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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 60 Virtual webinar support and facilitation could be delivered with IT and web skills.
AI workability
Effort & value
106 h AI · 126 h human · 232 h total
Deliverable mix
agent · assisted · human
Dates
19 Aug
19 Aug
26 Aug
26 Aug
AI can handle most back-office and production support, but the core live facilitation, interpretation, and A/V support remain human-only. Overall AI workability is below majority.
Bid call: NO_GO Mandatory ProServices SA Stream 9.15 qualification is a hard blocker, and the core live facilitation/interpretation work is human-only, limiting AI-agent differentiation. AI workability is 46%, below the majority threshold.
| Deliverable | Mode | AI share | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Webinar content and agenda development
Research, drafting agendas, speaker briefs, talking points, and presentation materials for three webinars on OCSE/gender-based violence. |
ai assisted | 70% | 30 | AI can research and draft; human facilitator must review and adapt to sensitive context. |
|
Bilingual facilitation
Live facilitation of three 2-2.5 hour webinars in English/French, managing discussion, Q&A, and participant engagement. |
human only | 5% | 45 | Requires professional bilingual facilitator with subject-matter knowledge; AI cannot replace live human facilitation. |
|
Simultaneous interpretation
English/French simultaneous interpretation during webinars. |
human only | 0% | 30 | Certified human interpreters required; AI interpretation not reliable for sensitive discussions. |
|
Note-taking services
Professional note-taking for each webinar, documenting presentations, discussions, Q&A, conclusions, and recommendations. |
ai assisted | 75% | 18 | AI transcription and summarization with human professional review for accuracy. |
|
Final reports
Three final reports, one per webinar, synthesizing outcomes and recommendations. |
ai assisted | 80% | 24 | AI drafts from notes/transcripts; human analyst verifies and finalizes. |
|
Virtual platform setup and configuration
Configure Zoom/Webex/Teams for 200+ participants, bilingual events, simultaneous interpretation, chat/Q&A, polling, resources, and exit survey prompt. |
ai assisted | 85% | 25 | AI agents can configure settings and test workflows; human QA and vendor coordination needed. |
|
A/V technical support
Technical support during rehearsals and live webinars. |
human only | 20% | 15 | Personnel required; AI can assist with run-of-show and troubleshooting scripts but cannot replace human tech support. |
|
Registration management
Coordinate participant registration, emails, and final participant list. |
ai assisted | 90% | 15 | AI automates registration and list generation; human oversight for exceptions and privacy. |
|
Exit survey development, administration, and reporting
Develop, administer, and report on exit survey. |
ai assisted | 85% | 10 | AI drafts survey, automates distribution, analyzes results, and drafts report; human review. |
|
Project coordination and client communication
Overall project management, client liaison, scheduling, and quality assurance. |
human only | 20% | 20 | Relationship and accountability work; AI can assist with scheduling and status reports. |
Risks
-
high
Mandatory ProServices Supply Arrangement qualification is not held by the shop.
Mitigation: Verify whether the shop can qualify before closing; otherwise no-go. -
high
Sensitive topics (OCSE and gender-based violence) require trauma-informed facilitation and strict privacy safeguards.
Mitigation: Use experienced facilitators, confidentiality protocols, and secure data handling. -
medium
Very short RFI window (7 days) limits time to prepare a thoughtful response.
Mitigation: Respond quickly or pass; treat as market research. -
medium
RFI is not a solicitation; no guarantee of contract or value.
Mitigation: Limit investment; use response to build relationships. -
medium
AI cannot replace live facilitation, interpretation, or A/V support, creating dependency on subcontractors.
Mitigation: Identify and pre-qualify human subcontractors early.
Human roles needed
- Bilingual facilitator · 36% — Live facilitation of sensitive webinars requires human judgment, empathy, and subject-matter expertise.
- Simultaneous interpreters · 24% — Certified human interpreters are required for accurate English/French interpretation.
- Project manager / client liaison · 16% — Accountability, client relationship, and coordination are human responsibilities.
- A/V technical support · 12% — Mandatory personnel for live technical support and rehearsals.
- Content reviewer / editor · 7% — Human review of AI-generated agendas, notes, and reports for accuracy and tone.
- Report analyst / finalizer · 4% — Final sign-off on reports requires professional accountability.
- Platform QA / registration oversight · 4% — Human verification of platform configuration and registration exceptions.
- Survey reviewer · 1% — Review of survey design and results interpretation.
Why not more AI
- Cannot facilitate live, sensitive stakeholder discussions.
- Cannot provide certified simultaneous interpretation.
- Cannot replace A/V technical support personnel.
- Cannot sign contracts or hold professional accountability.
- Cannot guarantee privacy/security for sensitive OCSE data without human governance.
Suggested delivery stack
- Zoom Webinar or MS Teams with 200+ capacity and simultaneous interpretation add-on.
- Whisper or Otter.ai for transcription and note-taking.
- Claude or GPT-4 for summarization, report drafting, and translation review.
- Zapier or Make for registration automation and email workflows.
- SurveyMonkey or MS Forms for exit surveys.
- Notion or Google Docs for collaborative report production.
Requirements & compliance (16)
| Ref | Requirement | Kind | Compliance |
|---|---|---|---|
| REQ-1 | Suppliers must be qualified under the ProServices Supply Arrangement, Stream 9.15 – Facilitation Consultant. Shop is not qualified under ProServices SA; mandatory blocker unless qualification is obtained. |
mandatory | gap |
| REQ-2 | Provide facilitation and event support services for three webinars during the current fiscal year. Can be delivered with AI-assisted support and human facilitation. |
mandatory | met |
| REQ-3 | Each webinar must be approximately 2 to 2.5 hours in duration. Scheduling within scope. |
mandatory | met |
| REQ-4 | Provide a bilingual facilitator. Requires human bilingual facilitator; not an AI capability, but can be subcontracted/hired. |
mandatory | gap |
| REQ-5 | Preferably have professional work experience and/or knowledge in online child sexual exploitation (OCSE) and/or gender-based violence. Need to identify facilitator with relevant experience; not an AI capability. |
other | unclear |
| REQ-6 | 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-assisted transcription/summarization with human review. |
mandatory | met |
| REQ-7 | Provide three final reports, one for each webinar. AI-assisted drafting and human finalization. |
mandatory | met |
| REQ-8 | Provide A/V technical support personnel to assist throughout webinars and participate in rehearsal sessions (dry runs). Requires human personnel; AI can only assist. |
mandatory | gap |
| REQ-9 | Provide a virtual platform accommodating a minimum of 200 participants. Standard platforms meet this; AI can configure. |
mandatory | met |
| REQ-10 | Virtual platform must support events delivered in English, French, and bilingual formats. Platform supports; human interpreters/facilitator needed. |
mandatory | met |
| REQ-11 | Virtual platform must provide simultaneous interpretation functionality. Platform feature; actual interpretation is human. |
mandatory | met |
| REQ-12 | Virtual platform must include chat and/or Q&A features, as well as polling capabilities. Platform features; AI can set up. |
mandatory | met |
| REQ-13 | Virtual platform must include a downloadable resource section for event materials. Platform feature. |
mandatory | met |
| REQ-14 | Virtual platform must prompt participants to complete a survey when exiting the event. Platform feature; AI can configure. |
mandatory | met |
| REQ-15 | Provide registration management services, including coordination of participant registration and provision of a final participant list. AI automation with human oversight. |
mandatory | met |
| REQ-16 | Develop, administer, and report on an exit survey. AI-assisted. |
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
- Effort estimates are based on three webinars of 2-2.5 hours and typical event support work.
- The RFI notice and extracted facts are thin; no evaluation criteria or pricing were provided.
- ProServices SA qualification is not currently held by the shop.
- Human interpreters and facilitators can be subcontracted if needed.
- AI tools can be used for back-office support without violating security/privacy, subject to client approval.
Gaps in source documents
- No full RFP or statement of work; only RFI notice and extracted facts.
- No evaluation criteria or weighting.
- No estimated value or contract terms.
- No details on participant profiles, content, or security requirements.
- No confirmation whether simultaneous interpretation means human interpreters or just platform functionality.
- No information on incumbent or teaming possibilities.
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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