Creative Services - Photography Terms & Conditions

Request for Qualifications Number: RFQ25DBC45

Issue date: December 18, 2024

Initial Intake Closing Date and Time: Proposal must be received before 2:00 PM Pacific Time on: January 16, 2025. 

RFQ Termination Date: November 30, 2026

Responses must be in English and must be submitted either via the online application, email, or by mail to the Destination BC Corp. (“Destination BC”) address set out below,  and in accordance with one (1)   of the following requirements:

Online Application:

Respondents may submit one (1) complete electronic Response via the Online Application Portal which can be accessed below, following the review, and acceptance, of the Terms and Conditions; or

Email Submission:

Respondents may submit one (1) complete electronic Response via email to [email protected]. Include the opportunity description and ID in the subject line of the email. Respondents choosing to submit via email must use the Creative Services – Photography Request for Qualifications PDF document on this page;

Mail in: 

Respondents may submit one (1) complete hard copy Response via mail to Destination BC, 12th Floor, 510 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 3A8. Respondents may use the Creative Services – Photography Request for Qualifications fillable PDF document on this page, or may prepare a hard copy Response following the instructions in Section 9, Response Details. 

Submissions made in this manner should be contained within an envelope clearly marked with the Respondent’s name and address, the opportunity description and ID.

Responses must not be sent by facsimile.

In order to be considered for the Initial Intake, a Response must be received before the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time. Destination BC may receive Responses after the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time and those Responses will be reviewed by Destination BC a minimum of twice per year, as described in Section 7.1.11 of the Use of List section of the Terms and Conditions.

Respondents must complete and submit one Part A – Respondent Information and one Part B – Qualification Summary for each photographer that would perform work.

CONTACT: All enquiries related to this Request for Qualifications (RFQ), including any requests for information and clarification, can be directed, in writing, to the following person (the “Contact Person”):

Procurement Specialist

Destination British Columbia

[email protected] 

Information obtained from any source other than the Contact Person is not official and should not be relied upon. Enquiries and answers providing new information may be recorded and posted to Section 10 below or otherwise may be distributed to all Respondents.  All questions should be submitted, via e-mail, at least five (5) business days prior to the Initial Intake Closing Time and Date. Questions received after the Initial Intake Closing Time and Date will be reviewed for the next intake.

3.1 Background

Destination BC’s Global Brand & Content team is responsible for creating content that brings to life the diversity of peoples, places, and experiences found throughout British Columbia. Through photography, we strive to create an emotional connection with travellers and inspire future visitation to BC.

Destination BC has ongoing requirements for photographers who can share their passion for the landscapes, wilderness, wildlife, culture, and city spaces that reflect the essence of the Super, Natural British Columbia® brand.

3.2 Photographer Requirements

Respondents should:

• Have experience working in remote outdoor locations with limited access to power and internet, as well as in variable weather conditions. Long working days (depending on time of year and location) in order to photograph in both dawn and dusk lighting conditions.
• Be comfortable operating alone, or possibly with a small group.
• Have the capabilities and experience to provide production support (i.e., finding locations, hiring models, making travel and location bookings, etc.)
• Be able to work collaboratively with external partners such as agencies, producers, and other creative contractors (such as film production crews).
• Any travel outside of British Columbia will be at the expense of the Qualified Supplier; only project-related, in-province travel expenses for a single photographer plus model(s) will be covered by Destination BC, as approved in the contract.

Typical Process and Deliverables:

• Participate in a creative briefing and potentially a brand workshop;
• Photograph content on location in British Columbia as required;
• Mid-point check-in with Destination BC;
• Provide selection of shots for Destination BC to review;
• Edit Destination BC’s selects as required; and
• Upload final selected images to Destination BC’s Content Hub, or tourism partners’ image banks.

3.3 Pricing

Respondents should provide:

• Photographer Day Rate (12-Hour Day)
• Photographer Hourly rate
• Post-production rates if these are different from your Photography rates.  

Rates must be in Canadian dollars exclusive of taxes. 

These rates will be used by Destination BC, and its tourism partners, for creating future potential contracts. Qualified Suppliers will be expected to hold their rates for at least the first year of the RFQ term. Any reasonable price increases during the term of the RFQ must be provided to Destination BC in writing for approval. 

Pricing provided will not be evaluated as part of the Response submission but will be used by Destination BC and its partners as a guideline for potential contracts.

Destination BC will pay all pre-approved expenses at government rates as confirmed in the Contract for mileage, accommodation, meals, photocopying, fax, long distance phone calls, and miscellaneous expenses.

3.4 Security Clearance

Destination BC may, in its sole discretion, require security clearances, in a form satisfactory to Destination BC, from the Qualified Supplier before entering into a Contract.  Any costs associated with obtaining such security clearances will be borne by the Qualified Supplier under the Contract.

3.5 Location and Facilities

Projects may require Qualified Suppliers to work at the Destination BC site from time to time, but otherwise they can work at their own off-site work location and should be able to be contacted by telephone, and e-mail.  Qualified Suppliers should have access to standard office automation tools (i.e., e-mail, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint).  

When required to work on-site by Destination BC, Qualified Suppliers will have access to a workspace that has a desk, and Wi-Fi connectivity. 

Consultants should be prepared to travel to locations, attend in-person briefings and planning sessions, and to attend meetings at Destination BC when required. Travel expenses within BC must be requested by and pre-approved by Destination BC.

We believe that authentic inclusion comes from meaningfully and actively engaging individuals with a diversity of lived experience. For this reason, it’s important to us to ensure a diversity of representation is reflected in our suppliers, especially individuals who self-identify within equity-deserving groups. As part of this application process, we invite all individuals to self-identify voluntarily, especially if part of one or more underrepresented communities, including: women; Indigenous, Black and People of Colour; 2SLGBTQIA+; and disabled people/people with disabilities.

Destination BC is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We understand our responsibility to ensure that our marketing activities accurately and authentically represent the diversity of people in British Columbia. We take accountability for this in the stories we share, as well as who we work with and the way we work to share these stories. We consider this work an ongoing commitment and evolving journey.

Throughout this Request for Qualifications, the following definitions will be used:

• “Addenda” means all additional information regarding this RFQ including Amendments to the RFQ and Responses to Enquiries. The “Addenda” are located in Section 10 on this RFQ;
• “Amendment” means a change to the RFQ that results in posting an updated version of the RFQ. The amendment will indicate whether a Respondent is required to submit a new Response to the RFQ;
• “Contact Person” means the contact person in the Introduction section of this RFQ;
• “Contract” means a written contract entered into by Destination BC and a Qualified Supplier;
• “Destination BC”  or “DBC” means Destination BC Corp. doing business as Destination British Columbia;
• “Equity Lens” means a process to analyze the impact of the design and implementation of policies, practices, and decision-making authority on historically excluded and marginalized individuals and groups. It is a tool used to identify and eliminate systemic barriers; 
• “Initial Intake” means the initial intake and evaluation of Responses that are received before the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time. After the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time, Responses will be received on a continuous basis as further described in section 7.1.11;
• “Initial Intake Closing Date and Time” means the date and time set out on the Introduction section of the RFQ;
• “Issue Date” means the date the RFQ was posted to the Destination BC corporate website; and as initially set out in the Introduction section of the RFQ;
• “List of Qualified Suppliers” or “List” means a list of names of Qualified Suppliers, who possess the qualifications described in this RFQ and that have satisfied any conditions set by Destination BC for being added to and staying on that list;
• “Main List” means a list of Qualified Suppliers for Creative Services – Photography projects without a specific Equity Lens;
• “must” or “mandatory” means a requirement that must be met in order for a Response to receive consideration;
• “Online Application” means the electronic service for submitting a Response found at website http://www.DestinationBC.ca/;
• “personal information” has the meaning ascribed to that term in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (British Columbia);
• “Photography” means the practice of taking and processing still image visual recordings of various subject matter for use across a range of media;
• “Qualified Supplier” means a Respondent who is either an individual, or who is a company or other legal entity having submitted one or more personnel  qualifications, possessing the qualifications in a Service Area described in this RFQ that has satisfied any conditions set by Destination BC for being added to, and staying on, the List of Qualified Suppliers in that Service Area; 
• “Respondent” means an individual, a company or other legal entity that submits, or intends to submit, a Response;
• “Response” means a response submitted by a Respondent in reply to this RFQ conforming to the requirements of Parts A and B to this RFQ;
• “RFQ” or “Request for Qualifications” means the process described in this document;
• “Services” or “Service Area” means the services specified in section 3 of this RFQ;
• “should” or “desirable” means a requirement having a significant degree of importance to the objectives of this RFQ;  
• “Specialized List” means a list of Qualified Suppliers for a Photography  project with a specific Equity Lens working with an Underrepresented Community;
• “Termination Date” has meaning ascribed to that term on the cover page of the RFQ; and
• “Underrepresented communities” means people from one or more equity-deserving groups, including: Women; Indigenous, Black and People of Colour; 2SLGBTQIA+; and disabled people/people with disabilities.

6.1 Enquiries

All enquiries related to this RFQ must be directed to the Contact Person by email.  Information obtained from any other source other than the Contact Person is not official and should not be relied upon.  Enquiries and answers may be recorded and distributed to all Respondents at Destination BC’s option.

6.2 Initial Intake Closing Date and Time 

In order to be considered for the Initial Intake, a Response consistent with the requirements set out in the Introduction section must be received before the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time identified above. Responses must not be sent by facsimilie.

Respondents may submit Responses after the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time and those Responses will be reviewed as described in section 7.1.11.

6.3 Qualifications Review Committee

Responses will be assessed by a qualifications review committee formed from time to time by Destination BC. The qualifications review committee may change in composition from time to time and may include contractors of Destination BC.

6.4 Review and Selection

The qualifications review committee will check Responses against the mandatory criteria as shared in the Qualifications Review Criteria section of this RFQ.  Responses not meeting all mandatory criteria will not be further considered for that intake. The Respondent may be provided feedback by Destination BC as to why the Response did not meet the mandatory criteria. The Respondent is encouraged to resubmit a Response for consideration at a future intake.

Responses that do meet all the mandatory criteria will then be assessed and scored against the desirable criteria. Responses not meeting a minimum score (if specified) in a category will not be further considered for that intake. The names of successful Respondents will be added to Destination BC’s List of Qualified Suppliers.

6.5 Changes to Response Wording

By submission of a clear and detailed written notice, Respondents may amend  their proposal prior to the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time.  Respondents cannot change the wording of their Response after the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time , and no words or comments can be added to the Response after the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time unless requested by Destination BC for purposes of clarification.

6.6 Respondent’s Expenses

Respondents are solely responsible for their own expenses in preparing a Response and for subsequent negotiations with Destination BC, if any. Destination BC will not be liable to any Respondent for any claims (in contract, tort or otherwise), whether for costs or damages incurred by the Respondent in preparing the Response, any errors or technical difficulties associated with transmitting Responses by email or hard-copy, loss of anticipated profit in connection with any Contract, or any other matter whatsoever.

6.7 Acceptance of Responses

This RFQ is neither an offer nor an agreement to purchase Services. Destination BC is not bound to enter into a Contract with any Qualified Supplier. Responses will be assessed in light of the Qualifications Review Criteria. Destination BC will be under no obligation to receive further information, whether written or oral, from any Respondent.

6.8 Definition of Contract

Notice in writing to a Respondent that it has been identified as a Qualified Supplier will neither constitute a Contract nor give the Respondent any legal or equitable rights or privileges relative to the service requirements set out in this RFQ. Only if a Qualified Supplier and Destination BC enter into a Contract will a Qualified Supplier acquire any legal or equitable rights or privileges.

6.9 List of Qualified Suppliers Not Binding

A Qualified Supplier may withdraw their name from the List of Qualified Suppliers by notifying Destination BC in writing.  Destination BC may withdraw a name of a Qualified Supplier from the List of Qualified Suppliers, or may cancel the List of Qualified Suppliers in its entirety, by notifying the applicable Qualified Supplier(s) in writing.

6.10 Reservation of Rights

Notwithstanding any other provision in this RFQ, Destination BC reserves the right to:

a) modify the terms of this RFQ at any time prior to the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time  in its sole discretion;

b) accept the Response or Responses which it deems most suited to Destination BC’s needs;

c) waive any defect or deficiency in a Response which does not materially affect the Response relative to other Responses and accept that Response; and

d) at any time for any reason, reject any of all Responses; and

e) at any time for any reason, terminate the process under this RFQ and procure the Services  using a similar or completely different procurement process;

f) waive any non-material irregularity, defect, or deficiency in a Response;

g) request clarification(s) from a Respondent, or as applicable, a Qualified Supplier with respect to its Response, including clarification(s) with respect to its Response on non-material administrative matters (e.g., a matter that is not scored) or where Response provisions are ambiguous, without any obligation to make such a request to any other Respondent, or as applicable, a Qualified Supplier, and consider such clarification(s) in evaluating the Response;

h) reject any Response due to unsatisfactory references or unsatisfactory past performance under contracts with Destination BC, or any material error, omission, or misrepresentation in the Response;

i) exclude a Respondent, or as applicable, a Qualified Supplier from participation in the RFQ, at any point in the RFQ process, or to exclude a Qualified Supplier from participation in a subsequent procurement associated with a Competition Notice issued under this RFQ, where there is supporting evidence, on grounds of one or more of the following:

1. bankruptcy or insolvency;
2. false declarations or misrepresentations;
3. significant or persistent deficiencies in performance of any substantive requirement or obligation under a prior contract or contracts with Destination BC;
4. final judgments in respect of serious crimes or other serious offences;
5. professional misconduct or acts or omissions that adversely reflect on the commercial integrity of the Respondent or Qualified Supplier; or
6. engaging in conduct prohibited by the Competition Act such as bid-rigging as described in section 47 of the Competition Act, or engaging in conspiracies, agreements or arrangements between competitors as described in section 45 of the Competition Act;
7. failure to pay taxes; and

j) remove a Qualified Supplier from the Multi-Use List or, if applicable, remove a Qualified Resource’s eligibility, for failing to meet the requirements for staying on the List of Qualified Suppliers as set out in this RFQ, or as may be communicated by Destination BC from time to time. On request by such Qualified Supplier, Destination BC will provide written reasons for the removal.

The lowest or any response will not necessarily be accepted. This RFQ does not commit Destination BC in any way to select a List of Qualified Suppliers or award one or more Contracts.

6.11 Conflict of Interest, Unfair Advantage, Bias, and No Lobbying

By submitting a Response, the Respondent confirms that the current or past employment or other interests or relationships of the Respondent (including a Respondent’s subcontractors and named personnel, if any) do not create or lead to any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest, unfair advantage, bias or reasonable apprehension of bias that would favour the Respondent (including a Respondent’s subcontractors and named personnel, if any) with respect to this procurement process.

A Respondent may be disqualified if the Respondent’s (including a Respondent’s subcontractors and named personnel, if any) current or past corporate or other interests, may, in Destination BC’s opinion, give rise to an actual or potential conflict of interest, unfair advantage or reasonable apprehension of bias that would favour the Respondent (including a Respondent’s subcontractors and named personnel, if any) and thereby import unfairness into the RFQ process. This includes, but is not limited to, involvement by a Respondent (including a Respondent’s subcontractors and named personnel, if any) in the preparation and administration of the RFQ or Competition Notices or a relationship with any employee, contractor or representative of Destination BC involved in preparation of and administration of the RFQ, Competition Notices or participating on the evaluation committee or in the administration of a Contract.

If a Respondent is in doubt as to whether there might be a conflict of interest, unfair advantage or reasonable apprehension of bias, the Respondent should consult its own advisors and notify and consult with the Official Contact prior to submitting a Response.

A Respondent must not attempt to influence the outcome of the RFQ process by engaging in lobbying activities. Any attempt by the Respondent to communicate for this purpose directly or indirectly with any employee, contractor, or representative of Destination BC, including members of the evaluation committee and any elected officials of the Province, or with the media, may result in disqualification of the Respondent, and/or Qualified Supplier as the case may be.

6.12 Submission of Responses

a) For electronic submissions (Online Application or email), the following applies:

(i) The Respondent is solely responsible for ensuring that the complete electronic Response, including all attachments, is received by Destination BC;

(ii) The maximum size of each email attachment is required to be 20 MB or less (Respondents are solely responsible for ensuring that email Response submissions comply with any size restrictions imposed by the Respondents’ internet service provider);

(iii) Respondents should submit email Responses in a single email and avoid sending multiple email submissions for the same opportunity.  If the file size of an electronic submission exceeds the applicable maximum size, the Respondent may make multiple submissions to reduce attachment file size to be within the maximum applicable size; Respondents should identify the order and number of emails making up the email Response submission (e.g. “email 1 of 3, email 2 of 3…”);

(iv) For email Response submissions sent through multiple emails Destination BC reserves the right to seek clarification or reject the Response if Destination BC is unable to determine what documents constitute the complete Response;

(v) Attachments must not be compressed, must not contain a virus or malware, must not be corrupted and must be able to be opened. Respondents submitting by electronic submission are solely responsible for ensuring that any emails or attachments are not corrupted. Destination BC may reject Responses that are compressed, cannot be opened or that contain viruses or malware or corrupted attachments.

b) For email or hard copy Response submissions, including any changes to a Response or any withdrawal of a Response referred to in sections 6.2 and 6.5, the subject line of the email and any attachment should be clearly marked with the name of the Respondent, the RFQ opportunity ID and the opportunity description.

c) The Respondent bears all risk associated with delivering its Response by electronic submission, including but not limited to delays in transmission between the Respondent’s computer and Destination BC’s Electronic Mail System.

d) While Destination BC may allow for email Response submissions, the Respondent acknowledges that email transmissions may be unreliable. The Respondent is solely responsible for ensuring that its complete email Response submission and all attachments have been received. If the Respondent receives any email confirmation from Destination BC that is associated with an email Response submission, despite the content of such email, any such email will not serve to confirm that a complete, sufficient, or timely Response or other related submission has been made by the Respondent or received by Destination BC.

6.13 Ownership of Responses

All documents, including Responses, submitted to Destination BC become the property of Destination BC. The personal information contained in a Response will not become the property of Destination BC. They will be received and held in confidence by Destination BC, subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. For more information on the application of the Act, see here. Documents will not be returned to Respondents even if the Response is withdrawn.

6.14 Confidentiality of Information

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

6.15 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, use, disclosure, and disposal of information, including resumes and other personal information concerning employees and employees of any subcontractors.

If this RFQ requires Respondents to provide Destination BC with personal information of employees and employees of any subcontractors who have been included as resources in response to this RFQ, Respondents will ensure that they have obtained written consent from each of those employees and employees of any subcontractors before forwarding such personal information to Destination BC. Such written consents are to specify that the personal information may be forwarded to Destination BC for the purposes of responding to this RFQ and use by Destination BC for the purposes set out in the RFQ.

Destination BC may, at any time, request the original consents or copies of the original consents from Respondents, and upon such request being made, Respondents will immediately supply such originals or copies to Destination BC. All Qualified Suppliers, including any of their Resources, expressly consent to their respective names being published in a publicly facing manner if Destination BC, in its discretion, decides to make such information public.

6.16 Additional Information on the RFQ

All subsequent information regarding this RFQ, including changes made to these Terms & Conditions, will be posted in Section 10 of the Terms and Conditions. It is the sole responsibility of the Respondent to check for amendments and additional information in the Terms and Conditions.  Respondents should continually monitor the RFQ as published on Destination BC website in the event any Amendment or Addenda to the RFQ have the effect of requiring a Respondent to submit a new Response to the RFQ in lieu of any Response to the RFQ that a Respondent may have submitted before such Amendment or Addenda.

6.17 Debriefing

Destination BC may, at its sole discretion, offer individual debriefing feedback via email to Respondents who were not selected as a Qualified Supplier upon request.  Destination BC encourages Respondents to resubmit an application after reviewing the feedback for consideration in a future intake.

6.18 Form of Contract

Destination BC anticipates that any Contract with a Qualified Supplier will be substantially similar to the contract form. A PDF of the Contract Form can be found on the left-hand side of this page, below the navigation menu.

6.19 Clarifications
Destination BC may, at its discretion, request clarifications from a Respondent with respect to any information contained in their Response and Destination BC is not obligated to make such a request to all Respondents.  Destination BC may consider such clarifications in evaluating a Response.

7.1 Guidelines

The guidelines set out in this Section 7 regarding the use of the List of Qualified Suppliers are subject to change from time to time as Destination BC may deem necessary, without notice to the Qualified Suppliers on the List.

Historically, based on the related budget and business requirements, there are approximately 10 projects per year. Responding to this RFQ and being successfully added to the Qualified Supplier List should not be interpreted as a guarantee of having projects assigned to you or your firm. Responses should be received prior to the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time in the Introduction section. Only those responses received prior to the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time will be evaluated for initial projects that are planned.

Suppliers may submit Responses after the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time and those Responses will be dealt with as described in section 7.1.11. Responses received after the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time will be evaluated at a later date, to be determined by DBC. Due to operational requirements, and the seasonal workload for tourism-based projects, DBC anticipates that it will be reasonably and practicably able to convene a committee to evaluate future responses no more than twice annually (approximately every 6 months).

7.1.1

The List of Qualified Suppliers will be in effect until the Termination Date. The established List of Qualified Suppliers may be shared with other provincial government ministries, crown corporations or tourism partners such as Community Destination Marketing Organizations.

7.1.2

Destination BC may, from time to time, use the List of Qualified Suppliers in connection with the Services . The criteria for selecting Qualified Suppliers for each Service will vary, depending upon the requirements of the applicable Service and could involve requiring a Consultant who has identified as being part of one or more Underrepresented Communities and/or to have a certain demonstrated experience and proficiency level in one or more Service Areas depending on the specific requirements of the Service.

All Qualified Suppliers will be added to the Main List; those who identify as being part of one or more Underrepresented Communities are also added to the relevant specialized-list(s) by specific Equity Lens.

7.1.3

Any Contracts entered into with a Qualified Supplier will be:   

a) between Destination BC and the individual where the Qualified Supplier is the individual, and

b) between Destination BC and a company or other legal entity and specifying the individual Consultant(s) to be engaged where the Qualified Supplier is a company or other legal entity.

7.1.4

Qualified Suppliers may be contacted on an “as, if, and when requested” basis and may be contacted directly to gauge interest and availability or asked to compete on opportunities for the provision of Services in accordance with the selection method set out in paragraph 7.1.5 or as revised by Destination BC and communicated to all Qualified Suppliers from time to time.

7.1.5

Destination BC may select a Qualified Supplier using one or more of the following selection methods. For projects without a specific equity lens, Destination BC will select Qualified Suppliers from the Main List. When Destination BC identifies a project that aligns with an equity deserving community, they will select Qualified Suppliers from that specialized list. Once Destination BC has determined which List to use:

i. If the estimated Contract value is less than $25,000 Destination BC may directly invite a Qualified Supplier to provide a quotation based on the Consultant’s availability and on specified requirements (e.g., deliverables, milestones, term etc.) of the project or assignment with the intent to enter into Contract negotiations with that Qualified Supplier.

ii. If the estimated Contract value is $25,000 or more and less than $100,000, Destination BC may directly invite a Qualified Supplier to provide a quotation based on Consultant availability and on specified requirements (e.g., deliverables, milestones, term, etc.) of the project or assignment with the intent to enter into Contract negotiations with that Qualified Supplier if it can be verified by Destination BC that only one Qualified Supplier has a Consultant that:

• • • is available to undertake the project or assignment; or
    • has the necessary qualifications to carry out the project or assignment based on Destination BC’s specific assessment of the Consultant qualifications

iii. If the estimated Contract value is $25,000 or more and less than $100,000, and more than one Qualified Supplier is available who has the necessary qualifications to carry out the project or assignment based on Destination BC’s specific assessment of their qualifications, Destination BC may, in its sole discretion, use a competitive or other selection process between a minimum of three (if available) such Qualified Suppliers that evaluates each Qualified Supplier’s availability, proposed approach, pricing, or other elements required for the project or assignment. 

iv. If the estimated Contract value is $100,000 or more, and more than one Qualified Supplier is available who has the necessary qualifications to carry out the project or assignment based on Destination BC’s specific assessment of their qualifications, Destination BC will invite all such Qualified Suppliers to compete for the project or assignment.

v. Notwithstanding subparagraphs i), ii), iii), and iv), Destination BC may directly negotiate a contract with a Qualified Supplier where one of the following exceptional conditions applies:

• • • only one Qualified Supplier is available to provide the services;
    • an unforeseeable emergency exists and the services could not be obtained in time by means of a competitive process;
    • a competitive process would interfere with Destination BC’s ability to maintain security or order or to protect human, animal or plant life or health; or
    • the acquisition is of a confidential or privileged nature and disclosure through an open bidding process could reasonably be expected to compromise government confidentiality, cause economic disruption or be contrary to the public interest.

7.1.6

Qualified Suppliers will immediately, during the period that the List is in effect, advise Destination BC of any material changes to the information contained in their Response.  

7.1.7

Destination BC may, in its sole discretion, remove a Qualified Supplier from the List of Qualified Suppliers for unsatisfactory performance by a Qualified Supplier in a Contract or for failing to meet the requirements for staying on the List of Qualified Suppliers as set out in this RFQ or for any other reason as may be communicated by Destination BC from time to time.

7.1.8

Destination BC has no obligation to:

a) enter into a Contract with any one or more Qualified Suppliers; or

b) invite any one or more Qualified Suppliers to participate in competitive processes for a Contract.

7.1.9

Destination BC reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to :

a) employ open competitions that include suppliers external to the List of Qualified Suppliers;

b) otherwise engage suppliers external to the List of Qualified Suppliers in connection with any Services required by Destination BC; and

c) at any time, cancel, extend, expand or make a call to the market-place to renew the List of Qualified Suppliers.

7.1.10

Destination BC may not necessarily select the Qualified Supplier offering the lowest rates, and may also review the qualifications or other criteria required for a specific project.        

7.1.11

Respondents may submit a Response at any time before the RFQ Termination Date.

Responses received after the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time will be evaluated at a later date, to be determined by Destination BC. Due to operational requirements and the seasonal workload for tourism-based projects, Destination BC anticipates that it will be reasonably and practically able to convene a committee to evaluate future responses at minimum twice per year.

A Respondent who is not successful in becoming a Qualified Supplier may submit a new Response after the Initial Intake Closing Date and Time. DBC will evaluate all such new Response(s) in a manner that is consistent with the evaluation process described in this RFQ, without consideration to any past or earlier Response(s).

8.1 Mandatory Criteria

The following are mandatory requirements. Responses not clearly demonstrating that they meet them will not be evaluated for this intake. Responses may be submitted at a later date.

• The Response must be delivered in accordance with the delivery instructions on the Introduction section of this RFQ.
• The Response must be submitted either via the online application, email to [email protected], or hardcopy via mail to the Destination BC office. A Response submitted by email must be able to be opened and read by Destination BC. If Destination BC cannot open any attachment to a Response, Destination BC may ask the Respondent to resubmit the Response, and the Response may not be evaluated during this intake.
• Responses submitted via email or mail must include Part A as outlined in the Creative Services – Photography Request for Qualifications PDF.
• If a Respondent is providing qualifications for more than one Consultant, one Online Application for each Consultant must be completed. If submitting a Response via Email or mail, a separate Qualifications Summary (Part B) must be submitted as part of the Response for each Consultant being proposed.
• The Response must be in English.

8.2 Desirable Criteria
Responses meeting the mandatory requirements will be further assessed against the following desirable criteria by responding to the questions in Part B.  A Respondent not reaching the minimum score in a given category (if applicable) will receive no further consideration during the qualifications review for this intake.

8.3 Qualifications Review Stages
Stage 1

Responses will be checked for compliance with the Mandatory Criteria. Responses that do not meet the mandatory requirements will receive no further consideration for this intake.

Stage 2

Respondents will be assessed on their Service Area experience, as presented in their submitted application.  Destination BC reserves the right to contact Respondents when reviewing these criteria for clarification purposes.

Stage 3

Reference checks may be completed by Destination BC during the qualifications review and the term of the List to confirm any submitted information about Respondents. If any of the references are unsatisfactory to Destination BC, the Respondent may be excluded from the RFQ process in Destination BC’s sole discretion.

Stage 4

Respondents will be notified as to whether or not they have been selected as a Qualified Supplier on the List of Qualified Suppliers.

Responses should be submitted via the online application form at the Destination BC Website, accessed by selecting the link below; or

Submitted as the fillable PDF application form, which can be found in the Creative Services – Photography Request for Qualifications document located on this page. This can be emailed or couriered as per the Delivery of Responses instructions; or

in the following format and sequence, to be submitted via email or courier, to ensure that they receive full consideration during evaluations.

Format

All responses should be minimum 11-point font, single spaced, on 8 ½” x 11” sheets submitted in PDF form.  

Sequence

1. The Response Covering Letter set out in Part A;
2. A completed Respondent Qualification Summary, in substantially the same form as Part B, including completion of all Summary Questions, Relevant Examples of work and References.

I have carefully read the Terms, Conditions and Requirements as stated above. I agree to all of the terms and conditions of the RFQ.