ACAN - Standing Offer - Vertical Wind Tunnel Training

Advance Contract Award Notice: Standing Offer (SO) for Vertical Wind Tunnel (VWT) Training for the Department of National Defence

1. Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)

An ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities.  If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.

2. Definition of the requirement

The Department of National Defence (DND) has a requirement for a Standing Offer (SO) to provide access to a Vertical Wind Tunnel (VWT) training facility and services to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members to conduct freefall (FF) parachuting simulation training. DND will require the Offeror to provide up to four (4) qualified VWT instructors to periodically assist with program development on an “if and when required” basis.

3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)

Any interested Offeror must demonstrate by way of a Statement of Capabilities that it meets the following requirements:

M1) The facility must be located within 250km of the National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ), 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON;

M2) The Offeror must provide an indoor cylindrical flight chamber no smaller than 14 feet in diameter, capable of achieving a uniform airflow at speeds exceeding 200km/h (125mph);

M3) The facility must have rooms for video debriefing, space for creeping and at least one classroom with a capacity for at least 20 persons;

M4) The Offeror must be able to provide up to four (4) experienced Vertical Wind Tunnel (VWT) instructors, each with a minimum of two (2) years of VWT instructional experience; and

M5) The Offeror must provide a Resumé for designated instructors. The Resumé must clearly demonstrate the level and nature of related instructor experience for at least the previous two (2) years as of 01 February 2015.

4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements: 

•	Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
•	North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
•	World Trade Organization – Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

SkyVenture Montréal is the only vertical wind tunnel training facility located within a 250km radius of NDHQ at 101 Colonel By, Ottawa, ON that offers an indoor cylindrical flight chamber no smaller than 14 feet in diameter, capable of achieving a uniform airflow at speeds exceeding 200km/h (125mph) with the necessary amount of instructors and experience.

Government Contracts Regulations Exception

The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection 6(d) “only one person is capable of performing the work”.

6. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons

The following exclusion and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the 

•	Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) – Article 506: Procedures for Procurement 12.(b)
•	World Trade Organization – Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) – Article XV: Limiting Tendering Procedure 2.(b)
•	North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) – Article 1016: Limited Tendering Procedures 2.(b)

7. Ownership of Intellectual Property (IP)

No IP will result from the work in the Standing Offer. 

8. Period of the proposed Standing Offer

The proposed Standing Offer is for 2 years from 01 April 2015 to 31 March 2017 with two (2) one-year option periods.

9. Cost of the proposed Standing Offer

The estimated value of the Standing Offer, including option periods is $1,209,732.00 (GST & QST extra) for the provision of the WVT facility and instructors. 

10. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

SkyVenture Montréal
200 Cosmodome Avenue
Laval, Québec
H7T 2X1

11. Suppliers’ right to submit a statement of capabilities

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

12. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is 26 February 2015 2:00 pm EST.

13. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
	
Anna Maria Mangone, D Svcs C 4-3-4
Department of National Defence
Anna-Maria.Mangone@forces.gc.ca