Geospace Observatory (GO) Canada Program

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has the requirement to provide operations, maintenance, and engineering (OM&E) services to the ongoing Geospace Observatory (GO) Canada program. In particular, the core sites contain Crown-owned computer infrastructure and instruments that will be maintained by this contract.

The GO Canada program was originally known as the CANOPUS program, and then the Canadian GeoSpace Monitoring (CGSM) program. It is motivated by the need for greater fundamental understanding of the planetary environments that are affected by short- and long-term variability of our star – the Sun. The Sun and Earth form a tightly coupled system, with solar variability driving space weather and climate, the creation of harsh radiation environments, and the generation of the aurora. The GO Canada program seeks to understand this fundamental solar-terrestrial coupling and its influence on our planetary environment.

FromDecember 2013 to November 2018, the Geospace Observatory (GO) Canada will support 10 scientific projects funded by the CSA. Some of those projects require the use of the 16 following sites:

1. Arviat (Eskimo Point) (Nunavut);
2. Contwoyto Lake (Nunavut);
3. Dawson (Yukon);
4. Fort Churchill (Manitoba);
5. Fort McMurray (Alberta);
6. Fort Simpson (North West Territories);
7. Fort Smith (North West Territories);
8. Gillam (Manitoba);
9. Island Lake (Manitoba);
10. Nain (Newfoundland & Labrador);
11. Pinawa (Manitoba);
12. Qikiqtarjuaq (Nunavut);
13. Rabbit Lake Mine (Manitoba);
14. Rankin Inlet (Nunavut);
15. Sachs Harbor (North West Territories).
16. Taloyoak (Nunavut);

This contract will support the shared infrastructure used by the GO Canada projects, maintain the Crown owned equipment, and provide telecommunication and power to the core sites and hosted instruments for the period between June 2016 and December 2019 with options to extend the period of the contract to December 2021.

Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements (CCLAs):

The following Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements apply to this procurement as detailed below:

• Inuvialuit Final Agreement: for deliveries to Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories;
• Nunavut Land Claims Agreement: for deliveries to Arviat, Contwoytolake,Qikiqtarjuaq, Rankin Inlet et Taloyoak in Nunavut;
• Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Final Agreement: for deliveries to Dawson, Yukon;
• Inuit Land Claims Agreement for deliveries in Nain, Newfoundland & Labrador

Trade Agreements:

This requirement is not subject to the Trade Agreements as per the following dispositions:

• Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT): Chapter 5, Annex 502.1A

• World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP):Appendix I, Annex I
• North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Chapter 10, Annex 1001.1a-1
• Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement, Annex K bis-01, 1-1
• Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement, Annex 1401,1-1

• Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, Annex 1401-1

• Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement, Chapter 16, Annex I