Aeromedical Bio-Containment Evacuation System (ABES) and Support Services

Trade Agreement: Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Knight Aerospace Medical Systems LLC
3606 SW 36th Street, Suite 101
San Antonio Texas
United States
78226
Nature of Requirements: 

Description

Trade Agreement: CETA/WTO-AGP/CPTPP/CFTA/FTAs with: 
Chile/Honduras/Peru/Colombia/Panama/Korea/UK/Ukraine

Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid

Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights

Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No

Vendor Name and Address: 
Knight Aerospace Medical Systems LLC
3606 SW 36th Street, Suite 101
San Antonio, Texas
United States 
78226 

Nature of Requirements: 

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. Requirement
 
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has a requirement for a permanent capability that provides the
Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) of patients diagnosed with a Highly Infectious Disease (HID) of all types 
of transmission (contact, droplet and/or airborne). The AE capability must move patients both 
domestically and internationally, including remote areas of Canada. The capability must facilitate the 
AE Crew (AEC) to provide medical care while protecting the aircraft, aircrew and AEC members from 
exposure to infectious pathogens. CAF requires one Aeromedical Bio-Containment Evacuation System 
(ABES)  that will be used for the long range air mobility transport of patient(s) diagnosed with or 
suspected to be infected with a HID to Canada or a pre-determined third location on large Royal 
Canadian Air Force (RCAF) fixed wing aircraft while providing protection to the aircraft, aircrew and 
AEC members from exposure to infectious pathogens.  

In addition to supplying one ABES unit, the requirement is also to provide 
engineering/maintenance/training support for two ABES units (ABES 01 is already in service).

The ABES must meet all the minimum essential requirements as further specified below. 
 
3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)

   i. Any interested supplier must demonstrate, by way of a statement of capabilities, that its ABES 
      meets the following technical requirements: 
        a) To provide medical care to patients diagnosed with or presumed to be infected with a HID that 
    require HID AE for a minimum of 15 hours;
        b) To accommodate a minimum of four critical care patients and a minimum of two AE crew;
        c) The ABES must be able to be utilize in multiple configurations, using single patient beds (with 
    storage), single seats for patients and AE personnel and seating to hold up to 16 ambulatory 
    patients;
        d) The ABES will be utilized for Infectious disease treatment, critical care treatment and 
    ambulatory treatment for patients.
        e) To be an airworthy and certifiable Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) solution, having attained 
    flight authority for carriage and patient transport in accordance with FAR/CAR/CS Part 25 or 
    an acceptable military equivalent, configured to fit on RCAF CC177 Globemaster and CC130J 
    Hercules;
        f) The ABES must only be secured to the aircraft via the cargo handling system and no other tie-
    down points or methods for securement;
        g) The ABES must occupy not more than 5 Pallet positions inside of the RCAF CC177 Globemaster 
    and CC130J Hercules;
        h) To protect the aircraft interior, AEC, aircrew and any other aircraft occupants from exposure to 
    and possible contamination by the infectious pathogen of the patient(s) being transported, 
    whether by contact, droplet or airborne transmission routes;
        i) The ABES must permit the conduct of continuous HID AE missions within given constraints;
        j) Must allow for equipment and biohazard waste management procedures to conform to 
    environmental requirements;
        k) The ABES must be separated into three separate compartments for staff, ante-room and 
    patient area;
        l) The ABES must be configured similar to ABES 01 to ensure that trained RCAF AE personnel 
    can deploy ABES at delivery;
        m) The ABES must be delivered with a proper storage unit for ease of loading onto a suitable 
    cargo loader (K50/K60);
        n) The ABES is to be received by the RCAF at the supplier's facility; and
        o) To effectively and economically sustain equipment availability for deployment. 

  ii. Any interested supplier must demonstrate, by way of its statement of capabilities, that it is able 
      to provide engineering support for two ABES by providing the following:

        a) Provide engineering assistance and consultation (e.g. onsite trips, correspondence, requests for 
    information, studies and other documentation requested by RCAF); 
        b) Specific response times may vary but technical instructions shall be available within one week 
    of any given engineering support request;  
        c) Remote engineering support for emergencies must be available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week,  
    365 days/year; and 
        d) Provide professional Mechanical (ME) and Electrical (EE) engineers and designers to analyze 
    and implement: repairs, technical improvements and modifications identified by RCAF mission 
    deficiencies and accidents, RCAF identified product improvements and obsolescence 
    mitigation.  

 iii. Any interested supplier must demonstrate, by way of its statement of capabilities, that it is able 
      to provide maintenance support for two ABES by providing the following:

        a) Provide periodic preventative maintenance of the two ABES onsite at RCAF Facilities in Canada 
    once per year. During the once-annual trip, the supplier shall thoroughly inspect and rectify 
    items on both ABES systems (ABES 01 and ABES 02).  Preventative maintenance shall include 
    checks and rectification of: structure, exterior, equipment cabinets, interior, and individual items 
    such as flooring (interior and exterior), electrical, electronics, filters, corrosion, drains and 
    plumbing systems;
        b) Provide onsite emergency visits, as requested by RCAF, to perform urgent/emergent 
    maintenance; and
        c) Supply of spare parts as required/requested by RCAF.

  iv. Any interested supplier must demonstrate, by way of its a statement of capabilities, that it is able 
      to provide training support for two ABES by ensuring the following:

        a) Classroom training and hands-on training to RCAF Operators and technicians to be provided 
    when required at a RCAF facility; and
        b) Operational Training to be conducted in accordance with RCAF policies and procedures. 

   v. Any interested supplier must demonstrate, by way of its statement of capabilities, that it meets 
      compatibility requirements by ensuring the following:

        a) Any required training must be fully compatible with the existing on-aircraft or off-aircraft 
    training system used to qualify personnel in such disciplines as maintenance, medical, air crew 
    and aeromedical; and   
        b) Sparing and consumables must be compatible with both ABES 01 and ABES 02.

4. Applicability of the trade agreements to the procurement 

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements:
 
-Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
-World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-GPA)
-Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) 
-Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA) 
-Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
-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)
-Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA)

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
 
Knight Aerospace has been identified as the only supplier capable of providing an AE system and 
support as described above.

6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception
 
The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement 
under subsection 6(d) - "only one person is capable of performing the work".
 
7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons
 
Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) - Article 513, 1(b)(v)
World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) - Article XIII, 1.(b)
Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA)- same as CETA - Article 19.19.12.1.(b)
Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) - Article 19.12.1(b) 
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) - Article 15.10 2(b)
Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) - Article Kbis-09(b)
Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement - Article 1409 (b)
Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement - Article 17.11 (b)
Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement - Article 14.3
Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement - Article 16.10 (b)
Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) - Article 1409 (b)
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) - Article 10.13 (b)

8. Ownership of Intellectual Property

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

9. Delivery Date

The required delivery date of the system is eight months after contract award.

10. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier 

Knight Aerospace Medical Systems LLC
3606 SW 36th Street, Suite 101
San Antonio, Texas
United States 
78226 

11. 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. 

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

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is:
April 22, 2022 at 2:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time.

13. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
 
Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
 
Contracting Authority: Brent DeVries
  
Phone Numbers: (613) 406-2193 
 
E-mail Addresses: brent.devries@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca
 
Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

You are hereby notified that the government intends to negotiate with one firm only as identified 
above. Should you have any questions concerning this requirement, contact the contracting officer 
identified above.

An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no 
less than fifteen (15) calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it intends to award a 
good, service or construction contract to a pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or 
before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, 
the contracting authority may then proceed with the award.  However, should a Statement of 
Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, then the contracting authority will 
proceed to a full tendering process.

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods 
described herein, 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.

The PWGSC file number, the contracting officer's name and the closing date of the ACAN must appear 
on the outside of the envelope in block letters or, in the case of a facsimile transmission, on the 
covering page.

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.


Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

You are hereby notified that the government intends to negotiate with one firm only as identified above. Should you have any questions concerning this requirement, contact the contracting officer identified above.

An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than fifteen (15) calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it intends to award a good, service or construction contract to a pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contracting authority may then proceed with the award.  However, should a Statement of Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, then the contracting authority will proceed to a full tendering process.

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, 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.

The PWGSC file number, the contracting officer's name and the closing date of the ACAN must appear on the outside of the envelope in block letters or, in the case of a facsimile transmission, on the covering page.

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.