Interim Ferry Solution

Trade Agreement: 
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Naviera de Melenara SL
Calle Juan Dominguez Pérez, num 2
Spain
35008
Nature of Requirements: 


Interim Ferry Solution for Transport Canada

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. Background

The Government of Canada provides funding to private operators to support three inter-provincial ferry services in Eastern Canada, including service between: (i) Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec (QC) and Souris, Prince Edward Island (PEI) operated by the Coopérative de Transport Maritime et Aérien (CTMA); (ii) Saint John, New Brunswick (NB) and Digby, Nova Scotia (NS) operated by Bay Ferries Ltd (BFL); and (iii) Wood Islands, PEI and Caribou, NS operated by Northumberland Ferries Ltd (NFL). The services are known as the Eastern Canada Ferry Services.

The Îles-de-la-Madeleine - Souris service provides essential year round services to approximately 13,000 residents, links communities and supports the regional economies through the transportation of goods and other economic activities such as tourism. This service is considered to be an essential service because there are no other regular maritime passenger links and the ferry is the primary means for the transportation of people and goods to and from Îles-de-la-Madeleine. 

The MV Madeleine, the Transport Canada (TC) owned vessel used to provide service on this route is at the end of its lifecycle and is overdue for replacement. Budget 2019 included funding to build two new vessels to replace the MV Madeleine and the MV Holiday Island as both vessels are at the end of their lifecycles. Both ferries are expected to come into service in 2026.

Given its advanced age and the criticality of the service, TC is seeking to purchase an ice-strengthened vessel to act as an interim solution to replace the MV Madeleine capable of starting service June 2021. An interim solution is required to ensure that the service can be delivered safely and reliably until the new vessel being built is ready for service.

3. Definition of the Requirement

TC has a requirement for a vessel meeting all of the minimum essential requirements detailed in section 4 below. This procurement includes crew familiarization and training along with all technical data (including drawings and manuals) and spare parts needed to operate and maintain the vessel in Class under Transport Canada’s Delegated Statutory Inspection Program.
 
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 the proposed vessel, to be sold to Canada, meet the following minimum essential requirements: 

4.1. The vessel must have the following characteristics: (a) length of 120 - 140 metres; (b) beam of not more than 22.5 metres; (c) draft of not more than 6.0 metres; (d) built in the year 2010 and later;
 
4.2. The vessel must be ocean-going in design with enclosed and watertight vessel decks; allowing for roll-on roll-off vehicle traffic with 1-hour maximum turnaround for full loading and unloading. A single screw and/or double ender is not acceptable;

4.3. The vessel’s bow and stern ramps and doors must be fully self-contained and be operable from the ship without the assistance of any shore side personnel and machinery. Vessel ramps and vehicle decks must be able to accommodate vehicles load of a maximum of 9000 kilograms per axle.

4.4. The vessel must have a maximum speed of not less than 20 knots with the ability for self-sufficient (unassisted) manoeuvring in port in prevailing winds up to 30 knots;

4.5. The vessel must be, at a minimum, 1A ice class with regard to hull construction and major machinery (according to Swedish - Finnish classification);

4.6. The vessel must accommodate a minimum of 850 passengers and 200 cars; and

4.7. The vessel must be currently in operation, in class, and available for sale. 


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

The requirement is subject to the provisions of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) and The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). 

6. Justification for the Pre-Selected Supplier

Following an extensive Request for Information (RFI) process in 2017 that engaged industry on the availability of suitable used vessels and additional third party surveys in 2018 and 2020, the proposed MV Villa de Teror passenger ferry vessel is the only known vessel available for purchase that can meet the immediate TC interim ferry capability. 

The MV Villa de Teror meets all of the minimum essential requirements described in this ACAN.

7. Government Contracts Regulations Exception 

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

8. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

The vessel is required to be ready for operations starting June 2021.

9. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Naviera de Melenara S.A.
35008 Las Palmas  
Gran Canaria, Spain

10. 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 Minimum Essential Requirements.

10.1 (Minimum Essential Requirement) = The vessel must have the following characteristics: (a) length of 120 - 140 metres; (b) beam of not more than 22.5 metres; (c) draft of not more than 6.0 metres; (d) built in the year 2010 and later.

Information to be provided in the Statement of Capability:

- General Arrangement (GA) drawings; and
- Vessel particulars data sheet; and
- Vessel load line certificate and conditions of assignment.

10.2 (Minimum Essential Requirement) = The vessel must be ocean-going in design with enclosed and watertight vessel decks; allowing for roll-on roll-off vehicle traffic with 1-hour maximum turnaround for full loading and unloading. A single screw and/or double ender is not acceptable.

Information to be provided in the Statement of Capability:

- General Arrangement (GA) drawings; and
- Cargo stowage plan (plan view of vehicle decks which has been superimposed with a standard outline of vehicles and which shows how they are loaded to achieve the required capacity); and
- Drawings and manuals indicating arrangement and operation of any hoistable vehicle decks.

10.3 (Minimum Essential Requirement) = The vessel’s bow and stern ramps and doors must be fully self-contained and be operable from the ship without the assistance of any shore side personnel and machinery. Vessel ramps and vehicle decks must be able to accommodate vehicles load of a maximum of 9000 kilograms per axle.

Information to be provided in the Statement of Capability:

- Drawings and photos or video of the arrangement and operation of bow and stern doors and ramps; and
- Design details of decks and loading ramps and any hoistable decks, and which includes their approved weight limits.  


10.4 (Minimum Essential Requirement) = The vessel must have a maximum speed of not less than 20 knots with the ability for self-sufficient (unassisted) maneuvering in port in prevailing winds up to 30 knots.

Information to be provided in the Statement of Capability:

- Vessel particulars data sheet. 

10.5 (Minimum Essential Requirement) = The vessel must be, at a minimum, 1A ice class with regard to hull construction and major machinery (according to Swedish - Finnish classification).

Information to be provided in the Statement of Capability:

- Vessel certificate of ice class.

10.6 (Minimum Essential Requirement) = The vessel must accommodate at least 850 passengers; including a minimum of 200 cars.

Information to be provided in the Statement of Capability:
 
- Vessels safety equipment certificate for a passenger ship; and
- Cargo stowage plan (plan view of vehicle decks which has been superimposed with a standard outline of vehicles and which shows how they are loaded to achieve the required capacity).  

10.7 (Minimum Essential Requirement) = The vessel must be currently in operation, in class, and available for sale.

Information to be provided in the Statement of Capability:
 
- Vessels certificate of class; and
- Class record of continuous survey for hull and machinery; and 
- Certificate of ownership or a letter from the owner of the proposed vessel indicating that the proposed vessel is available for sale.

11. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities 

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to: 

Marc Aubin
A/Procurement Manager
Major Marine Construction Services (MMCS)
Telephone:  613-818-1149 
E-mail: marc.a.aubin@tpsgc-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.