Technical and regulatory support licensing satellite networks

1.	Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows a department to post a notice, for no less than fifteen calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it intends to award a contract to a pre-identified contractor.  If no other supplier submits during the fifteen calendar day posting period, a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the competitive requirements of the government's contracting policy have been met.  Following notification to suppliers not successful in demonstrating that their statement of capabilities meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contract may then be awarded, using the Treasury Board's electronic bidding authorities.

If other potential suppliers submit statements of capabilities during the fifteen calendar day posting period, and meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, the department must proceed to a full tendering process on either the government's electronic tendering service or through traditional means, in order to award the contract.

2.	Definition of the requirement
Technical and regulatory support for the various four phases of Canada’s licensing procedures for the licensing of the Agency’s satellite networks.  

More specifically, the Procedures require the preparation of submissions to Industry Canada for the national licensing and ITU notification of these satellite networks, including earth stations.

The activities cover the four Phases of Industry Canada's Procedures for the licensing and the ITU notification of satellite networks.  These procedures are in varying stages of application in accordance with the time-line requirements of the Agency’s specific satellite networks.

The four Phases are as follows:

PHASE 1 - Submission of Letters of Intent to Industry Canada providing all pertinent technical details on the satellite networks for their licensing under Canadian Laws, Regulations, and Policies and the requirements of the ITU Radio Regulations, Recommendations, and Rules of Procedure.  

PHASE 2 - The preparation, validation, and submission to the ITU (via Industry Canada) of Advance Publication Information (API) for the Agency’s satellite networks and earth station initiatives within a specified regulatory time limit. The API submission contains the information and satellite network characteristics required by the ITU to process and publish the information and to help administration identify potential interference to their satellite networks.

PHASE 3 – The resolution of difficulties with the satellite networks of other countries that have been identified by their administration as being affected before the API comment period expired. The more difficult problems may require meetings and direct negotiations

PHASE 4 - ITU detailed notification and domestic licensing of the final characteristics of the satellite networks.  ITU notification is required for ongoing recognition and protection of the satellite networks.  Domestic licensing is required for compliance with the provisions of the domestic Acts and Regulations.  The ITU notifications are required for compliance with the ITU Convention and Radio Regulations.

GENERIC TECHNICAL SUPPORT

In support of these and related Agency requirements, including existing, planned, and future spectrum access and satellite network protection requirements, Telesat will participate, as required, in the work of key national and international decision-making bodies (e.g. CNO-ITU-R; CNO/CPC; RABC; CITEL and SFCG) to ensure that decisions taken and positions and proposals agreed for national regulatory/policy decision-making and ITU Conferences and Meetings meet the current and long-term requirements of the Agency - including the Agency’s ability to respond to future Projects “as they arise” in terms of timely access to the Radio Frequency Spectrum.  In order to accommodate the Agency’s overall requirements support will be provided, as required, to help meet the spectrum access needs and requirements of the Space Science Services generally as identified by the Satellite Frequency Coordination Group (SFCG) of the World’s Space Agencies (including CSA) and, the preparatory activities (national/international) for ITU Radio-communication Conferences, Meetings, and related activities.  Preparing formal draft contributions will also be required for CSA submission to the Canadian Preparatory Committees and to attend meetings of these committees in support thereof.

3.	Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement
This procurement is not subject to the Trade Agreements.

4.	Ownership of Intellectual Property
Any intellectual property created during the course of the contract shall rest with the Crown.

5.	Period of the proposed contract or delivery date
The period of the proposed contract is from the date of award to 31 May 2017.

6.	Cost estimate of the proposed contract
The estimated cost of the project is $684.000.00 + tax

7.	Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
Telesat Canada (Telesat), a recognized world leader in satellite service development and satellite applications innovation, has successfully provided the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) with consulting services on the frequency-management aspects of CSA’s satellite missions since 2000. The fact that several of CSA’s satellites are presently operating, as planned, without being subject to serious radio interference from other networks or to notification difficulties with the ITU-R is a testament to the quality of consulting provided to CSA over the last six years. 

Telesat has been implementing and operating satellite networks since the early 1970’s, and has been heavily involved in both the WRC’s (formally WARC’s) and ITU-R (formally CCIR) Study Group and Working Group activities over the last 30 years. In that activity Telesat Canada has become an expert in the application of the Radio Regulations and ITU-R Recommendations to implementing its satellites and those of its clients in ways that meet all ITU-R regulatory requirements, are not subject to significant levels of interference from other Radiocommunication networks, and at the same time meet all the mission requirements of the networks. 

Telesat past experience has been mainly in the coordination, notification, implementation, and operation of GSO satellites. Over the last decade Telesat has become an expert in this work involving non-GSO satellite networks, focusing on the radio-interference environments of low-earth-orbiting (LEO) satellite networks, the satellite networks of CSA. This is a very specialized knowledge, in which staff at Telesat Canada has become recognized world experts. This knowledge and experience can be fully brought to bear in the coordination, notification, and protection of CSA’s satellite networks.

Telesat’s experience over nearly four decades in satellite procurement, launch, and operation of satellite networks enables it to suggest ways that early CSA satellite designs can be modified if necessary to meet ITU regulations and yet carry out its mission in an effective and economic manner. This experience has been used to the advantage of CSA   in the MOST-1, SCISAT-1, CANX-2, and most recently the CASSIOPE satellite missions, and can be applied as necessary and appropriate in the upcoming missions such as RADARSAT-3, NEOSAT, QUICKSAT, and CHINOOK.

Telesat’s in-depth knowledge of the weight, power, carrier-to-noise, and carrier-to-interference of satellite networks, and both the TT&C and the payload components of these satellites, whether they be in GSO or in NGSO orbits, and its coordination and notification of these networks in the ITU, enables Telesat to provide a very effective interface between the technical and the regulatory aspects of the frequency-management of CSA’ satellite networks. 

8.	Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities
Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date to this Notice.  The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.
	

9.	Closing date for submission of a statement of capabilities
14h00 EDT, August 6, 2013.
	
10.	Contact for inquiry and/or submission of a statement of capabilities:
	
Isabelle Doray
Contracting Officer
Procurement & Contract Administration
6767 route de l’Aéroport
Saint-Hubert (Quebec)
J3Y 8Y9
Phone:	450-926-4873
Fax:	450-926-4969
E-mail:	isabelle.doray@asc-csa.gc.ca

11.	Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
Telesat 
1601 Telesat Court
Gloucester (Ontario)
K1B 5P4