Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (Drone) Infrared Detection Services

The Ministry of Forests (the “Ministry”) invites Responses from Respondents to provide Infrared Detection using a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (i.e., RPAS Infrared Detection Services) to BC Wildfire Service (“BCWS”), a branch within the Ministry, on an as, if and when requested basis. The RPAS Infrared Detection Services may be required to assist the Province with: i) wildfire response; or ii) performing mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery (“MPRR”) duties, both of which relate to wildfire management and all natural hazards, as further described in section 3 of this RSA and Schedule A1, Schedule A2, and Schedule A3 of the Standing Arrangement.

RPAS Infrared Detection Services may be required throughout the province of British Columbia (e.g., in all Fire Centres – see Appendix C) based on location of the Incident. Hourly Rates and travel expenses, if applicable, (in accordance with Schedule B of the Standing Arrangement) will be paid based on the Point of Hire, which is the Provincial Wildfire Coordination Centre in Kamloops, BC. The Point of Hire is the start and end location of a Deployment for payment purposes only. Please note – RPAS Crews are not required to travel to the Point of Hire, RPAS Crews are to travel directly to the Marshalling Point.

Respondents, please note that Infrared Detection will be conducted using RPAS only, and no other aviation platforms will be considered. Respondents are representing that if successful they will provide fully equipped and trained RPAS Crews to the standards described in this RSA and the draft Standing Arrangement attached as Appendix A.

RPAS Infrared Detection Services are to be provided on an as, if and when requested basis and no representations, commitments or guarantees are made with respect to the timing, number or value of Service Requests that may be requested of a Contractor over the term. A Standing Arrangement established pursuant to this RSA does not confer an exclusive right to provide the RPAS Infrared Detection Services to the Province. The Province reserves the right to procure the RPAS Infrared Detection Services by any other means, including use of other agreements, or by other procurement or contracting methods.

Service Requests will be issued to Contractors based on the Call Off Process set out in Section 4.5 of this RSA and Section 6 of the Standing Arrangement. Contractors will be required to deliver the RPAS Infrared Detection Services within a timeframe specified in the relevant Service Request. RPAS Crew(s) on Standby must be Deployed within 30 minutes of the Province issuing the Service Request for Deployment (or such longer time as may be indicated by the Province in the relevant Service Request).

There are several significant changes from the previous procurement for RPAS Infrared Detection Services and Respondents should carefully review the Standing Arrangement attached as Appendix A, including all the schedules. If there are any inconsistencies between Appendix A and the description or overview of those terms set out in this RSA, the Standing Arrangement in Appendix A will prevail.

The Province intends to enter into Standing Arrangements with the four (4) top highest scoring Respondents in the field grid test, who meet all mandatory criteria, qualification criteria and minimum scores in the rated criteria. If less than four (4) Respondents complete the field grid test, the Province may enter into Standing Arrangements with less than four Respondents. The anticipated term of each Standing Arrangement is from June 26, 2023 to March 31, 2024. Each Standing Arrangement will contain an option to extend whereby the Province reserves the right, at its sole option, to extend the Standing Arrangement for two (2) additional one year terms, on the same terms and conditions except for the Rates, which will be adjusted in accordance with any change to the BC Consumer Price Index for the year immediately preceding.

Further details as to the scope of this opportunity and the requirements can be found in Sections 3, 4, 5 and Appendix B of this RSA.