Future Naval Training System

Trade Agreement: 
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 

NATURE OF REQUIREMENTS:

NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROCUREMENT (NPP)

To inform industry on the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Future Naval Training System (FNTS) Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and advise on an upcoming Request for Information (RFI) on the FNTS CONOPS.


NATURE OF THIS NPP
This is not a bid solicitation. This NPP will not result in the award of any contract. Potential suppliers of any goods or services described in this NPP should not reserve stock or facilities, nor allocate resources, as a result of any information contained in this NPP. Whether or not a potential supplier responds to this NPP will not preclude that supplier from participating in any future procurements. Also, the procurement of any goods and services described in this NPP will not necessarily follow. This NPP is simply intended to provide information to industry with respect to the subject matter described in this NPP.



NPP PURPOSE
The purpose of this NPP is to:

a) inform industry on the RCN FNTS CONOPS and provide industry a copy for information;
b) provide high-level information related to the FNTS CONOPS;
c) advise industry of the upcoming Request for Information (RFI); and
d) provide a notional high-level RFI and Project schedule. 


REQUIREMENT DETAILS
The RCN’s Naval Training System Transformation (NTST) Program was initiated to correct capability deficiencies in the existing Naval Training System (NTS) and to transition the current NTS to meet the demands of the future fleet. The NTST Program is responsible to develop and deliver an FNTS that provides world class training to RCN and associated Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Department of National Defence (DND) personnel. 


The NTST Program is not a Major Project but rather it is an internal RCN Program that has taken an integrated Systems of Systems approach to manage and ensure the requirements of an FNTS will be achieved. The first stage is to develop the FNTS CONOPS and will be the basis for developing an FNTS Statement of Requirements (SOR). The SOR will guide Minor and Major Projects, and initiatives, of FNTS requirements for delivering training solutions to the RCN.  

Key NTST Program objectives are:


• To establish and deliver the full spectrum of required naval training capability;
• To develop, implement, and sustain a modernized, agile, and flexible FNTS that produces qualified officers, sailors, teams, and supporting personnel, to meet current and future Defence Policy tasks, and enable operational excellence;
• To establish a balanced and sustainable FNTS organization with a professional training cadre;
• To exploit technical advances in training methodologies, technologies, and digital solutions, and foster a culture of continuous improvement;
• To leverage and integrate deliverables and/or resources from complementary, but separate, acquisition and in-service support projects, initiatives and contracts that are providing training elements and support;
• To reduce overall training costs through economies of scale, rationalize training demand and requirements, reduce the infrastructure footprint, improve staffing efficiencies, and provide adaptive and responsive training;
• To continue complete functioning of the current NTS concurrent with developing the FNTS. This will ensure effective delivery of the day-to-day NTS output, including required training for legacy and modernized platforms, throughout the NTST Program; and   
• To ensure integral readiness for RCN contingency and strategic tasks.





POTENTIAL REQUIREMENT
The Government of Canada intends to examine potential industry involvement in supporting the FNTS. Understanding how industry could best contribute to an FNTS has the potential to inform requirements and therefore early industry engagement is being sought with the FNTS CONOPS.

The FNTS is divided into six major systems and is the basis for the CONOPS. A brief description follows to assist in understanding the full scope of the FNTS:

Governance System: the means by which authority is exercised and direction provided to undertake, coordinate and regulate the activities of the FNTS to achieve its desired outcomes. 


Training Management System: the personnel, processes, tools, and resources needed to design, develop, implement, evaluate, and conduct modern, adaptive and performance-based training.

Training Technologies System: all hardware, software, and digital content needed to develop, conduct, support and verify the complete spectrum of RCN Training. 


Digital Framework (DF) System: all the data and data models, interoperability standards, networks, integrated systems, digital assets, technologies, tools, and common Graphical User Interfaces used and/or integrated with by the FNTS. 

Training Facilities System: this includes all the facilities and building services in which the FNTS will operate. 

Sustainment System: all the in-service support functions required to maintain, and configuration and material manage all products and services in the FNTS throughout its life cycle.


Further background and details on these systems, together with their capability deficiencies, preliminary high-level requirements, and possible solution concepts are provided in the enclosed FNTS CONOPS.

ACCESSIBLE PROCUREMENT
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC)’s goal is to ensure that the goods and services the Government of Canada buys are inclusive by design and accessible by default. Considering accessibility in public procurements is now an obligation in the Treasury Board Contracting Policy and accessibility criteria must be included in the requirements for goods and services, where appropriate.



CONTEMPLATED INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT APPROACH
Canada intends to utilize an Agile Procurement Process (APP) for the NTST Program procurement requirement. The aim of the APP is to more effectively provide industry with time to review and provide feedback on draft documents.  In lieu of the traditional process, whereby Canada would wait to amass documents prior to sharing them with industry via Buy and Sell, the APP will facilitate the releasing of various draft NTST Program documents on an iterative basis.  That is, various draft documents will be shared with industry as and when they become available. 



The objective of the upcoming RFI is to gain insight into current industry capacity and capabilities in order to help the Government of Canada structure a procurement process that facilitates access, encourages competition and results in best value for Canadians. 


Additional information about participating in the Agile Procurement Process will be included in the RFI.

HIGH LEVEL SCHEDULE
The first round of Industry Engagement is anticipated as indicated below and may be adjusted including if it is determined that additional time is required for industry engagement.

Publication of RFI #1  April 6, 2021
Industry Day April 21, 2021
Industry 
One-on-One Sessions June 2021


The FNTS agile procurement is at the beginning of the process; however, the following activities and dates are provided to give industry insight into Canada’s current anticipated timelines.  These timelines and activities are preliminary and are provided to give industry an idea as to the potential length of the process.


Publication of RFI #2 Spring 2022
Interim Sustainment Contract(s)
Publication of RFP Winter 2023
Contract Award Summer 2023
Long Term Sustainment Contract(s)
Publication of Invitation to Qualify (ITQ) 2024
Publication of RFP 2025
Contract Award 2026

The High Level Schedule is intended to provide the current possible (or notional) timeline. As more information becomes available, the schedule will be updated to reflect new dates, length of activities and project milestones. The schedule may be adjusted including if it is determined that additional time is required for industry engagement. 


SECURITY REQUIREMENT
Security requirements associated with the upcoming Agile Procurement Process (APP) will be defined following further internal and industry consultations. 

CONTRACT DURATION
The contract period will be defined following further internal and industry consultations. 


NUMBER OF CONTRACTS: 
The number of contracts (if any) will be defined following further internal and industry consultations. 


PWGSC CONTRACTING AUTHORITY
Name: Harold McKenny
Public Works and Government Services Canada 
Major Projects Procurement Directorate 
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
10 Wellington Street, 4th Floor
Gatineau, Quebec, Canada K1A 0S5
Email address: TPSGC.PAFSIN-APFNTS.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

ENQUIRIES
All enquiries and other communications regarding this NPP and associated industry engagement activities must be submitted exclusively to the Contracting Authority.


This PWGSC office provides procurement services to the public in both official languages.

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.