ACAN - Critical mineral extraction from battery black mass leach solutions

PART 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.

PART 2 – DEFINITION OF THE REQUIREMENT

The Department of Natural Resources Canada has a requirement to develop processes and workflows to refine and optimize the crystallization of ions from black mass leach solutions as part of the overall an existing materials acceleration platform (MAP) development project for battery recycling.
The work will involve the following:

1. Determine if selective crystallization is a viable method for separating battery metals from a black mass leach solution.
2. Provide an automation-ready flow sheet for isolating Li, Ni, Co and Mn from black mass leach solution, using crystallization, solvent extraction or a combination thereof.
3. Transfer knowledge to enable NRCan staff to build an automated platform at their facility
4. To provide support for NRCan’s project on battery recycling automation development for autonomous closed loop research in the form of; operating conditions, datasets and technical consulting on the crystallization processes and chemistry

PART 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 they meet the following requirements:

a) MUST have experience with materials acceleration platforms (MAPs) system for battery recycling.
b) MUST have a minimum of three (3) years of experience developing materials acceleration platforms within the last five (5) years.
c) MUST have a minimum of eight (8) years of experiencing building platforms to automate and integrate chemical synthesis and characterization within the last 12 years.
d) MUST Possess an existing selective-crystallization technology or process for battery metals.

PART 4 – APPLICABILITY OF THE TRADE AGREEMENT(S) TO THE PROCUREMENT

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s):

• Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
• Revised World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
• Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
• Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
• Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA)
• Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)
• Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA)
• Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA)

PART 5 – SET-ASIDE UNDER THE PROCUREMENT STRATEGY FOR INDIGENOUS BUSINESS

Not applicable.

PART 6 – COMPREHENSIVE LAND CLAIMS AGREEMENT(S)

Not applicable.

PART 7 – JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

The supplier mentioned in section 13 below is the only known supplier that meets the mandatory criteria set out in part 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

PART 8 – 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 or firm is capable of performing the contract. The identified supplier, Telescope Innovations Corp., is the only one able to meet all of the criteria identified in paragraph 3 above

PART 9 – EXCLUSIONS AND/OR LIMITED TENDERING REASONS

Not applicable.

PART 10 – OWNERSHIP OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

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

PART 11 – PERIOD OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT OR DELIVERY DATE

The proposed contract is for a period of 3 years, from award date to 31 March 2029.

PART 12 – COST ESTIMATE OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is 300,000.00$ x (GST/HST extra).

PART 13 – NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

Telescope Innovations Corp.
885 Georgia Street, Suite 2200
Vancouver, BC V6C 3E8

PART 14 – 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.

PART 15 – CLOSING DATE FOR A SUBMISSION OF A STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities 12 January 2025 at 2:00 p.m. (EST).