Basic Information

Reference Number

0000145177

Issuing Organization

OntarioMD Inc.

Owner Organization

OntarioMD Inc.

Solicitation Type

RFS - Request for Services (Formal)

Solicitation Number

RFS 2019-02

Title

OntarioMD Agency of Record - Marketing and Advertising

Source ID

PU.HL.ON.564307.C96862

Agreement Type

Broader Public Sector (BPS)

Details

Location

Canada, Ontario

Delivery Point

Toronto

Description

Request for Services

OntarioMD Agency of Record
Marketing and Advertising

RFS Number: 2019-02
Issued: March 13, 2019
Closing Date: March 28, 2019 1:00PM EDT

Table of Contents

1.     Introduction 3
1.1.      Invitation to Submit. 3
1.2.      About OntarioMD.. 3
1.3.      OntarioMD’s Changing Mandate. 3
2.     Procurement Process 6
2.1.      RFS Coordination. 6
2.2.      Procurement Timetable. 6
2.3.      Submission Requirements. 7
2.4.      Evaluation Process. 8
3.     Terms and Conditions 10
4.     Requirements 12
4.1.      Role. 12
4.2.      Scope of Work. 12
Appendix A – Standard Consulting Form   14
Appendix B – Conflict of Interest Declaration 15
Appendix C – References 16
Appendix D – Candidate Experience Template 17
Appendix E – Pricing   19

1.Introduction
1.1.Invitation to Submit
This Request for Services (“RFS”) is an invitation to Vendors to put forward a Submission for the provision of marketing and advertising consulting services as described in Section 4.

In responding to this RFS, you will be deemed to have reviewed all the terms and conditions in the RFS and are willing to enter a Statement of Work using the OntarioMD standard form for consulting contracts (Appendix A).

1.2.About OntarioMD
OntarioMD plays a lead role as a digital health system innovator and integrator, focused on improving user access, increasing patient safety, creating system efficiencies and realizing value for Ontario’s health care system. More than 17,000 clinicians are enrolled in its digital health programs and services. They are supported by OntarioMD staff and Peer Leaders across Ontario to enhance their EMR skills and use based on their individual practice needs. OntarioMD staff use a customized approach to work with physicians and their staff to achieve their goals for enhancing patient care and practice efficiency.

OntarioMD has the infrastructure, industry knowledge, experience and strong relationships with clinicians, stakeholders and vendors that uniquely positions us to advance provincial health priorities through EMR-integrated digital health solutions. We have developed and implemented award-winning connectivity to EMRs in our Health Report Manager (HRM) and eNotifications applications that enhance the value of certified EMRs receiving clinical information from hospitals and independent health facilities across the province. In addition to delivering HRM across Ontario, OntarioMD is also rolling out applications such as eConsult, an EMR Quality Dashboard, and the Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS) to clinicians. It is also integrating provincial digital health tools such as the Digital Health Drug Repository (DHDR) and the Digital Health Immunization Repository (DHIR) with EMRs so clinicians can access these sources of patient information directly from their certified EMRs. To ensure that the future clinical and usability needs of physicians' practices are incorporated into EMRs to support the evolving health care environment, OntarioMD also manages the EMR Specifications and the EMR Certification Program for the province.

OntarioMD is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Ontario Medical Association and this relationship has been valuable in advancing the digital health agenda with Ontario’s physicians. OntarioMD is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

For more information see www.ontariomd.ca.

1.3.OntarioMD’s Current Mandate

OntarioMD was established in 2004 primarily to administer funding for EMR adoption to community-based family physicians and specialists. This has led to a long and trusted relationship with physicians, an understanding of their practice needs and how to address these needs. Since August 1, 2015, OntarioMD has taken on EMR-related activities that support physician practices to realize more benefits through the use of their EMRs. Funding for these programs and activities comes from the EMR Funding Agreement (“Agreement”) with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MoHLTC). The Agreement provides schedules which describe key program components, conditions, requirements and performance metrics. The schedules in the Agreement define key program elements and associated targets. Targets must be achieved within specific time frames.

Current programs include:

Corporate Services
- Financial / Risk Management
- Audit
- Human Resources
- Communications & Marketing
- Customer Support
Client Services and Engagement
- EMR Practice Enhancement Program (EPEP)
- Peer Leader Program
Insight, Engagement and Transformation (Change Management)
Product Strategy and Delivery
- Physician Connectivity Products (e.g., Health Report Manager)
- EMR integration with eConsult, Digital Health Drug Repository (DHDR), Digital Health Immunization Repository (DHIR)
- EMR Quality Dashboard
EMR Certification Program
IT Operations, Development and Support
- OntarioMD.ca Portal

OntarioMD’s strategic plan for 2017-2020 is based on three main strategic areas of focus:

Enhance patient care and clinical practice as an Integrator and Change Agent
Impact and influence through System Partnerships

Growth and sustainability through Innovation and Co-Creation

Our strategic areas of focus are highly linked and interdependent. They serve to advance our evolving mandate of optimizing EMR use. Through our experience and access to a range of clinical practice environments that require the engagement of physicians, other clinicians, administrators and other members of the interdisciplinary practice context, we are poised to play an influential role as an integrator and change agent in health system transformation efforts. OntarioMD is a valuable partner of choice for health system leaders as they seek to advance their strategic objectives and meaningfully engage with physicians.

OntarioMD continuously explores new partnerships and business models to deliver value for our stakeholders and Ontario’s health system. OntarioMD will use existing platforms to introduce digital innovations and will explore new opportunities offered by emerging technologies to deliver additional value to physicians, stakeholders and the broader health system.

1.4.Changing Business Need

Increasing Company Recognition & Brand Awareness
OntarioMD has been very successful in working with community-based physicians and specialists to adopt, and continuously improve, their use of their certified EMRs. For the first 11 years of OntarioMD’s history, from 2004 to 2015, the company’s focus was on achieving Ministry, and then eHealth Ontario, targets for EMR adoption among community-based physicians through the administration of a funding program.

On August 1, 2015, OntarioMD’s mandate shifted from support efforts related to EMR adoption to a mandate focused on optimizing EMR use, recognizing that optimized EMR use has a direct impact on enhancing patient care and an impact on the efficiency of practices and the wider health care system. Market research conducted in 2015 and 2016 indicated that physicians still thought of OntarioMD as a funding administrator rather than an organization known for our work in delivering digital health products and services.

OntarioMD operates in a complex medical-political landscape which has both informed and influenced both its strategy and risk appetite. Prior to 2015, there was limited effort to develop an independent brand identity and broaden awareness of the company. In 2015, OntarioMD undertook brand development work involving its staff and an external brand advisor. OntarioMD has been trying to establish deeper awareness of the work of the organization among more physicians and stakeholders in a dynamic and complex health care delivery landscape, with a proliferation of organizations trying to play a role in digital health at the regional and provincial level.

OntarioMD has also had challenges in increasing awareness of its products and services because of the lack of a marketing solution fully integrated with its Client Relationship Management (CRM) system to segment and target physicians for products and services and analyze product and service penetration. This situation will be rectified in early 2019 with marketing software integrated with the company’s new CRM system to enable OntarioMD’s Communication and Marketing team to develop and refine marketing strategies and conduct more effective campaigns.

OntarioMD is also considering rebranding some of its products and services in 2019 to resonate better with clients and to reflect the wider scope of support OntarioMD offers to physician practices (not just EMRs).

While OntarioMD has not marketed directly to patients, some of its digital health activities serve patients. Getting the right technologies into the hands of physicians means:

Better coordinated care for patients based on informed decision-making by their physicians
Electronic receipt of patient reports for faster follow-up after hospital visits to prevent complications and readmissions
Reducing wait times for specialist advice and avoiding the need for in-person visits when specialists can share their advice electronically with family physicians
Physicians can monitor their patient populations and proactively take action for individual patients

Shifting digital health landscape
The digital health landscape in Ontario has also changed since OntarioMD’s inception. While there has been some centralization of Ontario’s digital health initiatives, over the past few years, there has been a proliferation of organizations seeking to engage primary care and deploy digital health solutions in clinician practices. This proliferation is not in the best interests of physicians who do not have the time to engage with multiple entities. OntarioMD needs to clearly articulate its value and experience as the provincial digital health system integrator for primary care in a way that resonates with stakeholders. These stakeholders need to understand the full extent of what the company does, its 15 year relationship with physician practices and why it matters so that they entrust OntarioMD with the responsibility of deploying digital health solutions to primary care practices.

2.Procurement Process
2.1.RFS Coordination

Contact
Val Lesko
Manager, Corporate Planning and Administration
Procurement@OntarioMD.com

Mailing Address
OntarioMD
150 Bloor Street West, Suite 900
Toronto, ON M5S 3C1

2.2.Procurement Timetable
The target completion dates for the procurement activities are listed below:

ActivityDate
Issue RFSMarch 13, 2019
Submit Applicant’s QuestionsMarch 15, 2019 at 13:00 EDT
Respond to Applicant’s QuestionsMarch 18, 2019
Closing Date for Receipt of SubmissionsMarch 28, 2019 at 13:00 EDT
Evaluate SubmissionsMarch 28-April 2, 2019
Candidate Interviews (1)April 9, 2019
Select VendorApril 10, 2019
Begin Contract (2)April 15, 2019
Complete ContractMarch 31, 2020

This RFS timetable is tentative only and may be changed by OntarioMD in its sole discretion.

The Client may, in its sole discretion, extend the Contract End Date for up to three (3) months by giving written notice to the Vendor not less than 10 days before the initial assignment end date.

Notes:
1. Interviews may be waived at the discretion of OntarioMD
2. Subject to contract execution

2.3.Submission Requirements
Written Submissions are requested from Respondents corresponding to the OntarioMD submission requirements described below. Respondents must order their Submission in the same order as the order of information requested below.

Respondents must submit their Submissions in two separate parts. One part will contain the price portion of the Submission using Appendix E. The other part will contain the rest of the Submission. Each part must be submitted in separate electronic file in Microsoft Word format or portable document format (pdf).

Cover Letter

This will include an introduction to the Respondent. A clear statement that the Terms and Conditions of this RFS have been read, understood and agreed to in their entirety and confirming that the information provided in the Submission is accurate. The letter must be signed by an authorized signing officer of the organization.

Respondent Profile

The Respondent profile includes a brief description of the Respondent’s type of business and a Respondent’s contact for all questions and clarifications arising from the Submission. The contact information includes the person’s title, address, email, and telephone number.

This section may also include a short reference summary describing a previous example(s) of where the Respondent has provided similar services to OntarioMD or other entities in the health care sector.

Conflict of Interest Declaration

Any Respondent who has or may have a conflict of interest must disclose such conflicts(s). Respondent(s) shall sign and include the Conflict of Interest Declaration attached in “Appendix B – Conflict of Interest Declaration”.

Staffing

Identify proposed candidate who will be appointed as the Account Manager to lead the agency team who will provide the required Service(s). Please forward the candidate’s resume which should provide details of the candidate’s experience and successful campaigns. Respondents are reminded that only one candidate may be proposed for this role.

Please use Appendix D – Agency Experience to capture responses of how the agency team meets the experience required to provide the required Service(s). A soft copy of the template can be provided upon request. Please note that examples of successful campaigns and client projects is to be included as part of Appendix D.

Please identify if any component of this project will be outsourced or subcontracted. Please state the name and location of the outsource company or subcontractor, and the length and nature of the relationship with the Respondent.

Respondent References

Complete and attach Appendix C – References providing the Respondent’s client references as requested therein.

Price

Complete the pricing information using Appendix E - Pricing. All dollar amounts are to be stated in Canadian funds.

As noted above, Appendix E is to be submitted as a separate file.

2.4.Evaluation Process
The evaluation of the Submission will be conducted by a panel of OntarioMD representatives. A Submission must meet the requirements of each applicable stage to proceed to the next stage.

Stage 1 consists of validating that all Submission Requirements are included and complete according to section 2.3 – Submission Requirements
Stage 2 consists of scoring by OntarioMD for each qualified Submission with respect to the Respondent’s Experience and the submitted Sample Scenario. Only Respondents who score 30 or more out of 40 on the experience requirements will advance to the Interview/pitch.
Stage 3 consists of an interview and marketing pitch of the completed Sample Scenario by the Respondents who scored 30 or more out of 40 on the experience requirements to demonstrate their understanding of the scope of work to the panel. They must also provide a link to work or campaign examples online or in print, in advance of the interview. Any Respondent that is not interviewed or does not score a minimum of 15 out of 20 points for the interview / pitch AND 15 out of 20 points for the work examples will not proceed to Stage 4.
Respondents that are qualify for Stage 3 will be required to make their staff available for interviews and to deliver the marketing pitch (tentatively scheduled as indicated in Section 2.2) and respond to questions from OntarioMD.

Stage 4 Upon successful completion of Stage 3, the pricing attachment provided by each qualified Respondent will be opened. Each proposal will be evaluated and awarded points based on the total price provided for the Case Study Scenario and the weighted blended rate for the roles used in the Sample Scenario.
Stage 5 consists of verifying reference information. References will only be contacted if a Respondent is considered at Stage 4
General: OntarioMD, in addition to any other remedies it may have in law or in equity, shall have the right to rescind any Contract awarded to a Proponent in the event that OntarioMD determines that the Proponent made a misrepresentation or submitted any inaccurate or incomplete information.
A proposal that includes conditions, options, variations or contingent statements that are contrary to or inconsistent with the terms set out in the RFS may be disqualified. If a proposal is not disqualified despite such changes or qualifications, the provisions as set out in this RFS will prevail over any such changes or qualifications.
The points allocated to each stage of the evaluation process are as follows:

Evaluation ProcessPointsSubmission Requirements
(section 2.3 of this RFS)Pass / Fail
Respondent Experience40
Interview / pitch20
Portfolio / work examples20
Price20
Reference VerificationPass / Fail

Substitutions for staff providing services to OntarioMD is permissible should staff leave the Respondent’s service at any time during an active contract. The Respondent may substitute staff with another staff member who meets all requirements.

3.Terms and Conditions

Confidentiality

OntarioMD reserves all rights in respect of this RFS. Respondents to this RFS may not reproduce, modify, disclose, distribute or publish any portion of this RFS or any information about without the prior written approval of OntarioMD, save and except for the strict purpose of preparing a response, and provided always that any such reproduction, modification, disclosure, distribution or publication of this RFS shall only be made to or for recipient’s employees or advisors on a strict need-to-know basis, each of whom the recipient agrees to bind to these same confidentiality obligations.

Respondents or other RFS recipients may not use the name of OntarioMD, or refer to this RFS in any advertisement or other promotional messages without the prior written consent of OntarioMD.

Information pertaining to OntarioMD obtained by the Respondent as a result of participation in this RFS is confidential and must not be disclosed without written authorization from OntarioMD.

Collection and Use of Personal Information

Respondents are solely responsible for familiarizing themselves, and ensuring that they comply, with the laws applicable to the collection and dissemination of personal information, concerning employees and employees of any subcontractors. If this RFS requires Respondents to provide OntarioMD with personal information of employees who have been included as resources in response to this RFS, Respondents will ensure that they have obtained written consent from each of those employees before forwarding such personal information to OntarioMD. Such written consents are to specify that the personal information may be forwarded to OntarioMD for the purposes of responding to this RFS and use by OntarioMD for the purposes set out in the RFS. OntarioMD may, at any time, request the original consents or copies of the original consents from Respondents.

Please provide an electronic copy (via email) as indicated in Section 2.2 to:

Val Lesko
Manager, Corporate Planning and Administration
Procurement@OntarioMD.com

All communications regarding this RFS must be directed by email to this address.

We regret extensions cannot be granted. Submissions received after the deadline will be sent a notification email that their Submission will not be considered.

Facsimile Submissions in whole or in part will not be accepted.

Respondents that are selected for a short list will be required to make their staff available for interviews and to deliver the marketing pitch (tentatively scheduled as indicated in Section 2.2) and respond to questions from OntarioMD.

Other than the contact named in 2. above, a Respondent may not contact or attempt to contact, during the RFS process, anyone else at OntarioMD for the purposes of obtaining information that relates to this RFS. Any Respondent who fails to comply with this requirement will be disqualified.

OntarioMD, without liability, cost or penalty, may at any time prior to or after closing time:
- Alter any dates in this RFS;
- Cancel this RFS;
- Amend or supplement this RFS;
- Issue a new RFS for the same or similar services.

IN NO EVENT SHALL EITHER PARTY BE LIABLE IN CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, FOR INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER FOR ANY LOSS, OR ALLEGED LOSS, OF REVENUE OR PROFIT.

The Submission with the lowest cost may not necessarily be the winning bid. While the cost is an important element in the selection process, it is to be clearly understood that there are other evaluation criteria in the RFS that OntarioMD will consider in evaluating Submissions.

OntarioMD, without liability, cost or penalty, may, in its sole discretion, waive irregularities in any Respondent’s Submission.

OntarioMD, without liability, cost or penalty, may, in its sole discretion and at any time after submission, seek clarification from any Respondent with respect to its Submission. Any written information received by OntarioMD from a Respondent in response to a request for clarification from OntarioMD shall be considered an integral part of the Respondent’s Submission.

OntarioMD may verify any Respondent claim or statement by whatever means OntarioMD deems appropriate, including contacting references other than those offered by the Respondent, and may reject any Respondent statement or claim, if in the judgment of OntarioMD the statement or claim is unwarranted or not credible.

OntarioMD assumes no responsibility for any costs associated with your response to this RFS.

OntarioMD’s standard Letter of Engagement referenced in Appendix “A” is available through the following portal link:

https://www.ontariomd.ca/documents/letter%20of%20agreement%20-%20corporation%20-%202018.pdf

The Respondent must provide a statement in their response that they have read, understood and accept the terms and conditions contained in the Letter of Engagement and that the Respondent will, if requested by OntarioMD, sign and enter into this Agreement with OntarioMD and be bound by the provisions of the Letter of Engagement. The RFS will become part of the Letter of Engagement.

4.Requirements
4.1.Role
OntarioMD is seeking a team to fill the role of marketing and advertising agency to provide strategic marketing advice, develop new campaigns or refine existing campaigns.

The marketing and advertising agency must have an understanding of OntarioMD’s mission and focus and the context within which it works. It will work with the OntarioMD executive management and the Communications and Marketing department on new or existing strategies and campaigns that articulate the company’s value as a health care system delivery partner and a trusted advisor to physician practices, and to increase visibility and brand awareness. The agency must have the expertise, experience, resources, and approach to provide professional services on deadline and on budget.

The work is expected to span the period from April 15, 2019 to March 31, 2020, with possibilities for extension of up to three (3) months. OntarioMD makes no guarantee of the value or volume of work to be assigned to the successful Proponent. The value and volume of Services will depend on a variety of factors, such as, but not limited to, the annual budgetary approvals.

The agency will report to the CEO.
4.2.Scope of Work
Any of the following deliverables may be assigned to the agency:

Development of advertising strategies to create customized marketing campaigns, including rebranding
Development of creative brief(s) and concepts
Customer journey mapping
Workback schedules
Production of creative messaging, artwork and collateral (ads, brochures, direct mail, video)
Review existing advertising commitments, as well as research and provide strategic counsel on relevant advertising opportunities
Digital marketing campaign:
- Website enhancement and new content development
- Media strategy and planning
- Social media strategy
- Mobile media strategy
- Search engine optimization, marketing and geotargeting
Multi-channel rollout of campaigns
Meetings and collaboration with internal stakeholders
Regular reports on progress, including campaign metrics and analysis
Knowledge and file transfer
Other communications and/or marketing-related assistance as required

The evidence of the Respondent’s skills in these areas will be evaluated to assess the Respondent’s ability to deliver on the Scope of Work.

Demonstrated experience in the development of effective, comprehensive, multi-channel marketing campaigns for the public sector and/or private sector organizations whose clients are in the public sector
Demonstrated experience in the production of effective digital and print collateral
Proven political acuity, particularly at the provincial level, and experience with influencing government
Experience with marketing solutions integrated with Microsoft CRM Dynamics
Experience of proposed Account Manager
Please describe your approach to the following sample scenario. Please note that this is not a current OntarioMD initiative.

OntarioMD is preparing for the launch of a new service for physician practices in the next six months to help them switch from their current electronic medical record to a new product offering, migrating large amounts of their patient data as smoothly as possible. This process has long been a major pain point for physicians in terms of time required, staff effort and fees paid to EMR vendors. Equally, this service will have an impact on the EMR vendors that we work with in our programs.

How would you approach the project internally?
How would you develop a campaign for this new service?
How would you manage your professional services in conjunction with the OntarioMD team? - addressing how you would bill the client?

Appendix A – Standard Consulting Form

OntarioMD’s standard Letter of Engagement is available through the following portal link:

https://www.ontariomd.ca/documents/letter%20of%20agreement%20-%20corporation%20-%202018.pdf

Appendix B – Conflict of Interest Declaration

Conflict of Interest includes any situation or circumstance where, in relation to this RFS process, the Respondent has an unfair advantage or engages in conduct, directly or indirectly, that may give it an unfair advantage, including (i) possessing or having access to information in the preparation of its Submission that is confidential to OntarioMD and is not available to other Respondents; (ii) communicating with any official or representative of OntarioMD or members of the Evaluation Team or other person connected with the RFS other than the contact specified in the RFS, with a view to influencing them and obtaining preferred treatment in this RFS process; or (iii) engaging in conduct that compromises or could be seen to compromise the integrity of the open and competitive RFS process.

☐ The Respondent hereby confirms that there is not now, nor was there in the past, any actual or potential Conflict of Interest relating to the preparation of our Submission nor do I/we foresee any actual or potential Conflict of Interest in completing the Scope of Work outlined in the RFS.

or if applicable,

☐ The following is a list of actual or potential Conflicts of Interest relating to the preparation of our Submission or in completing the Scope of Work outlined in the RFS.
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Respondent acknowledges that where the Respondent fails to provide confirmation as required herein or makes any misrepresentation or omission regarding any Conflict of Interest, OntarioMD shall be entitled, within its entire discretion, and in addition to any other remedy that may be available to the OntarioMD in law or in equity, to disqualify this Response.


Name of Respondent:   ______________________________


________________________________
Signature of Respondent Representative
I have authority to bind the Respondent

_____________________________
Date

Appendix C – References

Respondent(s) shall list a minimum of three (3) client references. Respondents must provide full contact information.

For each client, please provide the following:

Client – Name, Address
Contact Person – name, title, number, email
A brief description of the project or campaign, its deliverables, outcomes and timeline to deliver. Include any details that would highlight the Respondent’s experience in areas similar to the ones being requested at part of this RFS

Appendix D – Respondent Experience Template

Please use the following table(s) to demonstrate agency experience, and attach examples of successful integrated marketing campaigns, in accordance with Section 2.3 of this Request for Services:

Vendor Name:

Criterion Experience

Demonstrated experience in the development of effective, comprehensive, multi-channel marketing campaigns for the public sector and/or private sector organizations whose clients are in the public sector

Demonstrated experience in the production of effective digital and print collateral

Proven political acuity, particularly at the provincial level, and experience with influencing government

Experience with marketing solutions integrated with Microsoft CRM Dynamics

Experience of proposed Account Manager

Please describe your approach to the following sample scenario. Please note that this is not a current OntarioMD initiative.

Dates

Publication

2019/03/13 02:30:00 PM EDT

Bid Intent

Not Available

Question Acceptance Deadline

2019/03/15 01:00:00 PM EDT

Questions are submitted online

Closing Date

2019/03/28 01:00:00 PM EDT

Contact Information

Val Lesko

416-623-1248

procurement@ontariomd.com

Bid Submission Process

Bid Submission Type

Physical Bid Submission

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