Financial Consultant - Ontario for the Farm Debt Mediation Service (FDMS)

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is seeking qualified contractors to provide financial counselling and mediation services under the Farm Debt Mediation Service (FDMS) across Ontario, excluding the National Capital Region, with services also available in the NCR. The goal is to establish up to five four-year Task Authorization Contracts to support farmers experiencing financial distress by facilitating confidential, voluntary mediation between farmers and their creditors. Contractors must assign a Financial Consultant to conduct on-farm visits, inventory assets, prepare detailed financial statements and recovery plans, and participate in mediation sessions, while a Mediator will draft the final agreement once a resolution is reached. Strict confidentiality protocols govern all client and creditor information, which must not be disclosed beyond the mediation process. Contractors must hold a valid organizational security clearance and ensure all personnel have obtained RELIABILITY STATUS from AAFC, with no access to protected information allowed on personal or non-AAFC systems. All work must be performed using AAFC-issued devices on AAFC networks, and subcontracting is prohibited without prior written approval. Offerors must demonstrate recent and verifiable experience in preparing financial statements, analyzing ratios, developing recovery plans, and valuing farm assets and liabilities, with a minimum technical score of 70 out of 100 required for eligibility. Evaluation is based on technical merit (70%) and price (30%) using a trade-off method, with technical criteria heavily weighted toward demonstrable expertise in farm financial analysis and high-stress financial counselling. Proposals must be submitted electronically through CPC Connect and include separate technical, financial, and declaration sections, with no page limits specified but full compliance with all evaluation criteria required. Only offers that meet mandatory security, experience, and methodology requirements will be considered, and replacements for assigned personnel require prior government approval. All services must be delivered throughout Ontario, with costs inclusive of duties, taxes, and delivery, and invoicing must be submitted electronically to a designated AAFC email.