Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN): Generation of bison microsatellite genotypes from fecal and other samples

1. 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.

2. Definition of the requirement

Parks Canada Agency (PCA) has a requirement to generate genotypes at 51 microsatellite loci for bison samples submitted by Parks Canada, from fecal samples and other potential sources of DNA. These genotypes will subsequently be used by Parks Canada and/or other organizations to examine genetic diversity and genetic relationships among bison herds, and be used as inputs for population viability analyses. The 51 microsatellite loci will be the same as those used by the US Department of the Interior in previous bison genetic analysis. This will allow results to be comparable among bison populations managed by the two organizations.

The work will involve the following:

• Isolating DNA from bison fecal samples and other tissue samples submitted by Parks Canada
• Optimizing a system to genotype DNA samples at the same 51 microsatellite loci used in a previous study by the US Department of the Interior
• Genotyping DNA samples from Step 1 using the system optimized in Step 2
• The Contractor will make Parks Canada aware of all samples that do not yield usable DNA. There will be no charge for failed samples. If a replacement is available, Parks Canada will be responsible for sending the replacement to the Contractor.
• Providing genotypes to Parks Canada in an Excel document or similar, along with a description of methods used.
• DNA samples will be returned to Parks Canada after the project is complete. Shipping will be paid for by The Contractor.

3. This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s):

• 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:
• Experience: Research team has: extracted DNA from bison and other ungulate fecal samples; knowledge and experience microsatellite genotyping and analyzing populations of ungulates; genotyped bison to forensic-level standards; extensive knowledge and experience (>10 years) of population genetic analysis on microsatellite data
• Knowledge and understanding: Published at least 5 peer-reviewed population genetics articles in the last three years; has high throughput (i.e. genotyping in a rapid, cost-effective, and reliable manner) microsatellite genotyping equipment and equipment to extract DNA from bison fecal samples.
• Academic qualifications: Research team must be led by a team member with a PhD from a university in population genetics.

4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement

• Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA)
• Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The supplier mentioned in section 11 below is the only known supplier that meets the mandatory criteria set out in section 3 above.

Should Canada receive a statement of capabilities from a supplier that contains sufficient information to indicate that it meets the requirements set forth in this ACAN, a competitive process will be triggered with a technical and financial evaluation methodology of the bids proposed by the potential bidders

6. 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 person is capable of performing the work").

7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons

The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:

• Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) – Article: 513.1(b) (iii);
• Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) – Article(s) Kbis-09 (b), Article Kbis-09 (c)
• Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement – Article(s): 1409 (b) (iii);
• Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement – Article(s): 17.11 2 (b) (iii)
• Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement – Article 14.3, Under the Revised GPA - Article XIII, 1 (b) (iii);
• Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement – Article(s) 16.10 (b) (iii)
• Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) – Article(s) 1409 (b) (iii)

8. Ownership of Intellectual Property

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

9. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

The proposed contract is from Contract award to March 31, 2023 inclusive with the option to extend the contract by one (1) additional one (1) year period(s) under the same conditions from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 inclusive.

10. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is <$238,400.00 including applicable taxes.

11. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Trent University

Natural Resources DNA Profiling & Forensic Centre

2140 East Bank Drive

Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8

12. 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.

13. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is May 5, 2022 at 14:00 MDT.

14. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Andrea McGraw-Alcock

Contracting Officer, National Contracting Services

Parks Canada Agency

220 – 4 Avenue S.E., suite 720

Calgary, AB T2G 4X3

Telephone: (587) 436-5908

Facsimile: 1-866-246-6893

E-mail address: andrea.mcgraw-alcock@pc.gc.ca