Superbolt Multi-Jack Bolt Tensioner (MJBT) - Cap Screw Replacement

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: Government Objectives Representing Best Interests/Value to Govt
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Superbolt Inc
1200 Clifford Ball Drive
Clinton Pennsylvania
United States
15026
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 National Defence (DND) has a requirement to replace the existing Cap Screws (fasteners) installed on the Forward Plummer Bearings (FWD PBs), the Aft Plummer Bearings (AFT PBs) and the Thrust & Plummer Bearings (T&PBs) of the Halifax Class Frigates shaft lines.

The proposed contract is for three hundred and twelve (312) Superbolt Multi-Jack Bolt Tensioner (MJBT) which will provide fastener replacement for twelve Halifax Class Frigates, seven located in Halifax, Nova Scotia and five located in Esquimalt, British Columbia and one spare ship set.

2.1 Background

The Halifax Class Frigates have two shaft lines, each shaft line is comprised of five (5) support bearings. A combination of one (1) Thrust and Plummer Bearing (T&PB) shaft of the gearbox but separated by a flexible coupling. Followed by two (2) inboard Plummer Bearings (PBs), one (1) base-mounted (FWD PBs) and one (1) centre-mounted (AFT PBs). The document, W8482-182752 ACAN - Reference Figures is available upon request by e-mail to carson.manzer@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.

The existing Cap Screws have experienced occurrences of shear force failures on an unspecified number of installations across the class. This can be directly attributed to the high torque required to achieve the desired pre-loads and potentially the duration of use of the current fasteners. High level of torque presents spatial and safety challenges during installation and requires special tooling. After experiencing an unsatisfactory number of failures, the DND Technical Authority is seeking to facilitate the efficiency and safety of repairs of this critical fastener equipment in order to prevent costly equipment damage and potential loss of capability and operational availability.

At several occasions, the socket head Cap Screws have failed when torqued to approximately 4,000 Nm. As a result, the cap screws are currently being torqued to approximately 1,500 Nm. Therefore, the shock requirement is not being achieved.

The material of the existing Cap Screws is Heat Treated Alloy Steel, Grade 12.9. The existing Cap Screws were designed as per DIN 912-12.

The material of the bearings housings are as follows:

a) Plummer bearings: High Strength Steel, ASTM A148-81, Grade 80-50; and

b) Thrust & Plummer bearings: High Strength Steel, ASTM A148-81, Grade 90-60.

2.2 Detail of the Requirement

The replacement fasteners must satisfy the following technical requirements:

2.2.1 The Cap Screws diameter and thread of the existing bearings structure must not be changed. The replacement fasteners must use the present arrangement without requiring any modification to any part of the bearings shell casing configuration.

2.2.2 The replacement fasteners must achieve the following minimum pre-loads:

a) Forward Base Mounted Plummer Bearings (FWD PBs): 142,210 lbf (632,581.6 N), on four M33x3.5x350 screws;

b) After-Centreline Mounted Plummer Bearings (AFT PBs): 106,656 lbf (474,429.5 N), on four M33x3.5x350 screws; and

c) Thrust & Plummer Bearings (T&PBs): 138,388.75 lbf (615,583.8 N), on four M33x3.5x350 screws.

2.2.3 The material of the replacement fasteners must not increase the risk of corrosion.

2.2.4 The replacement fasteners must be able to be installed on the bearings using minimal resources considering the limited space available onboard the machinery spaces.

2.2.5 The replacement fasteners must be able to perform in a naval environment.

3. Criteria for Assessment of the Statement of Capabilities

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that their proposed bolting system (replacement fastener) meets or exceed the technical criteria/requirement in Section 2 - Definition of the Requirement.

4. Applicability of the Trade Agreement(s) to the Procurement

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

- Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
- World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
- Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
- Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
- Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
- Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement
- Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement
- Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)
- Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA)

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The DND Technical Authority has determined that the Superbolt Multi-Jack Bolt Tensioner (MJBT) is the only product available to meet requirements. The MJBT is widely used in similar allied naval applications. The MJBT was found after extensive research and is deemed capable of achieving the desired technical requirements, specifically considering that the MJBT do not require modifications to the existing design installations. The technology offered by the pre-identified supplier is proprietary. The MJBT has a low torque requirement and can be safely installed with minimal resources.

Nord-Lock, Inc. / Superbolt, Inc., Clinton, Pennsylvania, USA is the Original Equipment Manufacturer for the Superbolt Multi-Jack Bolt Tensioner (MJBT).

Should Canada receive a Statement of Capabilities from a supplier that contains sufficient information to indicate this it meets the requirements set forth in this ACAN, a competitive process will be triggered with a technical and financial evaluation methodology of the bids proposed by the potential bidders.

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 contract.

7. Limited Tendering Reason

Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) - Article: 513.1(b) (iii)
1. (b) 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:
(iii) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;

World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) - Article XIII.1(b) (iii)
b. where 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:
iii. due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) - Article 19.12.1(b) (iii)
(b) 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:
(iii) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) - Article 15.10.2(b) (iii)
(b) if the good or service can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute good or service exists for any of the following reasons:
(iii) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;

Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement - Article 1409.1(b)(iii)
b. Where 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:
iii. Due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;

Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement - Article 17.11.2(b)(iii)
(b) a good or service being procured can be supplied only by a particular supplier and a reasonable alternative or substitute does not exist because:
(iii) there is an absence of competition for technical reasons;

Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement - Article 16.10.1(b)(iii)
b. the procurement can be carried out only by a particular supplier and a reasonable alternative or substitute does not exist because:
iii. of the absence of competition for technical reasons;

Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) - Article 1409.1(b) (iii)
(b) where 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:
(iii) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;

Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) - Article 10.13.1(b) (iii)
(b) 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:
(iii) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;

8. Ownership of Intellectual Property

Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.

9. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

The proposed contract is for a period of three (3) years. Canada will require the delivery date(s) and quantities during the proposed contract period.

10. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract is not provided.

11. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Nord-Lock, Inc. / Superbolt, Inc.
1200 Clifford Ball Drive
Clinton, Pennsylvania 15026
USA

12. 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 of this ACAN and more specifically the Criteria for Assessment of the Statement of Capabilities in accordance with Section 3 of this ACAN.

13. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is January 29, 2021 at 02:00 PM Eastern Standard Time EST.

14. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:

Carson Manzer
Supply Specialist
Public Services and Procurement Canada
Defense and Marine Procurement Branch
Place du Portage, Phase III, 8B3
11 Laurier Street
Gatineau, Québec
K1A 0S5

Telephone: 819-420-2189
Mobile: 343-551-4953
E-mail: Carson.Manzer@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.