Wearable Blast Pressure Sensors

Trade Agreement: CETA / WTO-AGP / CPTPP / NAFTA / CFTA / FTAs with Peru / Colombia / Panama / Korea
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Critical Solutions International
2284 Clements Ferry Road
Unit A
Charleston South Carolina
United States
29492
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 

In support of its research the Department of Department of National Defence has a requirement to establish a Standing Offer for the supply of Body Worn Blast Gauges which will record low-level blast exposure for personnel during training and operations. The objective of the blast exposure tracking research is to provide an unobtrusive body-worn environmental pressure monitoring sensor(s) and associated data management software and hardware which will enable DND personnel and their support staff to remain aware of overpressure exposure.
The contractor must provide the B3 wearable blast overpressure gauges (BGG7) and related components (BGK7 USB Hub kit, software/app), or equivalent, on an as-and-when-needed basis over a five years period:

i.  Items to be provided:
1. Wearable blast overpressure gauges (BGG7)
2. BGK7 USB Hub kit
3. Software and/or APP
(b)  The contractor must provide software support for the life of the contract.
(c)  The contractor must provide a manufacturer's warranty.
(d)  Delivery of hardware and / or software must not exceed 2 month once an order is placed.

Immediate requirement is for up to 100.   
Anticipated quantities are 100 sensors per year, on an as and when requested basis, over the next 5 years.

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

4. Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that its product meets the following requirements: 

1. General Requirements 
(a)  The blast gauges must be commercial-off-the-shelf.
(b) The blast gauges must have been previously procured and put in service by a national military.

2. Physical Requirements 
(a)  The blast gauges must not weigh more than 50 grams per gauge.
(b) The blast gauges must have physical dimensions of no more than 50 mm wide, by 50 mm long by 30 mm tall.
(c)   The blast gauges must be manufactured in an overall subdued black colour.
(d)  The blast gauges must be easily mounted on the user's clothing and / or combat equipment.
(e) Mounting the blast gauges must not require the use of special tools, nor require modifications to the user's clothing or equipment.
(f)   The device used for mounting the gauge on the users equipment (eg: strap, clip, etc.) must                   be capable of retaining the blast gauge in place regardless of user movement.

3. Functional Requirements 

(a) The blast gauges must continuously function once activated, and must not require any user interaction to initiate blast overpressure recording (eg: push of a button).
(b) The blast gauges must incorporate a motion sensing function such that the devices will go into "sleep mode" if they detect no movement after 30 minutes. This function should be user programmable so it can be turned off if required.
(c) The blast gauges must exit sleep mode automatically without requiring the user to do anything (eg: press a button) once movement is detected again.
(d) Unless transmitting data, the blast gauges must not emit any RF signal of any kind.
(e) The blast gauges must not emit noise or light of any kind unless commanded to by the user (eg: pressing a button for a battery test).

4. Environmental Requirements 
(a) The blast gauges must be capable of functioning in any environment where the operator is expected to use blast gauges.
(b) The blast gauges must conform to MIL-STD-810G (or latest variant) for water and dust resistance.
(c) Blast gauges must be corrosion resistant for the following fluids:
i. Petroleum products such as fuels, oils and lubricants
ii. Weapon cleaning products (eg: CLP)
iii. Blood
iv. Sweat
(d) Blast gauges must be capable of withstanding up to 110 psi.
(e) Blast gauges must be capable of withstanding up to 100 g.

5. Power Requirements 
(a) The blast gauges must have their own internal power source.
(b) The blast gauge battery must last for at minimum 1 year once activated under normal operating conditions. Note that normal operating conditions are that the gauges are recording data for 20% of their operational life.
(c) The blast gauges should have a non-activated shelf life of up to 5 years.

2.3.6 Recorded Blast Data Requirements 
(a) The blast gauges must have a user programmable threshold setting below which no recording takes place, and above which recording of blast over pressure occurs.
(b) The blast gauges must be capable of accurately recording blast over-pressures of 0.5 psi to 110 psi with 0.05 psi increments over ambient pressure.
(c) The blast gauges must be capable of recording up to a minimum of 200 full blast waveforms each lasting up to 25 ms.
(d) The blast gauges must date and time stamp each overpressure recording.
(e) The blast gauges must stamp each overpressure recording with an alphanumeric number that is unique to the user. The alpha numeric number must be user programmable.
(f) Must only enable access to the data when connect by a cable or when a Bluetooth connection is established by a data administrator (i.e. not allow any system enable wireless data connection).
(g) Recorded blast data must be transferable from the gauges to an Android-based phone or tablet.
(h) Recorded blast data must also be transferable from the Android device to a Windows-based personal computer in a format that is easy to import into common Microsoft spreadsheet and database programs (eg: excel and access).
The gauges themselves and any android software on the tablet or phone must not require connection to the internet to function, and at no time should blast overpressure data be transferred to "the cloud", or to any computer outside that owned by DND.

4.Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement 

a.This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements: 
b.Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
c.World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
d.North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

5.Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier 
 
Critical Solutions International, the worldwide distributor for B3 Blast Gauge System, is the only known supplier to be able to fully meet the required capabilities and specifications. The B3 power and functional requirements are critical to DND’s operational requirements.   

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 

The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the: 

Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) - Article(s) Article 513, 1b(iii) where the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute goods or services exist due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;

World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) - Article XV, (1b) 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;

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)  Article North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Article 1016: Limited Tendering Procedures: 2. An entity may use limited tendering procedures in the following circumstances and subject to the following conditions:  
(b) where there is an absence of competition for technical reasons, the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)  Article(s) 19.12 1b(iii), if the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute goods or services exist for any of the following reasons: due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;

8. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date 

The immediate requirement of up to 100 must be delivered by 31 March, 2020.
The proposed contract is for a period of 5 years, from January 20, 2020 to January 20, 2025

9.Cost estimate of the proposed contract 

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $ 885,000.00  (GST/HST extra). 

10. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier 

Critical Solutions International
2284 Clements Ferry Road
Unit A
Charleston
SC 29492

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 8 January, 2020, 2:00PM EST

13.Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities 

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to: 

Name:          Patrick Semple
Title:         Supply Specialist
               Public Works and Government Services Canada
               Acquisitions Kingston
               86 Clarence Street, 2nd Floor
               Kingston, Ontario K7L 1X3
Telephone:     613 530-3117
Facsimile:     613-545-8067
E-mail address:patrick.semple@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.