Multi-City Moving/Relocation Services for the Parks Canada Agency

OVERVIEW

Parks Canada Agency (PCA) is posting this Request for Information (RFI) to advise industry of an upcoming solicitation.

Parks Canada is in the process of consolidating its National Collection of 25 million historical and archaeological artifacts under its care, from six existing facilities to a purpose-built facility currently under construction in Gatineau, Quebec. 

2. SCOPE OF WORK AND TIMELINES

Parks Canada’s Historical and Archaeological artifacts are presently stored in warehouses in Winnipeg, Ottawa (2 locations), Quebec City (2 locations) and Dartmouth and will need to be relocated to a new, purpose-built artifact collections facility presently under construction in Gatineau, QC., which is scheduled to be completed in the Summer of 2023.

Upon completion of construction, the collection, representing a volume of approximately 7500 m3, will need to be moved from the six facilities to the new facility over an estimated period of 1 ½ to 2 years, from Fall 2023 to 2025. 

The artifacts will need to be accessed, packed, loaded, moved, unloaded, unpacked and stored at destination in the facility’s specialized storage system, comprised of high density 6 meter (20’) high mobile shelving units, fixed pallet racking and cantilever shelving, art racking, cool storage and secure storage.

2.1 THE ARTIFACTS

The following are examples of objects and approximate corresponding volumes that will need to be moved:

• 120 m³ of large or long objects for cantilever storage – e.g. canoes, sleds, agricultural tools
• 470 m³ of large objects for pallet racking storage – e.g. anchors, furniture
• 66 m³ of oversized objects >20 ft² for storage on cantilever racking - e.g. boats, sleighs, whale bones, agricultural and industrial components
• 70 m3 of large objects <20 ft² to be stored on cantilever racking – e.g. timbers, agricultural tools
• 100 m³ of objects requiring cold storage – e.g. furs
• 57 m³ of art objects / hanging collections – e.g. paintings, pictures, photography, mirrors, frames
• 2110 m³ of small/fragile and mixed objects on trays – e.g. ceremonial objects, personal objects, tools and equipment, archaeological objects
• 3500 m³ of large/medium sized objects for mobile shelving units – e.g. furniture, textiles, clothing, sports equipment, and archaeological objects
• 820 m³ or 21,300 banker boxes of archaeological objects ranging from small, to very small artifacts – e.g. ceramic chips, stone, glass, metals, and faunal material. Average weight is 16 lbs per box. As such these boxes make up the bulk of the 25 million artifacts being moved.
• 6,300 linear ft. or 180 m³ of historical and archaeological documentation to accompany the artifacts – e.g. files, periodicals, multi-media, books reports
• Specialized equipment and furniture –e.g. map cabinets, packaging tables, work benches
• Personnel workstation items – e.g. files, binders, stationary

2.2 FACILITIES LOCATION, SIZE AND ARTIFACT VOLUMES

Below is a table indicating the locations where the national collection is currently stored, as well as the approximate volumes of artifacts to be moved from each facility, along with the facility location and size. 

Location

Facility size

Estimated volume of artifacts

Quebec City (1)

2,200 m2

550 m3

Quebec City (2)

1,510 m2

1800 m3

Winnipeg

5,284 m2

800 m3

Ottawa (1)

4,412 m2

3300 m3

Ottawa (2)

376 m2

350 m3

Dartmouth

2,058 m2

700 m3

The location of the new collections storage facility where the artifacts will be moved is 555 Avenue des Entreprises, Gatineau, QC. The 8,200 m2 (88,000 sq.ft.) facility has a 4,300m2 (46,000 sq.ft.) of storage area that is mostly comprised of high-density 20’ high mobile shelving units, as well as pallet racking and cantilever shelving, art racking, cool storage, and secure storage.

3. PROPOSED PROCUREMENT PROCESS

Parks is proposing a two stage procurement process:

1. Phase 1 - Pre-qualification

• The proposed procurement is expected to be posted on CanadaBuys in March 2023.
• Interested bidders would be evaluated on criteria, including past experience, capacity and key personnel. Joint ventures are welcomed.

1. Phase 2 – RFP Work Plan
   • Bidders who meet the minimum level of qualifications in Phase 1 would be invited to proceed to the RFP stage.
   • Additional information on the move would be provided
   • Mandatory site visits to all facilities will be required
   • Proposals will likely require bidders to provide information on how services will be managed, Indigenous procurement strategy, proposed packing and shipping sequencing… etc.

4. ENQUIRIES

Because this is not a bid solicitation, Canada will not necessarily respond to enquiries in writing or by circulating answers to all potential suppliers. However, respondents with questions regarding this RFI may direct their enquiries to the Contracting Authority.

Bonnie Knott, Contracting Advisor

Email: bonnie.knott@pc.gc.ca

5. NOTES / OTHER INFORMATION

This is not a bid solicitation and this RFI will not result in the award of any contract. Procurement of the services described in this RFI will not necessarily follow this request.

Respondents and potential suppliers of any goods or services described in this RFI should not earmark stock or facilities, nor allocate resources, as a result of any information contained in this RFI. This RFI will not result in the creation of any source list; therefore, whether or not any supplier responds to this RFI will not preclude that supplier from participating in any future procurement.

There will be no shortlisting of potential suppliers for the purposes of undertaking any future work as a result of this RFI. Similarly, participation in this RFI is not a condition or prerequisite for the participation in any potential subsequent solicitation. Nothing in this RFI will be construed as a commitment from Parks Canada to issue a solicitation for this requirement. Parks Canada may use non-proprietary information provided in this review and/or in the preparation of any formal solicitation document. Parks Canada will not be bound by anything stated herein and reserves the right to change at any time, any or all parts of the requirement, as it deems necessary. Parks Canada also reserves the right to revise its procurement approach, as it considers appropriate, either based upon information submitted in response to this RFI or for any other reason it deems appropriate.

Please ensure that if the notice falls within the bounds of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), include the following requirements in the description:

Duration of contract: (2023-08-31) to (2025-12-31)

Time frame of delivery: (2023-08-31) to (2025-12-31)