MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY BLAST-INDUCED TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Trade Agreement: Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Government Objectives Representing Best Interests/Value to Govt
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Canada West Biosciences Inc
5429-60 Street
Camrose Alberta
Canada
T4V4G9
Nature of Requirements: 

 TITLE:  MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY BLAST-INDUCED TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

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. SECURITY:

2.1  The following security requirements apply and form part of the Contract.

SECURITY REQUIREMENT FOR CANADIAN SUPPLIER: PSPC FILE #: W7702-165802

2.1.1 The Contractor/Offeror must, at all times during the performance of the Contract/Standing Offer, hold a valid Designated Organization Screening (DOS), issued by the Canadian Industrial Security Directorate (CISD), Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).

2.1.2.  The Contractor/Offeror personnel requiring access to sensitive work site(s) must EACH hold a valid RELIABILITY STATUS, granted or approved by CISD/PSPC.

2.1.3  Subcontracts which contain security requirements are NOT to be awarded without the prior written permission of CISD/PSPC.

2.1.4  The Contractor/Offeror must comply with the provisions of the:

a)  Security Requirements Check List and security guide (if applicable), attached at Annex “C”;
b)  Industrial Security Manual (Latest Edition).

3.  REQUIREMENT:

Defence Research & Development Canada - Suffield Research Centre (DRDC Suffield) has recently initiated a blast injury program with a major focus on primary blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI). Work is being carried out on a rodent model of TBI, as well as an ex vivo model system. Novel instrumentation is used to expose these model systems to single pulse shock waves, enabling the investigation of their effect on brain tissue, separate from concussive and acceleration/deceleration forces. There is a requirement to comprehensively characterize these effects at a molecular level in order to understand the etiology of the injury aswell as to rationally develop medical countermeasures.

The contractor will generate and analyze data from experiments examining the molecular basis of blast-induced TBI, the time-course of its development, and the relative efficacies of test medical countermeasures against this injury.  The work will also involve the development and characterization of various antibody-based systems. 

4.  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:

4.1 Mandatory Technical Criteria: The personnel conducting the work must have the following:

a)  Education: Minimum PhD. in Biological Sciencesor a related area.
b)  Experience: Demonstrated expertise and experience in the use of antibodies in the detection/quantitation of proteins, and in general molecular biological techniques.
c)  Specialized training: experience with Western blot analysis.

5. APPLICABILITY OF THE TRADE AGREEMENT(S) TO THE PROCUREMENT 

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement: Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT). 

6. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

This contract is a continuation of a previously competitively bid R&D contract (W7702-145639/001/EDM) for which only one bid was received. 

The suggested supplier is familiar with the particular idiosyncrasies of the techniques and instrumentation necessary to carry out the duties outlined in the Statement of Work.  This individual has been intimately involved in the blast injury program and the type of blast-injury specific markers that are unique to brain injury caused by blast.  Due to the unique capabilities and facilities at Suffield Research Centre, this program is one of a kind in Canada. An individual not well versed in this kind of research, as well as the laboratory specific methodologies will require a very significant period of time before they are ready to participate independently in the research. This lead time would not be required with the suggested sole source contractor.

This contract falls into the official DRDC “04J Casualty Care” research Program. The official program period ends in 2019, which coincides with the period of this contract. Contracts beyond this point will be dependent on the results of the research. 

7. GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS REGULATIONS EXCEPTION(S)

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

8. EXCLUSIONS AND/OR LIMITED TENDERING REASONS

The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the: Agreement on InternalTrade (AIT) - Article 506, paragraph 12 (b).

NAFTA excluded: Annex 1001.1b-2, GSIN AD917700 Military (R&D) is excluded. 
WTO-AGP excluded: Annex 4, GSIN AD917700 Military (R&D) is not included. 

9. OWNERSHIP OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Any intellectual property arising from the performance of the Work under the Contract will vest in Canada.  DRDC is exempted from the Treasury Board "Policy on Title to Intellectual Property Arising Under Crown Procurement Contracts"  approved 1 June 2000 as per DRDC ADM (S&T) IP-02.

10. PERIOD OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT OR DELIVERY DATE

The Contact will be effective from award date to 2019-03-31 with the option to extend the term of the Contract by up to two (2) additional one (1) year periods.

11. COST ESTIMATE OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT

The estimated value of the contract is $240,000.00 (GST/HST extra) for the contract period excluding option years.  

12.   NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER:

Canada West Biosciences Inc.
5429-60 Street  
Camrose, Alberta  
T4V 4G9

13.   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.

14. CLOSING DATE FOR A SUBMISSION OF A STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES 

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is indicated above. 

15. INQUIRIES AND SUBMISSION OF STATEMENTS OF CAPABILITIES

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:

Contracting Authority

Lorraine Jenkinson 
Supply Specialist 
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Acquisitions Branch, Western Region 
Telus Plaza North 
10025 Jasper Avenue, 5th Floor 
Edmonton, AB  T5J 1S6 

Telephone:  (780) 497-3593     Facsimile:  (780) 497-3510 
E-mail address:  Lorraine.Jenkinson@pwgsc-tpsgc.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.