ACAN - Transfer of obsolete motion picture sound formats

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.

Definition of the requirement

Background

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) does not have the capability to transfer obsolete motion picture sound formats to 35mm polyester optical sound tracks or Broadcast Wave file format. All work of this type has historically been contracted to a private service provider. This situation will continue for the foreseeable future, as LAC has no current plan to develop the capacity to do this type of copying as there is a limited need for it.

Library and Archives Canada is seeking to award one sole sourced contract for a period of one (1) year with two optional 1 year periods.

Objective:

The work described herein is being done to support the conservation activities undertaken by Stewardship Branch, Library and Archives Canada. Without these services, there would be no conservation copying of historically significant motion picture film that requires the creation of optical sound tracks. 

Scope of Work

The Contractor is to transfer obsolete motion picture sound formats to 35mm polyester optical sound tracks Broadcast Wave file format. Specifically this includes the transfer of: 16mm and/or 35mm magnetic tracks; 16mm and/or 35mm negative optical sound tracks; 16mm and/or 35mm positive optical sound tracks; ¼” magnetic reels. The 35mm formats include both acetate and nitrate bases.

Technical Specifications

Broadcast Wave files (BWF):

• Are to be encoded directly as linear Pulse Code Modulated (PCM), Broadcast Wave Format (BWF) files with a sampling frequency of 96 kHz and 24 bit depth.
• All BWF files created should be compliant with European Broadcasting Union (EBU) 3285.
• All recorded tracks must contain a start time of 1:00:00:00 in the time reference field.
• Checksum: Must be SHA-1.
• All delivered files must be accompanied by a condition report summary (in .pdf or .xls format) that details any specific condition remarks for each transferred item and any special actions taken to facilitate playback.
• All filenames on delivered files will adhere to an LAC supplied unique numeric identifier (IDCISN #).
• All files created during the digitization of an item must be stored together in one directory:
• Parent folder name = “IDCISN #” (ex. 467357). This folder contains all associated files
• “IDCISN #”.wav (ex. 467357-001.wav, 467357-002.wav etc.)

  Files are to be returned to LAC on a LAC supplied hardware encrypted drive.

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

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements:

2 years of experience in the last 5 years transferring obsolete motion picture sound from 35mm nitrate bases. Please provide supporting documentation in the form of 1 customer reference which includes the contact name, title, company name, address, city, province/state, postal code/zip code, phone number, fax number and email.

Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement
This procurement is not subject to any trade agreement.

Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The proposed supplier is the only laboratory in Canada that has the ability to transfer motion picture sound tracks from a nitrate base. As well, Transit Audio is able to meet all of Library and Archives Canada’s other audio copying needs as they relate to motion picture audio.

Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)

The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is (are) invoked for this procurement under subsection 6 d) only one firm is capable of performing the Contract.

Ownership of Intellectual Property

Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.

Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

The proposed contract is for a period of one (1) year, from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 plus two (2) one-year options.

Cost estimate of the proposed contract
The estimated value of the contract, including options, is $75,000.00 (GST/HST extra).

Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Transit Audio @ Skylight Studios

164 Meadowvale Rd.

Scarborough, Ontario

Canada, M1C 1S1

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.

Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is Wednesday February 10, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. EST.

13. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:

Anne-Marie Aubry

Senior Contracting Officer
550 de la Cité Blvd.

Gatineau, Qc, K1A 0N4

Telephone: 613-716-2173
E-mail: bac.receptiondesoumission-bidreceiving.lac@canada.ca