
- Technical setup / QA · 9% — Platform accounts, final testing, and troubleshooting need human hands.
- Content editor / QA · 14% — Human review of AI-generated notes, reports, registration lists, and survey results is necessary.
Why not more AI
- Cannot replace a live human facilitator for stakeholder engagement and nuanced discussion.
- Cannot provide certified or qualified A/V personnel.
- AI-generated notes and reports may miss context and require human editorial review.
- Simultaneous interpretation quality in sensitive settings may not meet professional standards without human interpreters.
- Cannot satisfy mandatory supply arrangement qualifications or sign contracts.
Suggested delivery stack
- Zoom Events or Microsoft Teams with language interpretation add-on for 200+ participant webinars.
- Otter.ai or Whisper for transcription; GPT-4/Claude for summarization and report drafting.
- Zapier/Make and Google Sheets for registration automation and participant lists.
- SurveyMonkey or Microsoft Forms for exit surveys with AI-assisted analysis.
- Notion or Asana for project management with human-in-the-loop review.
Requirements & compliance (14)
| Ref | Requirement | Kind | Compliance |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | Supplier must be qualified under the ProServices Supply Arrangement, Stream 9.15 – Facilitation Consultant. Shop does not hold ProServices Supply Arrangement Stream 9.15; mandatory qualification cannot be met. |
mandatory | gap |
| R2 | Provide a bilingual facilitator. Requires a human bilingual facilitator; not an AI-agent capability. Could be subcontracted, but not in current profile. |
mandatory | gap |
| R3 | Facilitator preferably has professional work experience and/or knowledge in online child sexual exploitation (OCSE) and/or gender-based violence. Rated preference; would require a human facilitator with domain experience. |
rated | unclear |
| R4 | Provide professional note-taking services for each webinar, including documentation of presentations, key findings, discussions, comments, questions and answers, conclusions, and recommendations (English only). AI transcription/summarization with human editor can produce professional notes. |
mandatory | met |
| R5 | Provide three final reports, one for each webinar. AI can draft final reports from notes; human review required. |
mandatory | met |
| R6 | Provide A/V technical support personnel to assist throughout the webinars and participate in rehearsal sessions (dry runs). Requires A/V personnel; AI can assist monitoring but cannot replace a human technician. |
mandatory | gap |
| R7 | Virtual platform must accommodate a minimum of 200 participants. Commercial platforms support 200+ participants; AI can configure. |
mandatory | met |
| R8 | Virtual platform must support events delivered in English, French, and bilingual formats. Platform language settings and AI translation support can meet this. |
mandatory | met |
| R9 | Virtual platform must provide simultaneous interpretation functionality. Platform interpretation channels can be configured; human interpreters may be needed for quality. |
mandatory | met |
| R10 | Virtual platform must include chat and/or Q&A features, as well as polling capabilities. Platform features are available; AI can configure. |
mandatory | met |
| R11 | Virtual platform must include a downloadable resource section for event materials. Platform resource section is available; AI can upload and organize materials. |
mandatory | met |
| R12 | Virtual platform must prompt participants to complete a survey when exiting the event. Exit survey prompt can be configured; AI can build the survey. |
mandatory | met |
| R13 | Provide registration management services, including coordination of participant registration and provision of a final participant list. AI can automate registration and list generation. |
mandatory | met |
| R14 | Develop, administer, and report an exit survey. AI can develop, administer, and report the survey with human review. |
mandatory | met |
Evaluation criteria & key dates
- 2026-08-19T00:00:00+00:00 — Publication
- 2026-08-26T17:00:00-04:00 — Closing Date
Assumptions & gaps
Assumptions
- Three webinars are the only events; no additional onsite work beyond virtual delivery.
- A commercial webinar platform can be procured and configured by AI with human oversight.
- Human facilitator and A/V technician can be subcontracted if not in-house.
- AI transcription and summarization are acceptable for note-taking and reports with human review.
- No security clearance is required (not stated in the RFI).
- The RFI is a market sounding; an actual RFP may include more stringent requirements.
Gaps in source documents
- No detailed statement of work or evaluation criteria in source documents.
- No estimated contract value or budget.
- No exact webinar dates or participant profiles.
- No confirmation of security clearance requirements.
- No information on incumbent or existing platform.
- Mandatory ProServices Supply Arrangement qualification is not in the capability profile.
Deep read covered 1 captured document.
Draft proposal
Generate a first-draft bid response from the AI-workability dossier — approach per workstream, compliance responses, team model, pricing structure, and an honest gap list. Human review required before submission.
- Buyer
- Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (PS)
- Type
- provincial
- Location
- Canada Ontario, CAN
- Notice type
- —
- Published
- 19 Aug 2026
- Closes
- 26 Aug 2026 00:00 UTC
- GSIN
- —
- UNSPSC
- —
Extracted document text
notice-page.txt
202701605 - Request for Information (RFI) – Facilitation and Virtual Webinar Support Services 202701605 - Request for Information (RFI) – Facilitation and Virtual Webinar Support Services This solicitation is OPEN Select a tab Notice Notice Mail Basic Information Reference Number cb-185-8921113 Issuing Organization Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (PS) Solicitation Type RFI - Request for Information (Informal) Solicitation Number 202701605 Title Request for Information (RFI) – Facilitation and Virtual Webinar Support Services Source ID PWGSC Agreement Type None Details Location National Capital Region Canada Dates Publication 2026/08/19 12:00:00 AM EDT Closing Date 2026/08/26 05:00:00 PM EDT Contact Information Betty Wong ps.contractunit-unitedecontrats.sp@ps-sp.gc.ca Description Public Safety Canada is seeking to determine whether there are suppliers qualified under the ProServices Supply Arrangement, Stream 9.15 – Facilitation Consultant, that are capable of meeting the requirements described below. The resulting contract will include the provision of facilitation and support services for three webinars to be delivered during the current fiscal year. Each webinar is expected to be approximately two (2) to two and a half (2.5) hours in duration. The contractor will be required to provide facilitation and event support services, including a virtual platform, registration management, technical support, simultaneous interpretation, and the preparation of reports and/or follow-up documentation. The following professional services must be included: A bilingual facilitator, preferably with professional work experience and/or knowledge in the fields of online child sexual exploitation (OCSE) and/or gender-based violence, due to the sensitive nature of the topics to be discussed; Professional note-taking services for each webinar, including, but not limited to, documentation of presentations, key findings, discussions, comments, questions and answers, conclusions, and recommendations (English only); and Three final reports, one for each webinar. The following technical services and virtual platform features must be included: Audio-visual (A/V) technical support personnel to assist throughout the webinars and participate in rehearsal sessions (dry runs); A virtual platform (e.g., Zoom, Webex, MS Teams, or equivalent) that: Accommodates a minimum of 200 participants; Supports events delivered in English, French, and bilingual formats; Provides simultaneous interpretation functionality; Includes chat and/or Q&A features, as well as polling capabilities to support participant engagement; Includes a downloadable resource section to allow participants to access and download event materials (e.g., presentations); and Prompts participants to complete a survey when exiting the event; Registration management services, including coordination of participant registration and provision of a final participant list; and Development, administration, and reporting of an exit survey. See more Disclaimer Government of Canada (GC) tender notices and awards, solicitation documents and tender attachments are available free of charge and without registration on canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities , the authoritative location for GC tenders. You may have received this tender notice or award through a third-party distributor. The Government of Canada is not responsible for any tender notices and/or related documents and attachments not accessed directly through canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities. This Government of Canada tender notice or tender award carries an Open Government Licence - Canada that governs its use. Related solicitation documents and/or tender attachments are copyright protected. Please refer to the section about Commercial Reproduction in the canadabuys.canada.ca/en Terms and Conditions for more information. Contains information licensed under the Open Government license - Canada. Contains data reprod
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