Request for Expression of Interest (RFEOI) for Submarine Battery Charger

1. English Description

DEFENCE CONSTRUCTION CANADA (DCC) – ES255458 – Submarine Battery Charger, CFB Esquimalt, British Columbia

Defence Construction Canada (DCC) invites general contractors to express their interest in providing all labour, materials, and equipment necessary for the removal and refurbishing of two existing units and supply, delivery, and installation of three new units; including commissioning and operator training.

This Request for Expression of Interest (RFEOI) is the first step of a two-step solicitation process, the second step being the Tender Phase.  Only the general contractors who will have responded to this RFEOI will be invited to submit a bid during the Tender Phase.

DCC reserves the right to terminate this solicitation at the end of the RFEOI.

This solicitation is being conducted in accordance with the requirements set out in the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), Chapter Nineteen of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-GPA).

2. Project background

Work under this contract comprises of the immediate refurbishment of the two existing LBBC units and construction of three new LBBC units. Upon award, the contractor is to immediate begin the refurbishment of the two existing LBBC units at two locations at CFB Esquimalt. This will provide system reliability for each unit’s battery charging capabilities while the construction of three new LBBC units is underway. The project is described in greater detail below.

The Immediate refurbishment of the two existing LBBC units comprises of, but is not limited to, the following:

• Diagnostics and assessments, as well as replacement of the existing AC/DC drives and hardware required to integrate new drives into the existing LBBC units. This may include, but not be limited to, filter reactors, control power transformers and communication modules.
• Replacement of existing PLC and HMI with similar design, programming, and operation of the new LBBC control systems.
• Replacement of ancillary and/or other systems needed. Replacement components will be limited to the necessities to facilitate the update, repair and integration of the LBBC AC/DC drives, PLC and HMI and programming.
• Includes the update of existing LBBC documentation set with new hardware documentation and drawings.
• Commissioning of new AC/DC drives, PLC and HMI to ensure existing LBBC units are completely functional with the new systems.
• Provide Submarine Battery Load-banking capabilities meaning that LBBC should operate in a reverse mode to feed the Submarine battery discharge energy back onto the Utility grid.
• Training of personnel on the new systems in the existing LBBC units.

The construction of three new LBBC comprises of, but is not limited to, the following:

• Requires design, manufacture, testing, functional commissioning, delivery, operational commissioning, turnover and site acceptance testing, and training of personnel at Esquimalt, BC of three outdoor, weatherproof, modular transportable Load Bank Battery Chargers (LBBC).
• The LBBC must be modular, integrated, transportable, designed to easily moved from one location to another with minimal downtime. With modularization in mind, it is proposed a skid-mounted equipment design where the two main sections that make up the LBBC will sit on. A High Voltage Equipment Section and a Low voltage Equipment with Control compartment separated.
• Must have the ability to charge and discharge batteries up to 1900 Amps aboard DND submarines as required to meet the battery supplier’s warranty requirements, one unit at the Drydock location and one unit at the C Jetty location and one unit at the CFF SH596 location.
• Provide Battery Commissioning Charge/Discharge capabilities up to 1900 Amps for new battery commissioning at the Corrosive Fluids Facility.
• Connect to owner’s 480V AC, 3-phase, 4-wire, 60Hz electrical distribution network.
• Provide Submarine Battery Load-banking capabilities, meaning that LBBC should operate in a reverse mode to feed the Submarine battery discharge energy back onto the BC Hydro Utility grid.

Other noted information:

• New Load Bank Battery Chargers may be built off-site, while the Refurbishment of the existing 2 units must take place on location at CFB Esquimalt.
• Construct work in stages to always maintain capability for two units to run independently at CFB Esquimalt. The only exception to this is during the refurbishment stage where one unit must be running at all times.

3. Documents

Technical plans and specifications are not available during this RFEOI and will be provided during the Tender Phase; however, the Standard Construction Contract Documents for Electronic Bidding, DCL 250E, are available on DCC’s website: https://www.dcc-cdc.gc.ca/industry/forms.

Tenderers are advised that this contract is subject to DCC’s Procurement Code of Conduct, which can be downloaded at https://www.dcc-cdc.gc.ca/industry/forms. A contractor or supplier who has been declared ineligible or suspended by Public Services and Procurement Canada under its Ineligibility and Suspension Policy and whose period of ineligibility or suspension may not have expired will not be able to proceed to the second stage.

Bid security will be required during the Tender Phase in accordance with DCL193E- Instructions for Bidders for Electronic Bidding item 11.

4. Estimate

The Rough Order Magnitude estimate for this Contract is $13 Million (Current Year $).

This amount includes all construction costs, on-site work (including all required services, parking, and landscaping), site utilities, necessary redundant mechanical systems, communication conduits and wiring, backup power equipment, built-in equipment, built-in furniture, and inflation to achieve substantial completion.

This amount excludes HST, design costs, travel and disbursements, consultant fees and expenses, movable equipment and furniture, IT equipment and contingencies.

5. Schedule

DCC will proceed with the Tender Phase around August 15, 2023.

The works shall reach substantial completion no later than 530 calendar days following the notification of contract award and shall be completed no later than 30 calendar days after the substantial completion date.

6. Site visit

No site visits will be offered during the RFEOI. However, during the Tender Phase, bidders will be invited to a site visit.

7. Access to information Act

Tenderers are advised that DCC is subject to the provisions of the Access to Information Act (Canada). Information submitted may be eligible for disclosure in accordance with the requirements of the Act.

8. Questions and clarifications

Any questions or requests for clarification must be submitted in writing to DCC’s Coordinator, Contract Services whose contact information can be found in the Electronic Bid System.

DCC reserves the right to request clarification and/or confirmation regarding any aspect of this RFEOI to the Tenderer.

In such a case, the Coordinator, Contract Services will be responsible for making the request. The request for clarification and/or confirmation will be sent to the contact person identified on the Electronic Submission System.

9. Language of the Tender and the contract

By submitting a response to this RFEOI, Tenderers will be invited to choose the desired official language for the tender documents and any resulting contract.

In the Tender Phase, tender documents will be published in the language chosen by the Tenderer in the Electronic Bid System.

Unless otherwise specified in the Contract, all Contract Documents to which the Contract applies or refers, as well as all deliverables, documents, reports and results of the work, services or goods that the Contractor submits, provides, or delivers to DCC or Canada in connection with the performance of the Contract, shall be in the language chosen by the Contractor on the Electronic Bid System.

10. Joint venture

A joint venture is an association of two or more parties that pools their funds, assets, knowledge, expertise, or other resources into a joint business venture, sometimes called a consortium, to bid together for a requirement. Tenderers submitting interest as a joint venture will be required to clearly indicate in the Electronic Submission System that they are forming a joint venture and should provide the following information:

• the name of the joint venture, if applicable,
• the name of the representative of the joint venture, i.e., the member chosen by the other members to represent them, if applicable,
• the name of each member of the joint venture.

 

11. Industrial Security Requirements During Construction

The Contractor must, at all times during the performance of the construction contract, hold a valid Designated Organization Screening (DOS) issued by Public Works and Government Services Canada’s (PWGSC) Contract Security Program (CSP). In the case of a joint venture, all parties to the joint venture must hold a security clearance.

Contractor personnel who require access to sensitive workplaces will be required to EACH have a valid RELIABILITY STATUS, granted or approved by the CSP/PWGSC. Until the security screening of the Contractor’s personnel required by the Contract has been satisfactorily completed by the CSP/PWGSC, the Contractor’s personnel MAY NOT enter any workplace without an authorized escort.

Subcontracts for contractors that include security requirements will NOT be awarded without the prior written approval of the CSP/PWGSC.

Additional security requirements may be added during the Tender Phase.

To be invited to the Tender Phase, a Tenderer must hold a valid DOS or FSC. DCC will verify through the CSP whether the Tenderer meets the security requirements. In the case of a joint venture, all parties to the joint venture must hold the required security clearance.

It is the Tenderer’s responsibility to ensure that all necessary security clearances are in place at the time and date of closure of this RFEOI.

DCC will not delay initiating the Tender Phase to allow a Tenderer to obtain the required security clearances. 

12. Closing location

Responses to this RFEOI must be received through the Electronic Bidding System.  Responses sent by fax, mail or email will not be accepted. 

13. Closing Date and Time

The closing date and time indicated in the Electronic Submission System will be the official closing date and time of this RFEOI.
 

Bidding and Documents are available on http://www.merx.com. Fees may apply; See https://www.merx.com/public/pricing for more information.