Modular Geotechnical Centrifuge

Trade Agreement: WTO-AGP/NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with
Peru/Colombia/Panama
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited
to bid
Attachment: None
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Government Objectives
Representing Best Interests/Value to Govt
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
BROADBENT INCORPORATED
PO BOX 185249
FT WORTH Texas
United States
76118
Nature of Requirements: 
Modular Geotechnical Centrifuge

W0114-155163/A
Correia Reid, Vincent
Telephone No. - (613) 545-8738 (    )
Fax No. - (613) 545-8067

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:  Modular Geotechnical Centrifuge

The Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) located in Kingston,
ON has a requirement for the supply, delivery, installation, and
training of a Modular Geotechnical Beam Centrifuge GMB GT6/0.75
and 16 Channel Data Acquisition System manufactured by Broadbent
Inc., to the Royal Military College (RMC) of Canada, Kingston,
ON, before March 31, 2015.

Background:
The Geotechnical Laboratory of the Royal Military College of
Canada leads several geotechnical engineering-related research
projects, especially focussed on physical modelling of
geotechnical systems in collaboration with other researchers and
collaborators from the Department of National Defense (DND),
Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and
Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO). Future officers of
the Canadian Armed Forces are also trained at the undergraduate
and graduate level within the Geotechnical Laboratory.

RMC requires a modular geotechnical centrifuge for research and
teaching.  After careful consideration of all centrifuges
currently available on the North American market, only the
Geotechnical Beam Centrifuge GMB GT6/0.75 and 16 Channel Data
Acquisition System manufactured by Broadbent Inc. has all the
needed requirements to fit RMC's research and teaching needs.
One of the many research projects of the Geotechnical Laboratory
is to perform physical modelling of geotechnical systems. A
geotechnical centrifuge is required to perform physical
modelling for teaching laboratories at the undergraduate and
graduate level. In order to perform teaching laboratories, the
centrifuge must be able to perform a high number of centrifuge
experiments within a finite time period. The modular nature of
the centrifuge allows for a number of different configurations
that can be tested during a 3-hour laboratory session. Research
level experiments, for funding partners such as DND, NSERC and
NWMO, also have additional requirements. NWMO, in particular,
has Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QAQC) requirements of
all equipment used for their research. Thus the design,
manufacture, testing and service must be performed to standard
levels. Owing to the proposed location of the centrifuge, the
centrifuge must fit in a certain finite space within the
Geotechnical Laboratory at RMC. The rotational speed of the
centrifuge requires adequate safety containment as well as
safety-based control and protection systems. In order to allow
for future development the data acquisition must allow for a
number of programmable ranges for sensor output, high
resolution, high bandwidth associated with centrifuge
environment, and operating temperature.

3.  Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities
(Minimum Essential Requirements)

Due to the nature of RMC's teaching and research requirements
summarized above, it is imperative the meet the size,
capability, modularity, safety, data acquisition, and design and
construction QAQC requirements. The centrifuge must meet the
following requirements:
-	Size: the centrifuge system must fit into a confined area that
is less than 2.2m (wide) x 2.2m (length) x 1.7 m (height).  
-	Capabilities
	o	Maximum acceleration of 300 g and 6gTonnes.
	o	2x Payload swing / boxes that 
		"	Are at least 100mm (wide) x 300mm (length) x 180mm (tall).
		"	Allow testing of 10kg of soil
		"	Include brackets to hold two digital Single-Lens Reflex
(SLR) Camera each.
-	Modularity: the centrifuge must be capable to be configured in
multiple test environments including:
	o	Beam environment
	o	Drum environment
	o	Permeameter environment
-	Safety: the control system for the centrifuge must be a
standalone (ie non Windows) programmable logic controller
system. non-Windows control system.  The centrifuge must come
with adequate safety casing to protect users from potential
centrifuge failures.
-	On-board data acquisition system that includes
	o	16 channels
	o	16 bit resolution
	o	Bandwidth = 500kHz
	o	Excitation power supply unit +10V, +5V, -5V, -10V.
-	QAQC: Company must operate under a quality assurance system
covering design, manufacture, testing and service work in
accordance with ISO9001:2008

4.  Applicability of the trade agreements to the procurement

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s): 

World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement
(WTO-AGP)
Agreement on Internal trade (AIT)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Canada FTAs with Peru/Colombia/Panama 

5.  Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The Modular Geotechnical Beam Centrifuge GMB GT6/0.75 and 16
Channel Data Acquisition System manufactured by Broadbent Inc.
is the only system that meets all the above essential
requirements. The centrifuge can be configured to offer
modelling across multi test environments, including Beam, Drum
and Permeameter. This is achieved by astute design of the
payload to centrifuge drive shaft connection enabling the user
to interchange test environments quickly and simply by the
intervention of a single screw connection.  This feature offers
the very latest modelling capability, thereby future proofing
the main centrifuge purchase for years to come. This is crucial
to maximize and future proof RMC's strategic investment in
centrifuge modelling.

6.  Government Contract Regulations Exception

The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations
is invoked for this procurement under subsection:  subsection
6(d) - "only one person is capable of performing the work".

7.  Limited Tendering Reasons

The following limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:

Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) - Article  506-12 (b); Where
there is an absence of competition for technical reasons and the
goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier
and no alternative or substitute exists.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - Article 1016:
Limited Tendering Procedures; (b) where, for works of art, or
for reasons connected with the protection of patents, copyrights
or other exclusive rights, or proprietary information or where
there is an absence of competition for technical reasons, the
goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier
and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists;

World Trade Organization - Agreement on Fovernment Procurement
(WTO-AGP) - Article XV: Limited Tendering Procedure (b.) when,
for works of art or for reasons connected with protection of
exclusive rights, such as patents or copyrights, or in the
absence of competition for technical reasons, the products or
services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no
reasonable alternative or substitute exists; (CAP code 71)

8.  Period of the Proposed Delivery Date

The equipment must be delivered on or before March 31, 2015.

9.  Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is
$200,000.00 - $250,000.00 (GST/HST extra).

10.  Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Broadbent Inc
2684 Gravel Drive
Fort Worth
Texas
United States
76118

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 is Friday, 19th December 2014, at 14:00 Eastern
Standard Time

13.  Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to: 

Name: Vincent Correia Reid
Title: Intern Officer
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Acquisitions Branch
Directorate: Acquisitions Kingston
Address: 86 Clarence Street, 2nd floor
Kingston, Ontario K7L 1X3
Telephone:  613-545-8738
Facsimile: 613-545-8068
E-mail address: vincent.correia-reid@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.