Spring into Action – Fast and adaptive logistics planning for military missions

IMPORTANT

Requests to open an epost Connect conversation must be sent to:
DND.IDEaS-IDEeS.MDN@forces.gc.ca

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INTRODUCTION

This Challenge notice is issued under the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Program Call for Proposals (CFP) Call 003 (W7714-196962).

Please refer to the main solicitation documents and amendments which contain the process for submitting a proposal.

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HOW TO APPLY

Step 1:
Read the Challenge notice in its entirety.

Step 2:
Read the Call for Proposals (CFP) and any associated attachments.

Step 3:
Download and complete Attachment 1 – Electronic Proposal Submission Form, found below. If you have technical difficulties downloading the form, please see Attachment 2 – Important Information below.

Step 4:
Follow the submission instructions listed in Part 2 – Bidder Instructions of the CFP. Please allow sufficient time to register and submit the completed form before the Challenge tender notice closing date.

Requests to open an epost Connect Conversation are to be sent to DND.IDEaS-IDEeS.MDN@forces.gc.ca with the bid solicitation number at least five business days prior to the closing date of the Challenge tender notice. Follow the instructions that will be provided by email and submit your Electronic Proposal Submission Form by using the opened epost Connect Conversation.

Important: To avoid last minute technical difficulties that could delay your submission, ensure that Part 2 – Bidder Instructions and Part 3 – Proposal Preparation Instructions are followed carefully. Late submissions will not be accepted.

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MAXIMUM FUNDING AND PERFORMANCE PERIOD

Multiple contracts could result from this Challenge.

The individual maximum contract funding available under Competitive Projects - Component 1a is up to $200,000 CAD (excluding applicable taxes) for a maximum performance period of up to 6 months.

This disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to contract for the total approximate funding.

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CHALLENGE DETAILS

Challenge Title

Spring into Action – Fast and adaptive logistics planning for military missions

Challenge Statement

The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) are seeking innovative solutions for creating optimal logistics plans for military missions, and which include the ability to predict future supply requirements, account for complications during advance planning, and to permit the ability to adapt plans in real-time as issues arise.

Background and Context

Timely and efficient logistics support lies at the heart of every military mission from the initial deployment, sustainment of operations, to the repatriation of personnel, equipment, and supplies. The required supplies for a mission amount to thousands of individual item types, such as food and water, weapons and ammunition, fuel, housing, and hospital supplies. The quantity of supplies and the times that they are needed depend on multiple factors including, but not limited to, normal variations in consumption, changes in operational tempo, operational plans, adversary tactics and movement, weather, battle damage, and casualty volume, care, and evacuation. The supply chains themselves are no less complex, and are subject to changes due to factors such as weather, terrain, availability (and repair) of transport (e.g., trucks, planes, ships, pipelines), availability of roads, ports and airports, re-routing due to facility damage and military threats, labour disruptions, and the need to change or supplement suppliers of products, equipment, and transportation.

Current logistics planning capabilities rely largely on personal experience and a handful of software tools, many of which are limited in scope and capability. Solutions are being sought to aid the logistics planning and re-planning process that are able to account for the full complexity of military logistics. Solutions will be used by planners, in advance of operations, to create baseline logistics plans, and to investigate the effects of foreseeable issues on those plans. During operations, tools are needed that will support a logistician’s ability to assess and mitigate bottlenecks and to create mitigation plans for unforeseen issues as they arise.

Desired Outcomes

Innovative research, tools and/or technologies are sought that address, but are not limited, to the following:

• Prediction of local and mission-level supply needs days to weeks in advance, and creating baseline logistics plans taking into account the full complexity of the military supply chain, including potential logistics bottlenecks, and all points from the origin to the final destination, which is assumed to be an international, forward-operating base;
• Identification of optimal logistics solutions based on available information and using different metrics (e.g. minimum time, minimum logistic resources);
• Performing “what if” analyses to investigate the effects of potential real-world complications (e.g. limitation in available transportation, weather systems, adversary actions, etc.);
• Production of logistics reports, and visualization of dynamic, complex logistics information.

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ENQUIRIES

All Challenge-related enquiries must be submitted in writing to:

TPSGC.PAIDEES-APIDEAS.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

Enquiries must be submitted no later than 10 calendar days before the Challenge notice closing date. Enquiries received after that time may not be answered.

For more information about the IDEaS program, Bidders can visit the IDEaS website.