Support for machine learning research and development

Trade Agreement: Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Competitive Procurement Strategy: Best Overall  Proposal
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 

Support for machine learning research and development 

Background and Objectives

Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) - Valcartier Research Centre (VRC) has a requirement for support in the field of machine learning to develop data processing tools for various Science and Technology (S&T) projects. 

The work to be done by the Contractor will involve providing scientific and engineering capabilities in the field of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL). For example, the Contractor may be required to support the development and validation of advanced image, video and text processing algorithms. The complexity of the tasks will vary according to projects requirements.

Scientific and engineering capability in the following fields is required: 1) data acquisition; 2) data labelling; 3) model development; 4) verification and validation; and 5) solution deployment.

Additional Information

The organization for which the services are to be rendered is Defence Research and Development Canada - Valcartier (DRDC - Valcartier).

Period of the contract

The period of the contract is for the award of the contract for a period of sixty (60) months inclusive.

There is no security requirement applicable to the Contract.

This requirement is subject to the provisions of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).

The requirement is limited to Canadian goods and/or services.

The Federal Contractors Program (FCP) for employment equity applies to this procurement; refer to Part 5 - Certifications and Additional Information, Part 7 - Resulting Contract Clauses and the annex titled Federal Contractors Program for Employment Equity - Certification.

Defence Research and Development Canada - Valcartier has determined that any intellectual property rights arising from the performance of the Work under the resulting contract will belong to Canada.

Following this Request for Proposal, Canada intends to award two (2) Contracts :

The responsive bid with the lowest evaluated price will be recommended for award of Contract /001; and

The responsive bid with the second lowest evaluated price will be recommended for award of Contract /002. 

If only one responsive bid is received, then a single contract will be awarded.

The work will be carried out on an "as and when requested basis" using a Task Authorization (TA).

The estimated amounts of available funding for this Contract are :

 • Contract/001: $ 3,000,000.00 Applicable Taxes extra.

 • Contract/002: $ 2,000,000.00 Applicable Taxes extra.

 • If only one contract is awarded: $ 5,000,000.00 Applicable Taxes extra.
 
In accordance with clause “Minimum Work Guarantee - All the Work - Task Authorizations” of the Contract, Canada's obligation under these Contracts 

 • Contract/001: 10% of the estimated amount of available funding indicated above.

 • Contract/002: 10% of the estimated amount of available funding indicated above.

 • If only one contract awarded: 10% of the estimated amount of available funding indicated above.
 
A contract with Task Authorizations (TAs) is a method of supply for services under which all of the work or a portion of the work will be performed on an "as and when requested basis". Under contracts with TAs, the work to be carried out can be defined but the exact nature and timeframes of the required services, activities and deliverables will only be known as and when the service(s) will be required during the period of the contract. A TA is a structured administrative tool enabling the Crown to authorize work by a contractor on an "as and when requested" basis in accordance with the conditions of the contract. TAs are not individual contracts.

This PWGSC office provides procurement services to the public in their 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.