Service for repairing bottom trawl nets (20m Nephrops).

CONTRACTING PERIOD AND PROJECT SCHEDULE

September 1, 2020 through to March 31, 2022, (2 years) with options to renew for 2 additional 1 year periods at the sole discretion of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)

Option periods if exercised will be April 1, 2022 through to March 31, 2023 and April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.

Project work will be required for a period of approximately 12 weeks/year commencing on or about September 1 of each year, thus the completion of work is expected by the end of each calendar year).

3.0 OBJECTIVES OF THE REQUIREMENT

The objective for this work is to repair up to seven (7) severely damaged 20m Nephrops trawl nets during the annual trawl surveys (in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons) to their original condition and a prepare total of 85 net parts (wing, belly, back and cod-end) for the survey in the following seasons, which facilitates onboard net repairs. Help (additional manpower) to load and/or unload trawls from DFO vehicles will be required from the contractor to ensure safe working conditions. Associated costs for this assistance will need to be built in the overall contract cost. 

4.0 BACKGROUND, ASSUMPTIONS AND SPECIFIC SCOPE OF THE REQUIREMENT

The snow crab annual trawl survey has been conducted by DFO since 1988 for assessing commercially available biomass of legal size adult males as well as the abundance of pre-recuit and different categories of females. The information collected during the survey will be used for preparing scientific advices on snow crab stock conditions for stakeholders and resource managers so that sound stock management strategies can be established.

5.0 REQUIREMENTS

TASKS, ACTIVITIES, DELIVERABLES AND MILESTONES

The work consists of repairing up to seven (7) Nephrops trawl nets by repairing and in case of necessity changing whole parts of the net component and making up to 85 pieces of net components (cod-ends, bellies, backs, squares and wings) according the provided net plan.

The required services for net repair (depending on the conditions of trawl nets at the end of survey and the net condition from year to year). However, the work consists to the following:

1. To change all the defect combinations and/or the metal wires of the footrope, and/or the buoys and/or strengthening ropes; replacement in new netting of the cod-end, the belly, the back and square and the wings of the trawl. The degree of repair can be from minor changes of trawl parts to total overhauling up to complete trawl nets.
2. Making and joining 15 bellies and back of the trawl according to the plan and use to repair trawl nets.
3. Making and joining 5 cod-end of the trawl (with strengthening rope attach on each side) including the chafer gear according to the plan to repair trawl nets.
4. Making 60 wings of the trawl (20 right lower wings and 10 right upper wings and 20 left lower wings and 10 left upper wings) according to the plan to repair trawl nets.
5. Making 5 squares of the trawl according to the plan to repair trawl nets (see Appendices 1 to 5).

This contract is limited to the contractor conducting repair work in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia or New Brunswick for regional economic and transportation reasons.

All necessary materials will be provided by DFO including web materials, mending materials and tools (contractor submits a list of necessary mending materials and tools to DFO prior to the starting date).

The nets will be transported by DFO to mending site and picked up at mending site when all nets are repaired. Assistance to load and/or unload nets will be required from the contractor.