Study of H2 storage in suitable geological formations

1. Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)

An ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.
2. Definition of the requirement

The Department of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has a requirement to conduct a research on the examination of H2 storage and trapping at pore-scale scales within geologic formations.
The results will help guide the design and regulation of H2 storage in geological formations (e.g. updating CSA - Canadian Standards Association) Z341). The initiative will provide both policymakers and the industry insight into the risks and requirements for the safe storage of H2 across Canada. .
The proposed procurement of services will be a part of a joint research collaboration between the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) and Department of Earth Science and Engineering (ESE) research groups of the Imperial College of London (ICL).
The work will involve the following:
i. H2 trapping and interaction with the host formation;
ii. Storage capacity estimation based on the type of formation and formation fluids;
iii. Buoyancy-driven flow and leakage of the stored H2.
3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements:
• Experience: The Bidder’s proposed resource MUST have a minimum of ten (10) years of experience conducting research related to subsurface gas geological storage such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen in tight or unconventional resources, demonstrated by providing ten (10)* scientific publications.
*Experience must be within the last twenty (20) years.
• Knowledge and understanding: The Bidder’s proposed resource MUST have the knowledge and scientific background to contribute to the project advancement and publishing scientific papers. More specifically, they must have a proven track record in publishing high-quality peer-reviewed articles in the field of Knowledge and understanding.
The Bidder MUST have the facility to capture three-dimensional (3D) micro-computerized tomography (CT) scan images of sedimentary rocks including evaporite samples** at different time intervals, while injecting hydrogen.

• Academic qualifications: The Bidder’s proposed resource MUST have a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in engineering, physical sciences, geology, or geosciences, demonstrated by providing proof of education* (copy of the degree).
*The list of recognized organizations can be found on the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials website: http://www.cicic.ca/2/home.canada;
4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement
.
This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s) :
o Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
o World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
o Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
o Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
o Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA)
o Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The supplier mentioned in section 10 below is the only known supplier that meets the mandatory criteria set out in section 3 above.

Should Canada receive a statement of capabilities from a supplier that contains sufficient information to indicate that it meets the requirements set forth in this ACAN, a competitive process will be triggered with a technical and financial evaluation methodology of the bids proposed by the potential bidders.

6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)

The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is (are) invoked for this procurement under subsection:
6(d) - only one person is capable of performing the work).
The identified supplier, Imperial College of London (ICL), is the only one able to meet all of the criteria identified in paragraph 3 above.
7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons

The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:
o Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) – Article: 513.1(b) (iii);
o World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) – Under the Revised GPA - Article XIII, 1 (b) (iii);
o Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – Article(s) Article 19.12 (b) (iii)
o Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) – Article(s): 15.10 , 2 (b) (iii) (s)
o Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) – Article(s) Kbis-09 (b),Article Kbis-09 (c)
o Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement – Article(s): 1409 (b) (iii);
o Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement – Article(s): 17.11 2 (b) (iii)
o Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement – Article 14.3, Under the Revised GPA - Article XIII, 1 (b) (iii);
o Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement – Article(s) 16.10 (b) (iii)
o Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) – Article(s1409 (b) (iii)

8. Ownership of Intellectual Property

o Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.

9. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

o The proposed period of contract is from date of contract award to March 31, 2026 inclusive.

10. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract is $255,000.00 (GST/HST extra).

11. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Imperial College
Department of Earth Science and Engineering
South Kensington Campus
London, England
SW7 2AZ (UK)

12. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this notice on or before the closing date of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

13. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is September 25, 2024 at 2:00 pm MDT.

14. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
Name: Nidhi Nigam
Title: Procurement Team Leader
Organization: Natural Resources Canada
Address: 5320 122 St NW
Edmonton, AB, T5H 3S5
Telephone: (587) 337-3877
E-mail address: Nidhi.Nigam@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca