Letter of Interest –Remediation Services for the ex-HMCS ANNAPOLIS

1	SUBJECT

1.1	Prior to posting the Request for Proposal (RFP), Environment Canada (EC) is conducting an Optional Pre-tender Site Visit for firms who are interested in the potential remediation contract for the former Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) destroyer escort HMCS ANNAPOLIS (the Vessel).  It is anticipated that the RFP documents will be available on www.Buyandsell.gc.ca/tenders by March 2014.  

2	BACKGROUND

2.1	The Vessel is afloat and moored at Port Greaves Bay on the south coast of Gambier Island, approximately 10 nautical miles north of Horseshoe Bay on the mainland coast of British Columbia.  The Vessel is owned by the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia (the ARSBC).     

2.2	The Vessel is a large decommissioned warship with multiple interior compartments and decks.  The Vessel’s interior structures, including decks, major transverse bulkheads, minor bulkheads, machinery, service systems and fittings are partly dismantled.  There is no fitted electrical lighting, heating, or ventilation in the Vessel. The keel of the Vessel is approximately 3 meters from the seabed.

2.3	There are no armaments, supplies, refrigerants, stored chemicals, liquid form PCBs, or petroleum products (including fuels and oils) in the Vessel.  The ARSBC has substantially opened up and cleaned the Vessel. 

2.4	PCBs in solid matrix form have been identified in the interior insulation and in coatings of two Compartments in the Vessel.  Based on the results of sample testing, it is believed that the majority of the Vessel’s Insulation contains a concentration of solid PCBs below 50 parts per million (ppm) and no point or concentration greater than 400 ppm has been detected in any insulation or coating in the Vessel.

3	OPTIONAL PRE-TENDER SITE VISIT 

3.1	EC has scheduled an Optional Pre-tender Site Visit for Saturday, February 15, 2014.  A safety briefing will be provided to all participants and following the safety briefing, EC will provide a tour of the Vessel and a verbal briefing of the intended scope of the potential remediation contract.

3.2	Following the tour of the Vessel, Industry will have the opportunity to provide comments on the draft Statement of Work of the potential services contract and ask questions regarding the anticipated RFP.  

3.3	Interested firms are strongly encouraged to attend; however, those who do not attend will not be precluded from submitting a bid when the Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued. 

3.4	It should be noted that while EC intends to incorporate a mandatory site visit requirement into the RFP process, interested firms who do not attend or send a representative to this site visit may not be given another opportunity to travel to the site.

3.5	Coordinates:

DAY: 		Saturday, February 15, 2014 
TIME: 		0930 hrs – 1600 hrs
Where: 	              To Be Confirmed to Registered Participants

4	ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

4.1	Interested firms must communicate with the Contracting Authority via email no later than 2:00 PM PST, February 14, 2014 to confirm attendance and provide the name of the person(s) who will attend. 

Contracting Authority: Matthaeus Lundie
E-mail: matthaeus.lundie@ec.gc.ca 

4.2	On the day of the Optional Pre-tender Site Visit, EC will provide and pay for return transportation (water taxi) between a mustering point, which will be confirmed to registered participants, and the Vessel.  

4.3	With the exception of the cost of the water taxi, all other travel & living costs incurred by the employee(s) of the interested firm (or authorized representative) for the purpose of attending the Optional Pre-tender Site Visit and follow-on discussion will be borne by the interested firm.

4.4	Attendance to the Optional Pre-tender Site Visit will be limited to three employees (or authorized representatives) per interested firm. 

4.5	This Optional Pre-tender Site Visit is intended for interested firms that are Prime or Joint Venturing Contracting firms. 

4.6	All participants will be required to sign an attendance and release form prior to boarding the water taxi.

4.7	All participants must provide their own required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) consisting of clothing appropriate for varying weather conditions, CSA approved safety boots and hardhat, and personal (powerful) flashlights.   Each company represented should bring 1 air quality monitor for O2 and CO2 testing to ensure their personal safety.  All participants must provide their own food and water.

4.8	The site visit may include unfavorable weather conditions and please be aware that there is no toilet facility, fresh water, or electricity onboard the Vessel.  It is highly recommended that firms take this into consideration when registering their employee(s) (or authorized representative(s)). 

4.9	The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.

4.10	Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.

4.11	This is not a bid solicitation. A contract will not result from this activity. This Letter of Interest will not necessarily result in any procurement action and potential contractors are not to earmark resources relative to the work described herein.