Request for Quotation #14-027: Veterinarian Consulting Services
Date:
October 10, 2014
From:
Christine Henderson
Procurement & Contract Services
Phone:
Email:
(519) 888-4567, ex. 32854
chenderson@uwaterloo.ca
You are invited to submit a quotation for the provision of veterinarian consulting services for
uWaterloo’s Research Office – Central Animal Facility and Satellites, as per the included Statement of
Work and Travel and Expense Policy.
Quotations must be submitted no later than Wednesday, October 29th, 2014. Signed quotations,
referencing RFQ #14-027, along with any supporting literature, should be emailed to
chenderson@uwaterloo.ca or sent in hard copy. Email is preferred, however, bidders are responsible
to obtain a reply email confirming receipt.
The Pricing Submission Form should be completed and returned with your quotation. All questions
pertaining to this Request for Quotation for Veterinarian Consulting Services should be submitted via
email to chenderson@uwaterloo.ca no later than Friday, October 24th, 2014. Responses to questions
received after this date cannot be guaranteed.
Please note the following:
1. Where applicable, this contract shall be subject to the University of Waterloo’s Policies,
Procedures and Guidelines http://secretariat.uwaterloo.ca/Policies/Policies_class.htm
2. All prices quoted should be in Canadian funds;
3. Any HST, if applicable, is extra, and should not be included in your pricing;
4. Any deviation from the requested Statement of Work must be clearly noted on your submission.
Alternatives may be considered at uWaterloo’s discretion;
5. Your offer is to remain firm and open for acceptance for a period of thirty (30) days;
6. Insurance coverage must be stated on the Pricing Submission Form, and should be clearly noted;
RFQ #14-027 Veterinarian Consulting Services
Page 1 of 11
7. Contracts awarded are contingent upon funds availability. Should the total costs indicated on each
response exceed current University budget estimates, the University reserves the right to decline
all bids;
8. The University of Waterloo reserves the right to accept or reject all or any part of the quotations
received. The lowest nor any quotation may not necessarily be accepted.
The University
reserves the right to adjust the Statement of Work to fit the budget estimate in its sole discretion;
9. The successful bidder will be required to sign a conflict of interest form, and/or a confidentiality
agreement.
RFQ #14-027 Veterinarian Consulting Services
Page 2 of 11
Statement of Work – Veterinarian Consultant
Background
Founded in 1957, the University of Waterloo (uWaterloo) is one of Canada’s leading comprehensive
universities. It is a degree granting and research intensive organization offering undergraduate and
graduate programs. uWaterloo is one of seventeen provincially assisted universities in Ontario and
offers North America’s largest cooperative education program. Full/part time student enrolment is
more than 31,000 students. Full/part time ongoing staff and faculty is more than 3,500. The total
number of T4s and T4As generated annually exceed 45,000.
The University of Waterloo has been engaged in animal research since the early 1960’s and operates
according to the policies and practices available here: https://uwaterloo.ca/research/office-researchethics/research-animals
Objective
The objective of this Request for Quotation is to secure the services of a consulting veterinarian for an
initial three (3) year period, with an option to renew for another two (2) years. The consulting
veterinarian would serve as a member of the University’s Animal Care Committee and would provide
ongoing and timely expert advice to animal researchers, the Office of Research, the Animal Health
Technicians and other staff.
The consulting veterinarian would ensure that the animal research practices at the University of
Waterloo are in compliance with relevant statutes and guidelines including: The Ontario Animals in
Research Act, OMAFRA standards and guidelines, the Canadian Council on Animal Care and best
practices of the profession.
uWaterloo Animal Facilities
In 2012, the University of Waterloo completed construction of a brand new Central Animal Facility (CAF)
which is intended to house all mammalian species and other species as required. This new facility has
been equipped with state of the art equipment. It includes a fully equipped conference/training room
with digital projection unit; researcher change rooms and showers; rooms monitored for temperature,
humidity, light, air change, differential pressure; necropsy rooms and surgical suites; a new HVAC system
and controlled access.
The main Central Animal Facility is 18,895 square feet including 13,295 square feet of new space and
5,600 square feet of pre-existing space. A renovation of the pre-existing 5,600 square feet of space is
planned within the next two years in order to create additional procedure rooms and further
consolidate all mammalian housing into the central facility. Funds have recently been secured to initiate
Phase 3 of the CAF facility development.
RFQ #14-027 Veterinarian Consulting Services
Page 3 of 11
These state of the art animal facilities include housing for immune compromised animals and also level 2
biohazard rooms. Approximately 80% of the research animals housed in the facilities are rats and mice.
Satellite facilities house aquatic species, amphibians, chickens and some reptiles.
This Central Animal Facility is managed by the Office of Research Ethics (ORE) and employs three full
time animal health technicians (all RLAT or RMLAT accredited), one contract AHT and the consulting
veterinarian. Four additional satellite facilities also exist on campus, including a separate aquatics
facility. Plans are in place to upgrade the aquatics facility during the next fiscal year. All animal facilities
are CCAC and OMAFRA inspected and compliant. The university holds a “Certificate of Good Animal
Practice” from CCAC. Normal facility operating hours are from 8:30 – 4:30 p.m.; however AHT coverage
is also provided on weekends. The consulting veterinarian would be expected to be available in an
emergency situation outside of these normal operating hours on an “on-call” basis.
The University is also planning to build a 4,000 square foot aquatics facility in the next three years,
which may be managed through the Office of Research Ethics. It will contain facilities in which fish can
be held in temperatures from 2 to 20C and also be exposed to environmental chemicals and live
pathogens.
Style and Culture
The successful applicant will be able to operate in a collegial, professional environment and should be
prepared to provide expert technical advice in a timely fashion to both researchers and the AHTs. The
successful applicant should be able to work successfully as a member of a small, closely knit team. The
consulting veterinarian should be able to relate well to both researchers and students and to deliver
engaging training seminars as required. The successful applicant should also be able to travel to all
satellite facilities using his/her own transportation.
Qualifications
The successful applicant will be a member in good standing with the Ontario College of Veterinarians
and hold an active license. S/he should be legally eligible to practice as a veterinarian in Ontario in
animal research facilities. The successful applicant will have at least seven to ten years of experience
providing veterinary services in a university or other research intensive environment, including hands on
experience with immune compromised animals, amphibians, reptiles, rats, mice and aquatic species.
The successful candidate will be an active member of CALAS. The successful applicant should be able to
demonstrate a history of continuous professional development and familiarity with current research
techniques, common animal models and best practices in veterinary science. The successful applicant
will also be able to demonstrate that s/he has an established network of colleagues in other research
intensive facilities which can be utilized for advice or information. Additional accreditations and
diplomas in related areas such as animal pathology would be an asset as would advanced credentials
(e.g., Ph. D) in theoretical areas related to animal research. Personal familiarity with uW researchers,
SOPs, facilities and protocols would be an asset.
RFQ #14-027 Veterinarian Consulting Services
Page 4 of 11
Deliverables
Under the terms of this role, the successful bidder will provide veterinary services and animal health
care services in association with the University’s animal housing facilities and to the Animal Care
Committee (hereafter, ACC). Consulting veterinary services will include, but not be limited to:
A.
Animal Care Committee Responsibilities
As a full member of uWaterloo’s ACC, you will:





B.
attend monthly ACC meetings (except August);
provide regular, ongoing and timely review and evaluation of all Animal Use Project Proposals
(AUPPs) and supporting documentation (e.g., SOPs) that are submitted to the ACC including new
AUPPs, annual renewal AUPPs, AUPP amendments and post-approval monitoring forms to
assure that applications, and the studies they represent, comply with good veterinary practice,
CCAC guidelines and the Animals for Research Act;
provide advice to the ACC on animal care issues, ethical issues in use of animals in research and
teaching, legislation pertinent to the animal research conducted at University of Waterloo;
review, and as necessary, provide input into written materials (e.g., pre-assessment report and
response to assessment report) related to Canadian Council of Animal Care (CCAC) assessments
of uWaterloo’s animal care and use program;
review, and as necessary, provide input into responses to inspection reports from veterinary
inspector with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
Inspection of Animal Housing Facilities and Provision of Veterinary Care
As Consulting Veterinarian to UWaterloo’s ACC, you will conduct two inspections of animal housing
facilities per month. The facilities will be inspected on a rotational basis or as needed. Each inspection
will be conducted with an animal health technician and according to a previously determined and
posted schedule set every four months by the ORE to assess the following:






current health status, health management and treatment of animals in the facility. Where
illness or animal hygiene problems are identified, the consulting veterinarian shall take or advise
on the necessary corrective actions and/or make recommendations to researchers or the AHTs;
any issues related to the Quality Assurance Program;
at the level of particular research projects: health management, endpoints, environmental
enrichment, compliance with approved AUPP, sample collection, emergency arrangements,
experimental design, etc.;
sample collection for pathology analysis; Quality Assurance Program and experimental animal
health problems;
status of the animal care facility including but not limited to: room temperature, lighting,
humidity, ventilation; cleanliness and organization at the room level, signage, and storage of
bedding food, water etc.;
on site consultation with researchers as required, on the experimental design, health problems
in research animals, logistics involved in studies involving animals, scientific input, etc.
RFQ #14-027 Veterinarian Consulting Services
Page 5 of 11
C.
Follow-Up Reports of Inspections
As part of reporting on each inspection visit, you will:




D.
provide a written report on each inspection to the ORE, on behalf of the ACC. The report will
include details from the inspection reported at a room level together with recommendations for
any action(s) required;
follow-up with the animal health technicians by e‐mail, phone etc. as required;
follow-up with researchers on particular issues related to a specific animal study;
follow-up with the Central Animal Facility Advisory Committee (CAFAC) as required.
Provision of Educational Training Seminars/Workshops
As Consulting Veterinarian to uWaterloo’s ACC, you will:
 provide educational training courses and/or workshops to faculty and graduate students,
researchers, animal health technicians and research personnel three times per year, including
but not limited to clinical skills and techniques associated with aseptic and survival surgery and
euthanasia including establishing humane endpoints for research with animals;
 review annually and recommend revisions or expansions to the existing training program and/or
provide training, and/or organize training for researchers and animal health technicians at
outside facilities/institutions with well-established training programs, in analgesia, anaesthesia,
surgery, injections, necropsy, euthanasia and other techniques and procedures;
 review annually, the animal health technicians’ qualifications (including experience) and
training, and make recommendations for professional development to the ORE.
E.
Other Administrative Responsibilities
As Consulting Veterinarian to uWaterloo’s ACC, you will:
 attend up to two meetings per year of the CAF Advisory Committee (CAFAC) as a full member of
CAFAC according to Terms of Reference, and provide advice and reports on optimization of set
up and operation of the CAF and its satellite facilities as required. This includes but is not limited
to, writing, revising, reviewing, analyzing and improving on standard operating procedures
(SOPs) required at uWaterloo’s animal facilities and planned construction initiatives;
 review annually and make recommendations to improve administrative record keeping
procedures, including but not limited to health monitoring, post-approval monitoring;
 review annually and make recommendations to improve the suite of AUPP submission forms;
 provide written input into Human Resources’ annual performance appraisal process involving
animal health technicians.
RFQ #14-027 Veterinarian Consulting Services
Page 6 of 11
F.
Bi-Monthly Telephone Consultations with Animal Health Technicians
As Consulting Veterinarian to uWaterloo’s ACC, you will:


G.
maintain contact with the animal health technicians by telephone or email on weeks outside of
scheduled inspection visits to the animal facilities to consult with them around the ongoing
condition of the animals and any issues which have arisen since your last visit;
a Bell Calling Card will be provided for this purpose.
Monthly Consultations with the ORE
As Consulting Veterinarian to uWaterloo’s ACC, you will:

H.
Consult with ORE staff and the AHTs as required, by telephone or email.
Provision of ‘On-call’ and Holiday Veterinary Coverage
As Consulting Veterinarian to uWaterloo’s ACC, you will:



J.
Veterinary License

K.
provide ‘on-call’ veterinary visits to uWaterloo’s animal researchers and animal health
technicians;
‘on-call’ visits outside of regular office hours would be billed on a fee-for-service basis with
invoices directed to the Chief Ethics Officer, ORE;
in the event that you will be unavailable for consultation or ‘on-call’ service (e.g. due to holidays,
conferences etc.), you would provide the Chief Ethics Officer and animal health technicians with
reasonable prior notification of these dates and the name(s) and telephone number(s) of a
veterinarian who would be available and responsible for consultation and provision of service
during your absence;
Use of the consultant’s veterinary license will be made available for all requirements to
University of Waterloo
Employee Status
As Consulting Veterinarian to uWaterloo’s ACC, you will:


not be on uWaterloo’s payroll, and uWaterloo will not be responsible for any insurance
coverage or other benefits normally provided to an employee by a corporate employer;
uWaterloo will not be responsible for provision of statutory benefits or coverage required for
employees in the Province of Ontario.
RFQ #14-027 Veterinarian Consulting Services
Page 7 of 11
L.
Reimbursement
As Consulting Veterinarian to uWaterloo’s ACC, you will:


M.
provide up to a maximum of 238 hours veterinary service per year to the University of Waterloo;
a monthly timesheet is to be completed and submitted to the Chief Ethics Officer, ORE within
two weeks of the end of each month
it is expected that pricing will be quoted as an hourly rate which will be held firm for three years
Pathology Services as Required
In addition to the above regular veterinary services, you will assist the University with:

performing pathology assessments when required in association with uWaterloo’s quality
assurance/health monitoring program as well as for diagnosis of sporadic health problems
among research laboratory animals.
Location of Work
It is expected that the majority of the work will be conducted on campus, however, there may be
instances when the consultant is required to travel to off-campus locations. Travel expenses will be
covered by the University in these situations, as per the University’s Travel Policy (see Appendix A).
Transportation to and from the university as per the regular schedule will be the consultant’s
responsibility. Off-campus service may be required at the following locations:


University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy
Biology Researcher Aquatics Trailer in Elmira, Ontario
The University will provide computer/network access and will ensure that all required project team
resources are available.
If service is to be off site, the University will ensure appropriate access and capabilities are in place for
remote access. The University will ensure resources are available during this period for the incumbent’s
questions.
Timeline
This engagement will begin on May 1, 2015. Completion date of the contract will be April 30, 2018,
upon which time, the contract may be renegotiated for a further two (2) years. This contract may be
cancelled by either party on ninety (90) days’ written notice.
RFQ #14-027 Veterinarian Consulting Services
Page 8 of 11
Response – quotations should include information as follows:
Please include a proposed schedule with associated fees in your response, as per the attached Pricing
Submission Form. In addition to pricing, please provide a detailed response outlining the following:









background information – number of years practicing, types of work done
proof of current professional status and credentials
experience at universities or in a research environment
familiarity with uW’s animal research programme and facilities
references – in particular, from universities or research environments
a summary of how you interpret the engagement, its role, and any suggestions or value add that
you feel may be appropriate
any other information that would benefit the university
rate for any services provided outside of the contract (must be approved in advance by uW)
rate for any services provided while on-call
RFQ #14-027 Veterinarian Consulting Services
Page 9 of 11
Appendix A – University of Waterloo Travel & Expense Policy
Actual Costs
All eligible travel and living expenses are billed for the actual costs incurred, and
require original receipts, as per UW Policy 31.
Mileage
Mileage is reimbursed at 45 cents per kilometer.
Phone Calls
The University is billed for phone calls related to University business only.
A link to the comprehensive Travel Policy and Guidelines can be found here:
https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat-general-counsel/policies-procedures-guidelines/policy-31
https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat-general-counsel/guidelines-travel-expenses
RFQ #14-027 Veterinarian Consulting Services
Page 10 of 11
Request for Quotation #14-027: Veterinarian Consulting Services, Pricing Submission Form
Date:
___________________________
(not later than October 29th, 2014)
From:
___________________________
Company/Consultant Name
___________________________
Address
___________________________
Phone:
(
) __________________
Contact:
___________________________
Signature:
Email: ______________________________
______________________________
A. Prices are in Canadian dollars, including disbursements but not travel, and the HST is extra:
Deliverable or activity
(please specify)
Review of Deliverables
On-Call Fee
Other (specify)
Estimated number
of Hours
=
=
=
Hourly Rate
Total
$
$
$
$
$
$
TOTAL $
Lump Sum Price for deliverables as described should be shown next to TOTAL above.
A. Please specify your proposed start date:
B. Proposed schedule to be included as a separate attachment.
C. Indicate whether services are to be provided on, or, off-site:
_________________
_________________
Insurance – please indicate if you have:
Professional (E&O) liability insurance coverage:
Yes ______
No _______
Automobile insurance coverage:
Yes ______
No _______
RFQ #14-027 Veterinarian Consulting Services
Page 11 of 11