Functional Range of Motion System

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.

Definition of the requirement

The Human Factors Support Cell within Director Soldier Systems Program Management requires a Functional Range of Motion (FROM) System.

DSSPM Human Factors Cell mandate is to ensure that the soldier clothing and equipment procured mitigate any risk to the CAF member

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is comprised of members from all aspects of Canadian society and its members encompass a variety of body shapes and sizes. In order to ensure the safe and functional usability of in service and prospective equipment and clothing the Human Factors Support Cell within the Director of Soldier Systems Program Management must evaluate for possible integration issues between the human and the system. The mandate of the Human Factors Support Cell is to maximize Canadian Armed Forces personnel performance during operations through the provision of human system integration advice throughout the Directorate of Soldier System Program Management's (DSSPM) equipment procurement lifecycle.

A tool that can provide critical insight on the effect of a system on a CAF member is a method of evaluating functional range of motion. This tool would be utilized during user trials to ensure repeatability and validity throughout an evaluation. This system measures a soldier’s complete range of motion for upper and lower body and can allow evaluators to capture any mobility restrictions between unencumbered and encumbered conditions. The system must be able to test a subject unencumbered (not wearing equipment) which would be used as a baseline. The equipment/clothing that is being evaluated would be worn by the subject (encumbered) to determine any changes between the conditions.

This will provide the CAF with empirical data to be used in any user trials, thus ensuring that the trials are both scientifically valid and free of human bias.

Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that its product/equipment/system meets the following requirements:

1. Computer system with the following components:

a. Windows 10 operating system;

b. Monitor;

c, Colour Printer;

d, Mouse and keyboard;

e. Speakers

2. Able to get baseline strength measurements of the following:

a. Bilateral Pull Down;

b. Overhead Pull Down;

c, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Standard Arm Lift;

d, Vertical Pushing;

e. Knee Extension Strength;

f. One-handed lifting;

g. Grip Strength;

h. Shoulder Flex/Extension Strength;

I. Elbow Flex/Extension Strength

3. Pinch meter able to test:

a. Lateral Pinch;

b. Palmar Pinch

4. Able to measure the Range of Motion (ROM) for the following:

a. Overhead reaching;

b. Elbow ROM;

c. Lumber ROM;

d. Cervical ROM;

e. Wrist ROM;

f. Finger ROM;

g. Shoulder ROM

5. Portable load cell for muscle testing

6. Calibration gauges for all measurements

7. Automated voice commands for all tests/exercises

8. Heart rate monitor

9. Templates to ensure protocols of achievable measures-provide data reports

10. The equipment must have an English interface.

Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement

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

Canada Free Trade Agreement applies and the following exception(s) invoke the limiting tendering articles: CFTA Article 513.1(b).

Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The Functional Range of Motion System was selected as it is an all-inclusive system that provides all requirements for evaluating biomechanical trade-offs. Other systems that were investigated offered partial solutions with a requirement to procure additional support and equipment from third party(s) start to end. After literature review by Human Factors specialist, it was determined that the equipment manufactured by BTE EvalTech is the only system that does testing and analyzing of the entire range of human motion as well as provides data reports.

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 contract."

Ownership of Intellectual Property

There will not be any intellectual property (IP) developed under this contract. BTE Technologies, LLC holds the Intellectual Property (IP) rights for its equipment, software and firmware and the IP rights will reside with the supplier.

Quantity of the proposed contract

Firm quantity on contract x (1) one unit.

Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

The product/system/equipment will be delivered within an estimated 7 weeks from contract award date. 

Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, excluding optional extended warranty, is $90,000 CDN (Applicable Tax extra).

Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

BTE Technologies, LLC

7455 New Ridge Road
Hanover, MD

217076

USA

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.

Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is on the covering page of this notice.

Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Direct all correspondence to:

Bobby Collison

A/Senior Materiel Acquisition and Support Officer

Directorate of Land Procurement DLP 5-3-6

National Defence/Government of Canada

E-mail address: Bobby.Collison@forces.gc.ca