Tourisme Outaouais

Request for Proposals
Reservation Management Technology Platform

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1. Introduction

Outaouais Tourism (OT) is a private non-profit organization (private NPO) duly registered under the Companies Act. Its mission is to support the economic development of its members and the region by promoting, facilitating, and developing the Outaouais tourism industry.

2. Purpose of the request for proposals

OT invites technology firms specializing in the implementation of reservation software (travel agency type) and innovative transactional platform to submit expressions of interest in adapting and/or providing software that will allow OT to offer various packages in the Outaouais region.

3. Background

The pandemic’s impact on the tourism industry has brought about a significant change in the travel patterns of Quebec and Canadian consumers.

The recent initiatives implemented by the Ministry of Tourism (of Quebec MTO) and the Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec to boost the industry’s summer 2020 recovery showed that Quebecers answered the call: the “Attractions Passport” program fund was swiftly depleted. Tour operators, receptives and travel agency networks have had to shift their focus to promoting vacation packages in Quebec through offers originally designed for export. In order to reach its full potential, this shift must continue with an offer better adapted to the Quebec market. The “Explore Quebec on the Road” program is the Ministry’s preferred tool for offering vacation experiences in all regions of Quebec.

Under our memorandum of understanding with the MTO in our capacity as the gateway to Quebec, OT has a mandate to promote the destination through tourism packages and to encourage tourists and tour operators to travel to all parts of the Outaouais region. We must be innovative in the months and years to come in order to achieve this objective and better our position in the marketplace.

We propose to create a new service for our members, a reservation center dedicated to the sale and marketing of getaway packages featuring our region’s tourism products and services. This commercial offshoot of Outaouais Tourism will act as a bridge between tourism businesses throughout the territory, the consumer market, and the international travel distribution network. OT’s website will offer the sale of packages, customized stays and unique services through a transactional platform where visitors and tour operators can view offers and book or purchase their stay in the Outaouais region.

4. Reservation system profile: a tool that is as comprehensive as possible and ideally includes the following functionalities:

  • Multilingual capability, core French/English and ability to integrate other languages an asset;
  • Real-time online offer of availability of services;
  • Extranet for agencies and suppliers;
  • Commission management and pricing level for the distribution network;
  • Include a significant “back office” component for complete database management;
  • Offer the complete profile of suppliers and customers;
  • Support for supplier inventories and retrocession;
  • Ability to track the status of supplier reservations;
  • Offer great flexibility in the management of packages and “à la carte” stays (flexible tool: modify a package, duplicate a package, add an item to a package ...);
  • Include modules for managing reservations for: car rental, lodging, attractions, meals and events;
  • Module for FIT and group management;
  • Automated supplier reservation management;
  • Capacity to integrate APIs or web services;
  • Support for customer and supplier payments;
  • Automatic creation of vouchers;
  • B2C online portion with website directly linked to the back office;
  • Secure online payment for B2C customers;
  • Display in CAD dollars and management of Canadian taxes;
  • API linking Outaouais Tourism’s CRM (Salesforce);
  • White label module;
  • Possibility, within the software, to create an aesthetic estimate for B2B and B2C clients;
  • Pre-assembled templates for quotes;
  • Possibility to manage promotional codes or special offers such as “buy 6, get 1 free”;
  • Possibility to generate reports and collect strategic market intelligence.

5. Content of the service offer

  • A short summary of the company’s history;
  • The main features of the proposed reservation system(s);
  • Clearly identify the components included in the price; if some components are optional, specify the price and the functionalities included;
  • Price per hour for support once the solution is implemented;
  • Deployment dates of the various project phases as well as the project end date;
  • Based on our needs, identify, if applicable, aspects of the project requiring further development that would affect the project schedule and/or the implementation of the complete project solution;
  • Technical support offered in case of system interruption or breakdown (hours open, respond time, availability, expertise level on duty);
  • If applicable, identify any technology services required that would incur additional system operating costs;
  • Specify the time and level of training included to Outaouais Tourism employees responsible for the integration of the system within the organization;
  • Identify the necessary equipment, with the minimum performance or compatibility specifications of the computer equipment and software required to operate the reservation system.

6. Requests for information

All requests for information in connection with this request for proposals must be submitted to the project manager at least 24 hours before the closing date of the RFP, by email to agroulx@tourisme-outaouais.ca.

7. Verbal information

The promoter cannot be held liable for verbal information obtained in connection with the tender documents.

8. Evaluation criteria

Submissions will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria (100 points):

  • Understanding of the mandate and the tourism industry (20 points)
  • Features and competitive advantages of the technology solution (35 points)
  • Expertise and experience of the firm and the project team (15 points)
  • Costs (20 points)
  • Timelines and project milestones (10 points)

9. Price proposal

The price proposal must include detailed project implementation costs and system operating costs.

  • Initial software investment cost and set-up;
  • Development costs, hourly service rates, possibility of advanced purchase of development or service hours;
  • Monthly management fees;
  • All monthly payments per company, per license and/or per user;
  • Hosting or server fees, if applicable;
  • Training and ongoing technical support fees and the firm’s hourly rate;
  • Indicate any form of volume discount or other benefits for which OT could qualify.

10. Acceptance of bids

If Outaouais Tourism judges it necessary, a pre-selection may be made.

  • Outaouais Tourism is under no obligation to accept the lowest or any other bid.
  • If it is in Outaouais Tourism’s interest, the organization may disregard any technical defect or minor deficiency a bid may contain.
  • Outaouais Tourism is not required to justify the acceptance or rejection of any bid.
  • Outaouais Tourism reserves the right to negotiate directly with a qualified supplier.

11. Validity period

All bids are valid for a period of sixty (60) days from the deadline for submission of proposals.

Bidders may not modify or withdraw their bids during the sixty (60) days following the deadline for submission of proposals.

The successful bidder may not modify or withdraw their bid as of the day the bid is accepted by Outaouais Tourism.

Project manager and closing date

Proposals must be submitted no later than December 17, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. to:

André Groulx
Business Events and Development Director
Outaouais Tourism
103 rue Laurier
Gatineau, Québec J8X 3V8
agroulx@tourisme-outaouais.ca