Non-Combatant Classification Society (NCCS), Request for Response and Evaluation (RFRE)

Trade Agreement: NONE
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Competitive Procurement Strategy: 
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 

Request for Response and Evaluation (RFRE) for Non-Combatant Class Society (NCCS) Services for the Royal Canadian Navy

1. Introduction

1.1 The Department of National Defence (DND) has the requirement to establish and maintain standards that assureDND’s non-combatant vessels (hereinafter referred to as vessels) are fit for purpose, safe to operate and compliant with standards to protect the environment.  To establish and maintain the safety of the vessels, DND is seeking to engage the services ofaClassification Society.  The key deliverables of the contract will be: 

a. Identification of appropriate standards applicable to DND’s vessels, class those vessels and then provide support to DND to keep the vessels in class, or to class as appropriate; and

b. To provide subject matter expertise on standards applicable to the vessels in support of DND requirements. 

1.2 This Request for Response and Evaluation (RFRE) phase will qualify potential bidders who demonstrate that they have the necessary capabilities and experience required to deliver a solution for DND’s requirement for Non-Combatant Classification Society services.

1.3 The qualified RFRE suppliers will review the draft Request for Proposal (RFP) documentation with Canada. TheReview and Refine Requirements (RRR) phase will provide Canada with the opportunity to obtain information directly from industry to shape the Statement of Work (SOW). The RRR process will provide the qualified RFRE suppliers with the opportunity to providefeedback and to obtain a clear understanding of the business and technical requirements; this will allow the qualified RFRE suppliers to be in a position to prepare informed responses to the RFP.

1.4 The resulting RFP will then be issued directly to the qualified RFRE suppliers only, in order to solicit their bids.

2. Confidentiality

2.1 Potential respondents are advised that any information submitted to Canada in response to this RFRE may be used by Canada in the development of a subsequent competitive RFP. As such, respondents responding to this RFRE and participating in the follow-on RRR phase should identify any submitted information that is to be considered as either company confidential or proprietary. This information will then be treated as Protected B.

3. No Payment

3.1 No payment will be made for costs incurred in the preparation, submission, evaluation and participation in any part of this procurement process. Costs associated with preparing, submitting, evaluating and participating in this procurement process that are incurred by the supplier are the sole responsibility of the supplier.

4. Background

4.1 DND vessels are exempt from the Canada Shipping Act (CSA 2001) however DND is mandated to self-regulate the safetyof its vessels.  To meet this mandate, Canada has developed a Naval Materiel Regulatory (NMR) framework based on the Allied Naval Engineering Publication 77 (Naval Ship Code) (ANEP 77(NSC)).  The NSC was developed and is maintained by the International Naval Safety Association (INSA) and is the naval equivalent to Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) requirements for commercial fleets.  Naval Classification using the NSC goal based approach demonstrates due diligence and ensures that naval and DND personnel going to sea are afforded a similar level of safety as their commercial colleagues.  

4.2 Canada’s fleet of ships currently deemed to be non-combatants by the Naval Materiel Regulatory Authority (NMRA) are described in Table 1 below.

Vessel, Comments
Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship - AOPS, Currently under design and build at Irving Shipbuilding Inc.;
Joint Support Ship - JSS, Currently under Design and Build in Vancouver Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.;
Kingston Class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels - MCDV, In-Service with DND (12 Vessels);
Auxiliary Training Vessels - ORCA Class, In-Service with DND (8 Vessels);
Auxiliary Vessels - Tugs, In-Service with DND (12 Vessels);
Auxiliary Vessels - Tenders, In-Service with DND (9-10 Vessels);
Auxiliary Vessels- Barges, In-Service with DND (24-29 Vessels);
Future Non-Combatants, TBD.
Table 1 - List of NCCS Vessels

4.3 Work will be categorized as follows:

a. Services to support the NMRA.  Activities may include but not be limited to the development andmaintenance of an integrated class standards file for each vessel class, advice and research;

b. Services to Support the Directorate Maritime Engineering Programme Management - Minor War Vessels and Auxiliaries (DMEPM (MWVA)).  Activities may includebut not be limited to acceptance into class (advice, plan appraisal and vessel surveys), maintenance in-class, to class or to an accepted standard (advice and vessel surveys), specialist support and advice; and

c. Work to support future non-combatantfleets.  Activities may include but not be limited to advice and classification services in the concept, design and build phases.

5. Qualification Criteria

5.1 To pre-qualify under this RFRE, interested respondents must demonstrate that they meet the following requirements.  The respondent must:

a. Be a current member of the International Naval Safety Association (INSA);

b. Be a Recognized Organization under Transport Canada’s Delegated Statutory Inspection Program; and

c. Be from a NATOcountry.

5.2 This requirement is subject to the Controlled Goods Program (CGP).

6. RFRE Evaluation Process

6.1 Respondents must submit the following information to assess that they meet the above criteria at a local or corporate level:

a. A certificate or letter from INSA demonstrating current member status;

b. Certification or copy of the delegated statutory authority status with Transport Canada; and

c. Proof of the respondent’s parent organization’s country of establishment. 

6.2 The response must also identify/include:

a. the title and number and closing date of the RFRE;
b. the name, title, address and telephone number of the respondent;
c. the name, title and telephone number of the respondent’s contact;
d. the respondent’s choice of official language: English or French and
e. the date of RFRE information submission.

6.3 To be included in this opportunity, respondents must submit the information to the Contracting Authority by the deadline indicated.

6.4 Respondents will be advised on the results of the evaluation upon completion.  Respondents deemed non-compliant will be offered a debrief.  Non-compliant respondents will not be invited to continue in the RRR process and will not receive the RFP.  The RFP willnot be made public and no other suppliers will be accepted into the process after the release of the RFP currently planned on 31 May 2016.

7. Inquiries

7.1 Suppliers may submit inquiries to the Contracting Authority, Mr. Yvan Guay by e-mail at Yvan.Guay@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca, by fax at 819-956-0897 or by telephone at 819-420-2907.

8. Deadline for Submission of Responses to the RFRE

8.1 Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) invites interested parties to submit their responses to the Contracting Authority on or before 31 March 2016, 14:00 EDT.

8.2 At Canada’s sole discretion, responses received after the deadline may or may not be considered.

9. Submission of Responses to the RFRE

9.1 Interested parties may submit their responseto the Contracting Authority, Mr. Yvan Guay by email at: Yvan.Guay@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca or by mail at: 

Public Services and Procurement Canada
Marine Sector
Place du Portage, Phase III, 6C2
11 Laurier Street
Gatineau, Québec    K1A 0S5

9.2 Orby fax at:

819-956-0897

Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.