Data Recorders

Advanced Contract Award Notice (ACAN) – Data Recorder Upgrade
1. 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 other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a statement of capabilities meeting the requirements set out in the ACAN, a contract will be awarded to the pre-selected supplier.
2. Definition of the Requirement
The Department of National Defence has a requirement for the supply of v2 miniR Recorder Assemblies and associated 512 GB removeable memory modules.
3. Background
The Department of National Defence (Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment - AETE) has a requirement for the supply of quantity 6 of the v2 miniR Recorder Assemblies (Ampex part number 1319780‐01, NSN 7025-20-A0Y-7693) and quantity 13 of the 512GB removeable memory modules (Ampex part number 1319813-010, NSN 7025-20-A0Y-7596), which meet the requirements of the Range Commander Council IRIG106 Chapter 10 standard. The equipment must integrate and function with the existing suite of data recorder equipment already owned by AETE and flight qualified on multiple RCAF aircraft, including the CF188 Hornet, CC130J Hercules, CH147F Chinook and CH146 Griffon.
There are no security requirements associated with this requirement.
4. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)
Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that the modules, including all associated hardware, must meet the following environmental requirements for pressure, temperature, humidity, acceleration, vibration, shock, and Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC):
4.1 Environmental Requirements
4.1.1 Altitude (Pressure). The equipment must be capable of operation in an unpressurized environment, ascending from sea level to 48,000 feet Above Sea Level (ASL) and descending back to sea level at a maximum rate of change of 32.8 ft/s. The test must comply with MIL-STD-810F Method 500.4 Procedure II Operation/Air Carriage or equivalent for this operating altitude range.
4.1.2 Temperature. The equipment must be operable in temperatures ranging from -40°C to 70°C. The test must comply with Procedure II operation MIL-STD-810F Method 501.4 (High Temperature) or equivalent and MIL-STD-810F Method 502.4 (Low Temperature) or equivalent for this operating temperature range.
4.1.3 Humidity. The equipment must be operable within a 5% to 95% relative, non-condensing air humidity environment. The test must comply with MIL-STD-810F Method 507.4 Procedure II - Aggravated or equivalent for this operating humidity range.
4.1.4 Vibration. Vibration spectrum for performance testing for the equipment must ensure it complies with MIL-STD-810F Method 514.5, Procedure I, Cat. 12, Figure 514.5C-8 or equivalent for jet aircraft vibration exposure with Wo=0.083 g2/Hz for items not installed in a cockpit instrument panel.
4.1.5 Operational Shock. The equipment must be operable when subjected to impact shocks in opposite directions along each of three orthogonal axes. A Shock Response Spectrum specified in MIL-STD-810F Figure 516.5-8 Functional Test for Flight Equipment with a Test Waveform Effective Transient Duration not to exceed 15-23 ms. The test must comply with MIL-STD-810F Method 516.5 Procedure I or equivalent for this operating shock range.
4.1.6 Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC). The equipment conducted and radiated electromagnetic emissions must be sufficiently benign for unrestricted operation on aircraft when installed as recommended by the manufacturer. The equipment must comply with the requirements of MIL-STD-461F for conducted emissions (CE 102) or equivalent and radiated emissions (RE 102) or equivalent.
4.2 System Requirements
4.2.1 The recorder must be capable of recording from multiple digital and analog data formats and be completely compliant with the Range Commanders' Council (RCC) Inter Range Instrumentation Group (IRIG) 106-07 (or later revision), Chapter 10.
4.2.2 The recorder must meet the compliancy requirements in accordance with RCC IRIG 106 Chapter 10 section 10.3.1.1.
4.2.3 The recorder must accept an input power voltage of 28 VDC ± 4 VDC and be capable of safe and effective operation in a MIL-STD-704A power environment.
4.2.4 The recorder must have a modular architecture. It must be possible for the customer to assemble modules and configure the recorder to acquire and record any data type or a combination of any data types as provided by previously acquired modules as listed below:
• AM-334 & AO-381: Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) Modules;
• AM-204: MIL-STD-1553 Module;
• AM-228: Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC)-429 Module;
• AM-132: Video RS-170A Module;
• AM-156: Audio Module;
• AM-801 & AO-811: Ethernet Modules;
• AM-454: RS-232/RS-422/RS-485 Serial Module; and
• AM-432: Discrete Module.
4.2.5 The recorder must be capable of being assembled and configured to simultaneously record the following: two channels of PCM (20 Mbps), eight MIL-STD- 1553B dual-redundant buses, eight ARINC 429 (100Kbps) avionics buses, six video channels with audio (5 Mbps), two audio only channels and two serial RS232/422 (up to 1 million baud) channels. This recorder assembly configuration is to be used as an example for the determination of minimum aggregate data rate and configuration compatibility with currently in use set ups.
4.2.6 The recorder must have only one (1) firmware configuration which must be RCC IRIG 106 Chapter 10. It is not permissible for the firmware to be provided that allows the recorder to be configured or operate in a mode other than RCC IRIG 106 Chapter 10.
4.2.7 A software utility must be provided to configure, upload and/or communicate with the recorder and must provide as a minimum the commands or features permitted in the RCC IRIG106 Chapter 10 standard.
4.2.8 All recorder data packets must be time stamped IAW RCC IRIG 106-07 Chapter 10 section 10.6.
4.2.9 The recorder must be capable of synchronizing its internal clock to an externally connected, single-ended, amplitude modulated, IRIG 200-04 compliant IRIG-B time signal with a less than 10 microsecond synchronization accuracy.
4.2.10 The recorder, after time synchronization and removal of the external time source, must be capable of maintaining the synchronized time with a short-term drift of less than 4.63 ppm (0.4 sec/day) from 0°C to 50°C.
4.2.11 All data must be recorded to a removable solid-state memory module. No classified data must remain onboard the recorder once the removable memory module has been removed. There must be no data written to non-volatile recordable non-removable memory.
4.2.12 The recorder must include mounting flanges with fastener holes to facilitate attachment of the recorder assembly to a flight test instrumentation pallet.

5. Justification for the Pre-Selected Supplier
The pre-identified supplier (Ampex Data Systems) is the only supplier who offers a product which meets all the Minimum Essential Requirements listed above, in particular requirement 4.2.4 and 4.2.5.
6. Applicability of the trade agreements to the procurement
This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements:
o Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
o Revised World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
o Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
o Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
o Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA)
o Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)
o Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA)
o Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA)

7. 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".
8. The following exclusions and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:
o Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) – Article 513 (1) (b) (ii): the protection of patents, copy rights, or other exclusive rights;
o Revised World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) – Article XIII (b) (ii): the protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights;
o Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – Article 19.12 (b) (ii): the protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights;
o Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) – Article 15.10 (2) (b) (ii): the protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights;
o Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) – Article Kbis-16 (2) (c): necessary to protect intellectual property;
o Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement – Article 1409 (1) (b) (ii): The protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights;
o Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement – Article 17.11 (2) (b) (ii): the good or service is protected by a patent, copyright or other exclusive intellectual property right;
o Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement – referencing the WTO Protocol Amending the GPA, Article XIII (1) (b) (ii): the protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights;
o Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement – Article 16.10 (1) (b) (ii): a good or service being procured is protected by a patent, copyright or another exclusive right;
o Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) – Article 1409 (1) (b) (ii): the protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights;
o Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA) – refer to CETA as the provisions of CETA are incorporated by reference into and made part of this Agreement. (CETA) Article 19.12 (b) (ii);
o Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) – Annex 10.4 (2) (c): necessary to protect intellectual property.
9. Ownership of Intellectual Property
Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.
10 Delivery date:
The equipment is to be delivered by 31 March 2024.
11. The name and address of the pre-identified supplier:
Ampex Data Systems (26460 Corporate Ave, Hayward, CA, 94545.
12. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities
Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to meet the specified requirements may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the Contracting Authority 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.
13. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is November 15, 2023 2:00 p.m. EST.
14. Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
Name: Eugen Marinescu DAP 2-3-5
Title: Senior Materiel Acquisition and Support Specialist
Department of National Defence (DND)
Directorate: Directorate of Aerospace Procurement (DAP), DAP 2-3-5
Address: 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2
Telephone: 613-996-6911
E-mail address: eugen.marinescu@forces.gc.ca