Water Survey of Canada Air Charter Requirement

Bidders' Conference:

A bidders' conference will be held virtually on September 9, 2024. The conference will begin at 1:00 p.m. MDT. The scope of the requirement outlined in the bid solicitation will be reviewed during the conference and questions will be answered. It is recommended that bidders who intend to submit a bid attend or send a representative.

Bidders are requested to communicate with the Contracting Authority before the conference to confirm attendance. Bidders should provide, in writing, to the Contracting Authority, the name(s) of the person(s) who will be attending and a list of issues they wish to table no later than 3:00 p.m. MDT on September 6, 2024.

Any clarifications or changes to the bid solicitation resulting from the bidders' conference will be included as an amendment to the bid solicitation. Bidders who do not attend will not be precluded from submitting a bid.

Background:

Water Survey of Canada (WSC) of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) collects water quantity data. As the equipment that collects the data is dispersed across the north on remote rivers and lakes, access to a large majority of these locations requires the use of aircraft. Charters leaving Yellowknife, Northwest Territories access these remote locations in Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Objective:

WSC requires a twin engine, fixed wing aircraft capable of transporting hydrometric technologists, herein referred to as ECCC passengers, and their equipment to remote, off strip, hydrometric sites, landing on lakes and rivers in the Northwest Territories (NT) and Nunavut (NU). The aircraft is expected to transport ECCC passengers and equipment from Yellowknife, NT to each site, stay on site with the ECCC passengers while they conduct their work of surveying, working from boats, collecting water.

Aircraft Requirements:

The Contractor’s base of operations must have a heated indoor washroom and staging area.
The Contractor must have access to a DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 or equivalent.

The Aircraft will require:

• Co-Pilot
• Large cargo door to accept Yamaha Bravo Long Track (2.945m x 0.950m W x approx. 1.3m H with windshield) or 4’x8’ sheets of plywood and 14’ lumber
• GPS
• Altimeter Radar
• Wheel Skis/Floats/ Tundra Tires (season dependent)

Equipment consists of large, irregularly shaped containers, long/sharp objects, lumber, dangerous goods (compressed gas cylinders and gas motors boat motor, Yamaha Bravo snowmobile, generator, fuel can, etc.). Total weight, including ECCC passengers, can be up to 1200kg although space required to accommodate the equipment will generally be exhausted before the weight threshold is exceeded.

WSC has fuel cached at the locations indicated on the itinerary. The Contractor should have access to other cached fuel in the general travel area if required (i.e. Fort Reliance) and must have fueling gear with the machine.

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

Tasks:

On an as required basis, safely transport personnel and equipment to the locations in the tentative itineraries.

Travel:

All flights will initiate and finish in Yellowknife, NT.
ECCC will not be responsible for expenses incurred to reposition the aircraft to or from Yellowknife, NT.

Period of the Contract:

The period of the Contract is from date of Contract to March 31, 2025 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.

Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements (CLCAs):

The Contract is subject to the following Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement(s):
Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement
Inuvialuit Final Agreement
Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement
Tlicho Land Claims Agreement
Nunavut Land Claims Agreement