Laser Measurement System Lease

Advance Contract Award Notice

Solicitation No. T8080-220163

Laser Measurement System (LMS) Lease

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(s).

DEFINITION OF THE REQUIREMENT

The Department of Transport Canada (TC) has a requirement to test a Laser Measurement System (LMS) to evaluate its pertinence in Rail Safety Oversight geometric tools for a six (6) month period. The LMS must be mounted and installed on the front end of the Track Assessment Vehicle (TAV) 917, compatible with the current design and weight of the TAVs and install the necessary electric wiring and communication cables to power and connect the LMS to the SolidTrack System. A technical report must be provided on how the system/mount works with guidance documentation and training.

OBJECTIVE

Testing the Laser Measurement System (LMS) is a strategic initiative to verify the relevance of such a system in enhancing rail conditions monitoring. If the LMS proves to be an optimal tool in improving Rail Safety Track Oversight, then TC may wish to adapt this technology in the future TAV builds.

TASKS

Due to the nature of the work, it is critical that the Contractor must:

• CAD-design the mount, including weight-respecting brackets (not exceeding 100 Lbs. for the mount and the LMS)
• fabricate and install the assembly on TAV 917. (Assembly must serve as a prototype for installation on other similar TAV plate-forms)
• run the necessary electric wiring and communication cables to power and connect the LMS to the SolidTrack System.
• provide a technical report on how the system and mount work.
• provide the necessary training and certification, technical information, and guidance.
• provide the necessary support and warranty on parts and labor for a period of 12 months, from the initial delivery date of the system.
• ensure the leased LMS unit is in working condition, throughout the time of the lease, and if the unit ceases to work as planned, Contractor will repair or replace in less than two days’ time, after the unit is returned. 

CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF THE STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES (MIMIMUM ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS)

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of statement of capabilities that they meet all of the following requirements:

a) Experience:

Must have at least 10 years of experience of providing engineering solutions to Transport Canada

Must have at least 10 years of experience of developing Railway geometry and Rail Evaluation systems.

Must demonstrate experience leading/developing at least 5 projects related to Heavy and Light Geometry Inspection Systems

b) Knowledge and understanding:

Must have knowledge and understanding of railway track dynamics (including rail cant, rail wear, rail profile evolution)

Must have knowledge of rail types and rail composition in North American Environment.

Must have knowledge and understanding of SolidTrack Systems and TC hi-rail TAC vehicles

Must have knowledge of Track Safety Rules requirements, especially rail wear management plans and inspections.

c) Academic qualifications:

Contractor must possess a project team with advanced degrees in the field of engineering, particularly in Mechanical Engineering, Information Technology and Electrical Engineering.

d) Professional designation, accreditation, and/or certification:

Must possess a professional engineering designation from a recognized engineers’ association.

e) Laser Safety Standards:

For laser safety must follow the US FDA Title 21, subchapter J in combination with ANSI Z136.1 standards.

f) Compatibility

Must be able to produce an LMS that is compatible with SolidTrack System

APPLICABILITY OF THE TRADE AGREEMENT(S) TO THE PROCUREMENT

This procurement is not subject to the trade agreements.

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PRE-IDENTIED SUPPLIER

Since the inception of the Light Geometry hi-rail Track Assessment Vehicles (TAV) in TC, more than 10 years ago, Andian has designed, developed, and equipped advanced technology track evaluation/inspection systems that are now part of TC’s Track Inspection fleet. TC has contributed through the years to the achievement of the most suitable software programs that meet its needs for Track Oversight.

Andian Technologies, developed the base software systems that are used by TC and other railway companies that own or use Andian SolidTrack systems. The base software measures and evaluates the geometry of traversed track to regulatory and company specified limits. In addition, users are provided with functionality to mark infrastructure features, make notes and comments and override the track type being tested or the evaluation speeds. The Andian software integrates both system analysis and user inspection information into a single data file. Additional vendor software is used to complete post analysis viewing of the inspection results and create reports and data exports. Another software product is used to compile related inspection segments into a contiguous single inspection file, create a preliminary inspection report and an export file that is used for TC formal inspection reporting purposes.

This software suite is customized to TC requirements to support field inspection, report generation and data transfers to the TC Rail Safety Integrated Gateway (RSIG) national inspection database. TC has utilized this proprietary software on TC equipment with Andian geometry evaluation systems for over a decade.

Andian SolidTrack geometry systems interact with the hardware to automatically complete track geometry evaluations of railway infrastructure for compliance to regulatory requirements. The Andian geometry evaluation hardware (including the LMS) installed on TC TAV fleet do not and will not communicate or function with any other software other than the proprietary software that Andian licenses to users on an annual basis.

The Andian SolidTrack graphic user interface (GUI) is highly customized to support TC infrastructure inspectors to record non-compliances and concerns easily and accurately in real time, on a track feature or over a length of track. The Andian system is automated so that the entire TSR suite of track requirements are available with a single mouse click by the inspector at any location, on any feature, or over any length of track. Identified conditions can be easily marked as non-compliant or concerns and all conditions are integrated directly into the single data file that the system produces.

Andian has proven time and time again that its team of engineers are competent, skilled and cooperative. TC’s technical expectations were met timely and precisely, for all the contracts signed with Andian.

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS REGUALATION EXCEPTION(S)

The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is (are) invoked for this procurement under section 6 (d) that states “only the following list of individual or firm is capable of performing the contract”.

PERIOD OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT OR DELIVERY DATE

The proposed contract is from date of Contract to 31 March 2023 with an option to extend by up to one additional 6-month period.

COST ESTIMATE OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT

The total estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $101,700 including all applicable taxes.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

Andian

108-3070 Norland Ave

Burnaby, BC.

V5B 3A6

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 August 16, 2022 at 02:00 p.m. EDT.

INQUIRIES AND SUBMISSION OF CAPABILITIES

Inquiries and submission of capabilities are to be directed by email to:

Lisa Martin

Procurement Specialist

Transport Canada

E-mail: lisa.martin@tc.gc.ca