Analysis for Groundwater Study

ADVANCE CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE  (ACAN)

1.	Definition

An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than fifteen (15) calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it intends to award a good, service or construction contract to a pre-identified contractor.  If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, 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 Statement of Capabilities during the fifteen calendar day posting period, and meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, the department or agency 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 Requirements

NRCAN has a mandate to complete thematic groundwater studies and mapping of 30 key Canadian Aquifers.  Recommendations from the Walkerton Inquiry stressed the importance of understanding the geologic controls on surface and groundwater flows, and how geologic frameworks can be used to predict where significant recharge and discharge areas (source water) are located, as well as where aquifers are more susceptible to surface contamination.  

The work requires the contractor to generate conceptual framework for monitoring systems for unconsolidated and bedrock aquifers in the context of modern source water protection for Ontario environments. 

The Contractor will develop a technical report on a framework for groundwater monitoring systems:

The report will provide conceptual options and methods for monitoring systems in the context of source water protection in Ontario.  It will specifically detail the requirements for 2-3 hydrogeological settings:

i.	Bedrock aquifers confined by surficial clayey aquitard
ii.	Aquifers in interbedded glacial deposits.  This may include a range of settings (e.g moraines) and
iii.	Sedimentary bedrock aquifers (e.g. fractured bedrock, karst)

INSERT:
iv.	Sampling of core from a borehole monitoring installation at Clarington, ON  and the preparation and shipping of samples to GSC


3.	Trade Agreements

There is no trade agreement impacted with this contract.

4.	Contract Period

The contract period will be from Contract Award date to March 31, 2016.

5.	Estimated Cost

The estimated cost will be $ $50,000.00
6.	Exception to the Government Contracts Regulations and applicable trade agreements

In accordance with the Government Contract Regulations (GCR) exception, part 1, Section 6 (d) only one firm is capable of performing the contract.

The University of Guelph is the only institute/firm that has the qualified personnel and laboratories, and is currently positioned to conduct this specialized research.  The suppler is the only academic group in Ontario with a research borehole facility for groundwater studies and they are the sole provider able to meet all of the necessary criteria in paragraph 9 below.
7.	Name and Address of the Proposed Contractor

University of Guelph
50 Stone Road, East
Guelph, Ontario  N1G 2W1

8.	Inquiries on Submission of Statement of Capabilities

Criteria for Assessment of the Statement of Capabilities 

The contractor must have:

•	five (5) years of recent experience with the following qualification in geographic and thematic research:
•	five (5) years of recent experience borehole monitoring for groundwater studies
•	Contributed to groundwater studies in Southern Ontario (e.g. Source water Protection, municipal groundwater studies).
•	Have published on the need for standards in hydrogeological studies.
•	Demonstrated (journal papers) research background in both bedrock and surficial groundwater settings in glaciated terrains.
•	Demonstrated contribution to sustainable water resource management through contributions to Environmental Assessments etc.

Note: Recent experience means within the last 10 years.

"Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a Statement of Capabilities in writing, preferably by e-mail, to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date and time of this Notice.  The Statement of Capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements."

9.	Closing Date

The closing date for a submission of a Statement of Capabilities is March 6, 2015 at 14:00, Atlantic Standard Time (AST)

10.	Contract Authority

Julia Armstrong
Natural Resources Canada
1 Challenger Drive
Dartmouth, NS  B2Y 4A2

Julia.armstrong@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca