ACAN – GRAPEVINE VIRUS TESTING

ACAN – GRAPEVINE VIRUS TESTING

This Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada intends to award a service contract 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 this ACAN, the Contracting Officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.

REQUIREMENT :

The Contractor will be required to do virus testing of grapevine leaves and dormant canes for the Research & Development Centres in Summerland BC, Vineland ON, and Kentville NS. The contractor will provide diagnostic services for testing of viruses in grapevines, complete data analyses from previous and current submitted samples to construct phylogenetic maps and genetic relationships among British Columbia samples and between British Columbia and worldwide samples and provide a technical written report including detailed methodology used, tables with virus detection results, correlation tables with statistical analyses and phylogenetic trees with phylogenetic correlations and interpretation.

SCOPE OF WORK / DELIVERABLES:

The Contractor is required to:

1. Provide virus testing on a large number of grapevine samples (leaves and dormant canes) collected during the Fall/Winter to determine the presence/absence of different viruses under study, including: Grapevine Red Blotch virus (GRBV), Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1 (GLRaV-1), GLRaV-2, GLRaV-3, GLRaV-4, Grapevine Fanleaf virus (GFLV), and/or Grapevine Pinot Gris Virus (GPGV). The tests are to give a positive or negative result for infection by the virus.

2. Provide summarized data analyses of previously and current submitted samples, including statistical analyses, correlations, phylogenetic maps, phylogenetic relationships and interpretation.

3. Submit electronic results of virus testing (presence/absence of viruses aforementioned) and technical written report to be sent to the Summerland Research and Development Center.

CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF THE STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES :

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that the virus testing will be conducted at a specialized laboratory that uses scientifically accepted, reproducible, sensitive and accurate molecular virus diagnostic tools. Data analyses of results from submitted samples including statistical analyses, nucleotide sequences and phylogenetic relationships are required to complete a grapevine virus database, which is essential to support the research project.

CONTRACT PERIOD :

Upon Contract Award to March 31, 2019, with four (4), one (1) year options to extend.

ESTIMATED VALUE :  $55,600.00 (plus applicable taxes)

Option Years, if exercised:

Option Year 1 - April 1, 2019 – March 31, 2020, $149,000.00

Option Year 2 - April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021, $131,000.00

Option Year 3 - April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022, $131,000.00

Option Year 4 - April 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023, $129,000.00

PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER :

Brock University

Cool Climate Oenology & Viticulture institute (CCOVI)

Niagara Region

1812 Sir Isaac brock Way

ST. CATHARINES ON L2S 3A1

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION :

Brock University (CCOVI) has the capability of performing the specialized data analysis, results interpretation and technical reports.

Virus testing needs to be conducted at a specialized laboratory that uses scientifically accepted, reproducible, sensitive and accurate molecular virus diagnostics tools. Data analyses and compilation of results from submitted samples, including statistical analyses, nucleotide sequences and phylogenetic maps and relationships require the following specialized expertise: in collation and statistical analysis of large datasets using linear models with binomial distributions and in characterizing and interpreting relationships between virus infections and sample characteristics, including vineyard age, rootstock­ scion combination, geographical region, and source of the material; construction of phylogenic maps and relationships using likelihood method in MEGA7 software; in stepwise with phylogenetic correlations among BC virus and between BC and worldwide virus sequences. The grapevine virus testing service at the Brock University (CCOVI) is the only Canadian company that has the required specialized expertise to meet the contract deliverables.

Government Contracts Regulations Exception and Limited Tendering Reason:

Section 6 (d) has been invoked for this procurement as only one supplier (person/firm) is capable of performing the Contract

STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES CLOSING DATE AND TIME:

The closing date and time for accepting Statement of Capabilities is March 4, 2019 @ 2:00 pm CST

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services described herein, 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.

ACAN NOTICE:

You are hereby notified that the government intends to negotiate with one firm only as identified above. Should you have any questions concerning this requirement, contact the Contracting Authority.
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 Contracting Authority may then proceed with the award.  However, should a Statement of Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, then the Contracting Authority will proceed to a full tendering process.

Submission of Statement of Capabilities:

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services described herein, may submit a Statement of Capabilities in writing, either via letter, facsimile or email 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.

The Solicitation Number, Name of Contracting Authority and closing date of the ACAN must appear within your Statement of Capabilities in block letters.

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

CONTRACTING AUTHORITY:

Camille Sobczak, Materiel Management Officer

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Western Service Centre

400 – 303 Main Street

Winnipeg MB R3C 3G7

Telephone: 204-259-4097

Email: camille.sobczak@canada.ca