Air charter Services – Rotary Wing

Background:

Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is responsible for installing, upgrading and maintaining a network of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) on coastal area of BC. Access to these stations is via helicopter departing from Port McNeil, BC.

Objective:

MSC requires a rotary wing aircraft (helicopter) capable of transporting Meteorological technologists, herein referred to as ECCC passengers and their equipment to remote coastal weather stations. The helicopter is expected to transport ECCC passengers and equipment from Port McNeil, BC. Depending on flying distance and situation, service will be required for drop/pickup or staying on site with the ECCC passengers while they conduct their work.

Aircraft Requirements:

The Contractor’s base of operations must have a heated indoor washroom.

The aircraft must have the following:
• GPS
• ELT
• Intercom for each passenger
• Sling gear
• Pop Out Floats or twin engines
• External storage basket (optional)
Equipment consists of large, irregularly shaped containers, long/sharp objects, 12V car batteries etc.

Total weight, including ECCC passengers, can be up to 725kg.

Each site visit can be 1 - 3 hours or more and pilots should have personal gear to reflect the weather/seasonal conditions.

Flight Path/Route:

Departing Port McNeill

Servicing of weather stations:
1. Solander 50.1115º N 127.9403º W
2. Sartine 50.8194º N 128.9062º W
3. Herbert Island 50.9399º N 127.6322º W
4. Cathedral Point 52.1875º N 127.4711º W
5. Pine Island LS 50.9758º N 127.7281º W
6. Egg Island LS 51.2472º N 127.8354º W
7. Quatsino LS 50.4413º N 128.0326º W
8. Cape Scott LS 50.7823º N 128.4272º W
9. Fanny Island 50.4535º N 125.9929º W
10. Estevan Point 49.3833º N 126.5447º W
11. Chatham Point LS 50.3332º N 125.4456º W
12. Nootka LS 49.5927º N 126.6157º W

Technicians will visit 2 to 3 LS stations per day, depending on weather and operational requirements. For non-LS stations, only 1 will be visited per day."

Travel:

All flight tours will initiate and finish in Port McNeil, BC.

ECCC will not be responsible for expenses incurred to reposition the aircraft to or from Port McNeil, BC.

No inherent travel or ferry costs will be paid to the Contractor to reach the point of departure (Port McNeil, BC) to begin the work.

Term of Contract:

Period of the Contract
The period of the Contract is from date of Contract to March 31, 2026 inclusive

Option to Extend the Contract
The Contractor grants to Canada the irrevocable option to extend the term of the Contract by up to two (2) additional one (1) year period under the same conditions. The Contractor agrees that, during the extended period of the Contract, it will be paid in accordance with the applicable provisions as set out in the Basis of Payment.
Canada may exercise this option at any time by sending a written notice to the Contractor at least fifteen (15) calendar days before the expiry date of the Contract. The option may only be exercised by the Contracting Authority, and will be evidenced for administrative purposes only, through a contract amendment.