Nanotags

Trade Agreement: CETA / WTO-AGP / CPTPP / CFTA / FTAs with Peru / Colombia / Panama / Korea
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Interchangeable Parts
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Lotek Wireless Inc.
115 Pony Drive
Newmarket Ontario
Canada
L3Y7B5
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. Definition of the requirement 
The Department of Environment and Climate Change has a requirement to track the movements and behaviour birds across North America.

Many bird populations are declining across North America but these declines vary in magnitude across the various parts of the breeding, migration and wintering range. Information on the migratory connectivity and stopover ecology of these birds is needed to understand and address the causes of decline. Environment and Climate Change Canada has been working with Canadian and International partners to establish effective monitoring programs and recovery strategies for these populations. 

The resulting coordinated hemispheric network of receivers, known as the MOTUS Wildlife Tracking Network, allows the tracking of all migratory bird species and is among world's most ambitious bird tracking initiatives. Key to the success of the MOTUS tracking network is that all radio receivers in the network are scanning on the same radio frequency and are using radio receiving antennas specifically sized/tuned to the shared scanning frequency, so that individuals flying by a receiving station are not missed.

Environment and Climate Change Canada has several projects that have made use and are currently making use of this MOTUS network, and we operate a large number of receiver stations throughout Canada. In the years to come, VHF tags compatible with this network will be deployed on several shorebird and land bird species. Results will provide rigorous estimates of length of stay, required for effective monitoring at these sites, as well as enhanced knowledge of migratory behaviour, including migration routes, flight altitudes, migratory connectivity (i.e., the degree to which individuals of the same species are using the same migration sites) and determine how range and migration behaviour influences population trends.

GPS based units will also be deployed. They can acquire location fixes with an accuracy of m. This is important for identifying habitats used during breeding, but more importantly, during the migration and wintering periods, as well as helping to delineate migration routes and wintering areas. The smallest units archive information and are referred to as data archiving units. Data archiving GPS tags must be retrieved for data download. Alternatively, new GPS tracking devises that transmit data to Argos satellites are now available powered by traditional batteries as well as small solar cells.

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 its product/equipment meets the following requirements: 
a) We require that the supplier has more than 10 years of experience manufacturing coded VHF telemetry and GPS technologies.

b) Given the small body size of many bird species of conservation concern 
(e.g., < 70 g), as well as their long distance migrations to their wintering grounds in South America, it is mandatory that tracking tag mass must be limited to less than 3% of total body mass for the species of conservation concern. This requires that the manufacturer be able to produce coded VHF tags that weigh < 3 g and GPS Argos transmitting tags (solar and battery powered) that weigh between 3.5 g and 11 g.

c) Tags must be designed in such a way that they are suitable for mounting on birds of different species. For some birds this requires pre-made harness loops. For others, the transmitter needs to be free of loops to minimize weight so that a custom harness can be attached.

d) Coded VHF tags must use the 2003 codeset to ensure compatibility with the currently operational MOTUS network. Tags must also broadcast at an accuracy of ±500 Hz of 166.38 MHz, and offer the capability of at least 500 uniquely coded tags on the same frequency to allow simultaneous monitoring of all tagged birds while retaining individual identification.

e) Each bird’s frequency must be monitored for at least several seconds before the next bird’s frequency can be checked. With large numbers of birds, the frequency scan cycle becomes very long and the potential for missing birds flying through an area becomes very high and or provides minimal data points.

4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement 
This requirement is subject to the provisions of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP), the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Canada FTA’s with Chile, Columbia, Honduras, Korea, Panama, Peru and Ukraine, as well as the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier  
It is proposed to direct this requirement to Lotek Wireless Inc. as they are the only vendor that manufactures:
a) sub 3 g digitally coded radio transmitters (Nanotags) at the required frequency range used on the MOTUS Wildlife Tracking System network, and 
b) GPS tracking devices, no other company currently offers a pinpoint GPS Argos transmitting tags tag weighing between 3.5 g and 11 g.

6.  Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s) 
The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection  GCR 6.d only one supplier (person or firm) is capable of performing the contract;

7.  Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons 
The following exclusions and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under:  
a) Article 513: Limited Tendering of Chapter 5 of the CFTA;
b) Article 19.12: Limited tendering of Chapter 19 of CETA; and
c) Article XIII: Limited Tendering of the WTO-AGP.

8.  Period of the proposed standing offer 
The proposed contract is for a period of 2 years plus 1 option period of 1 year. 

9.  Cost estimate of the proposed contract 
The estimated value of the standing offer, including the option, is $2,100,000.00 (GST/HST extra).

10.  Name and address of the pre-identified supplier 
Lotek Wireless Inc.
115 Pony Drive, Newmarket, Ontario, L3Y7B5
 
11.  Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities 
Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods 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 14h on 2020-12-16.

13.  Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to: 
Benoit Guertin - Supply Specialist
Public Services And Procurement Canada - ADM - Procurement Branch 
Industrial Products And Vehicles Procurement Directorate - "HN" Division
4123, 4th Floor East Tower, L'Esplanade Laurier Bldg, 140 O'Connor St. Ottawa ON  K1A 0R5
Telephone: 613-296-3182 
E-mail address: benoit.guertin@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.