Flow Hydrodynamics Around In-stream Habitat Structures: Enhancing Ecological Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems

TITLE: Flow Hydrodynamics Around In-stream Habitat Structures: Enhancing Ecological Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems

1. ADVANCED 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

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has a requirement to provide Flow Hydrodynamics Around In-stream Habitat Structures (IHSs): Enhancing Ecological Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems. The Work will be attained through four (4) specific research objectives (RO); RO 1: Investigate how IHSs interact with river flow and sediment transport processes; RO 2: Quantify the local deposition and erosion patterns around boulders/logs to examine the impact of spawning habitat suitability; RO 3: Identify how IHSs affect non-linear habitat metrics under various flow events and IHSs configurations; and RO 4: Characterize the impact of IHSs placement on the species-habitat relationships as well as ecological significance of a river. The ROs will involve the following tasks:

• Task 1: Experimental setup for Tomo-PIV and ADV systems in the Ecohydraulics Flumes at Contractor location.
• Task 2: Investigating the interaction between flow/sediment dynamics and boulders/logs deploying cutting-edge Tomo_PIV techniques. 
• Task 3: Identifying local deposition and erosion patterns by using the Structure from Motion (SfM) technique to quantify the effect on spawning habitat based on available literature data. 
• Task 4: Assessing the effects of the identified sediment dynamics on structural functionality and stability of the boulders/logs.
• Task 5: Predict habitat suitability metrics under various flow events.
• Task 6: Developing relationship between habitat suitability metrics and river specific ecosystems response for a specific species.
• Task 7: Data (sensor data, video, images) mining and processing. 
• Task 8: Data analysis to characterize the quantitative non-linear relationships between the habitat metrics and flow events.
• Task 9: Regular zoom, email, and remote meetings should be scheduled between Contractor and DFO scientific authority to ensure progress and address any questions.
• Task 10: Draft final report to Fisheries and Oceans Canada and prepare/submit manuscripts/proceedings for publications.

The main project deliverables will be:

• Repository of databases (e.g., experimental data), which significantly help the calibration and validation of complex numerical computational models..

• The developed codes/methods will be available for further studies and possible improvement.

• A comprehensive final report focusing on understanding the complex volumetric flow hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics associated with in-stream habitat structures (IHSs). 

• Prepare and submit draft primary publications (conference proceedings, journals, book chapters).

Constraints

• Language of work must be English.

3. 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: 

• Must have an Ecohydraulics flume for conducting novel experiments considering flow and sediment (bed and suspended) transport, ecological river restoration, understanding of instream boulders induced flow hydrodynamics, and live fish testing opportunities;

• Must have an Ecohydraulics flume that is equipped with the “state-of-the-art” velocimetry techniques, including ADV (acoustic Doppler velocimetry), 2D-PIV (particle image velocimetry), and Tomo-PIV systems;

• Must be able to use TOMO-PIV system techniques and has the ability to fully resolve temporal and high-resolution 3D spatial coherent flow structures through laboratory testing;

• Must be able to apply the structure from motion (SfM) technique in the Ecohydraulics flume to generate 3D maps of local bed changes (e.g., deposition and erosion) around boulders/logs.

• Must have extensive experience (more than 15 years) on ecological river restoration, Ecohydraulics, “state-of-the-art” velocimetry techniques including applying and processing data, and river erosion/sediment transport with the application of multifaceted (laboratory, numerical, field) approaches.

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

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

• Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).

• 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

5. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s) or Limited Tendering Reasons

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

6. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

The proposed contract is for a period of one (1) years, from the contract award to March 31, 2023 with the option to extend the contract for two (2) one (1) year period.

7. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $150,000.00 (GST/HST are extra).

8. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

Civil and Environmental Engineering Department

8 Clarkson Avenue

Potsdam, NY, USA

9. 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.

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

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is November 8, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. AST.

11. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:

Pascal Busungu

Contracting Officer – Contracting Services

Procurement Hub – Fredericton

Telephone: (506) 429-6269

Email: DFOtenders-soumissionsMPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca