Biochemical and Molecular Analysis of Traumatic Brain Injury

Trade Agreement: Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
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: BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY INDUCED BY PRIMARY BLAST AND CONCUSSION

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. DEFINITION OF THE REQUIREMENT

Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) Suffield Research Centre has established research program studying traumatic brain injury induced by primary blast or concussion, with the aim of developing diagnostic biomarkers and medical treatment for Canadian military personnel and veterans.  Work is being carried out on a rodent model of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), as well as an ex vivo model system.  Novel instrumentation is used to expose these model systems to single pulse shock waves, either alone or in combination with a concussive force, enabling the investigation of their effect on brain tissue to compare and differentiate TBIs induced by different forces.  There is a requirement to comprehensively characterize these effects at behavioural, biochemical and molecular levels in order to understand the etiology of the injury as well as to rationally develop medical countermeasures.

The Contract will be effective for a period of three (3) years from the date of award with option to extend the term of the Contract by up to two (2) additional one (1) year period(s).

3.  SECURITY:

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

SECURITY REQUIREMENT FOR CANADIAN SUPPLIER:  PWGSC FILE No W7714-217620

3.1.1 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 Contract Security Program (CSP), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).
3.1.2 The Contractor/Offeror personnel requiring access to sensitive site(s) must EACH hold a valid RELIABILITY STATUS, granted or approved by the CSP, PWGSC.
3.1.3  Subcontracts which contain security requirements are NOT to be awarded without the prior written permission of the CSP, PWGSC.
3.1.4 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).

4.  CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF THE STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES (MINIMUM ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS)

4.1  MANDATORY EVALUATION CRITERIA
In their bids, Bidders must demonstrate they meet the following mandatory criteria. Failure to meet any of the mandatory criteria will render the bid non-compliant and it will be given no further consideration.

4.1.1 Research Assistant 1
M1 The resource must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Neuroscience.  
M2 The resource must have a minimum of two years’ experience within the last 5 years performing animal behavioural experiments.  
M3 The resource must have a minimum of one years’ experience within the last 5 years working with confocal microscopes.  
M4 The resource must have a minimum of two years’ experience within the last 5 years working with an Advanced Blast Simulator (ABS).  

4.1.2 Research Assistant 2
M1 The resource must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Science.  
M2 The resource must have a minimum of two years’ experience within the last 5 years performing western blot analysis and related data analysis using Graph Pad Prism software.  
M3 The resource must have a minimum of two years’ experience within the last 5 years working with an Advanced Blast Simulator (ABS).  

4.1.3 Research Assistant 3
M1 The resource must have a minimum of a College diploma related to Animal Sciences.  
M2 The resource must have a minimum of three years’ experience within the last 5 years using confocal microscopes.  
M3 The resource must have a minimum of two years’ experience within the last 5 years working with an Advanced Blast Simulator (ABS).  

4.1.4 Senior Research Assoicate
M1 The resource must have a minimum of a PhD in Neuroscience or a relative field in Biological Sciences.  
M2 The resource must have a minimum of five years’ experience within the last 10 years performing experiments using electrophysiology/patch clamp techniques in brain slices.  

5.  JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

This is a continuation of a previously competitively bid R&D contract (W7702-145639/001/EDM) for which only one bid was received, and ACAN R&D contract (W7702-165802) for which the contractors were on site to perform day to day experiments to aid the research program in primary blast-induced traumatic brain injury.   The suggested supplier resources have training and experience using the Advanced Blast Simulator (ABS), which is a unique capability and facility at Suffield Research Centre. The ABS is an actual blast tube and there are safety protocols for working with it. The suggested supplier has been instrumental using the ABS and they are experts running molecular and cell biology instruments (e.g., confocal microscopes, patch clamp electrophysiology, and western blotting).  

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

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement: 
 - Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)

7.  GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS REGULATIONS EXCEPTION(S)

The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is (are) invoked for 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:

Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) - limited tendering allowed under Article 513, item 1 (b), (ii) and (iii).
World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) - Annex 5, GSIN AD917700 Military (R&D) is not included. 
Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) - Annex 19-5 - Services, GSINs AD917700 are not included 
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) - Chapter 15-A - Services, GSINs AD917700 are not included.
Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) - Part 3bis: Government Procurement, Annex K bis-01.1-4, R&D all classes excluded.
Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement - Chapter 14, Annex 1401-4-Services, Section B, R&D all classes excluded.
Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement - Chapter 17, Annex 17.4 Services, Section B, R&D all classes excluded.
Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement - Chapter 14, Annex 14-C: Services, GSINs AD917700 are not included.
Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement - Chapter 16, Annex 5 Services, Section B, R&D all classes excluded.
Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) - Chapter 14, Annex 1401.1-4 Services, Section B, R&D all classes excluded.
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) - Chapter 10, Annex 10-4 Services, GSIN AD917700 is not included.

9.  OWNERSHIP OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Canada intends to retain ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract on the basis that the main purpose of the contract is an exemption has been granted through a Treasury Board submission.

10.  PERIOD OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT OR DELIVERY DATE

The Contract will be effective for a period of three (3) years with the option to extend the term of the Contract by up to three (2) additional one (1) year period(s).

11.  COST ESTIMATE OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT

The estimated value of the contract, including option years, is $1,260,000.00 (GST/HST extra). 

12. NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

Canada West Biosciences Inc.
Operating as: CWBios Inc
5429-60 Street
Camrose, AB  T4V4G9

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 
Procurement Specialist 
Procurement Branch, Western Region 
Public Services and Procurement Canada 
Canada Place, Suite 1000, 
9700 Jasper Avenue, 
Edmonton AB, T5J 4C3

Telephone: 587-337-2458  
Facsimile: 780-497-3510 
Email: 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.