Measuring Selenium speciation in untreated and treated mine water and gaseous phases

ADVANCE CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE (ACAN)

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 receives funding from the Critical Minerals Program to develop passive and treatment technologies for the removal of selenium from critical minerals mining effluents. Under this program, measurements of selenium speciation and oxidation state in water, biological tissue, and air are required to determine the selenium removal performance of active and passive treatment technologies. The work will involve the following: measurement of selenium species in water samples; of volatilized selenium captured by carbon traps and of total selenium in digested biological tissues (i.e., periphyton and biofilms).
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 it meets the following requirements:
o ≥5-year experience in quantifying selenium species and redox states in water and biological tissue extracts;
o Knowledge and understanding of ICP-MS and HPLC usage in measurements of selenium species in water;
o Knowledge and understanding of volatile selenium quantification using carbon traps and quantification through ICP-MS;
o ≥5-year experience quantifying volatile selenium captured on carbon traps in environmental matrices;
o Ability to receive frozen carbon trap samples and analyze within 15 days without compromising integrity; documented chain of custody;
o Demonstrated validated method (e.g., HPLC/IC ICP MS coupling) for dimethyl selenide/diselenide and related species from carbon traps, with detection limits fit for purpose; and,
o Delivery of results as structured data (Excel format) with QA/QC.
PART 4 – APPLICABILITY OF THE TRADE AGREEMENT(S) TO THE PROCUREMENT
This requirement is below applicable trade agreement thresholds; therefore, the trade agreements do not apply.

PART 5 – 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 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
PART 6 – GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS REGULATIONS EXCEPTION(S)
The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection 6(d) - only one person is capable of performing the work.
The identified supplier, Wilfrid Laurier University, is the only one able to meet all of the criteria identified in paragraph 3 above.

PART 7 – OWNERSHIP OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Canada intends to retain ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract on the basis that the main purpose of the contract is to generate knowledge and information for public dissemination.
PART 8 – PERIOD OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT OR DELIVERY DATE
The proposed contract is for a period of one (1) year, from contract award to March 31, 2027.
PART 9 – COST ESTIMATE OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT
The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $80,000.00 (GST/HST extra).
PART 10 – NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER
Supplier Name: Wilfrid Laurier University,
Address: 75 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5
PART 11 – 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 12 – CLOSING DATE FOR A SUBMISSION OF A STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is November 25, 2025
PART 13 – INQUIRIES AND SUBMISSION OF STATEMENTS OF CAPABILITIES

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:

Name: Alexandre Rheault
Title: Procurement Specialist
Address: 580 Booth St., Ottawa, ON, K1A 0E4
Telephone: 613-298-6447
E-mail: Alexandre.Rheault@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca