Semi-automated Soil Greenhouse Gas Sampling System

Trade Agreement: Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Queensland University of Technology
Kelvin Grove Campus
Division of Research and Commercial
Level 4, 88 Musk Avenue
Australia
4059
Nature of Requirements: 

Title: Semi-automated Soil Greenhouse Gas Sampling System

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

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), on behalf of its client, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), would like to establish a contract in order to obtain a Semi-automated soil greenhouse gas sampling system from Queensland University of Technology. 

As part of its Living Laboratories program Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) will be measuring the climate change mitigation potential of various current farming practices in the Lac St-Pierre watershed in south-central Quebec. Because of the distances involved in sampling, AAFC is looking to purchase an autonomous system for collecting gas samples that can be used to estimate greenhouse gas fluxes from a number of different treatments with limited human involvement.

3. CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF THE STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES (Minimum Essential Requirements)

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that its product meets the requirements of the requirement and that it includes the following components and/or specifications:

1.Each chamber must be controlled individually (for opening, closing and sampling);
2.All electronics need to be in weather-proof compartment, and must be able to function when outside air temperatures range from -5 to 40°C;
3.Chambers must meet standards for static, non-flow through, non-steady state soil GHG measurement chambers (e.g. appropriate collar design [stainless steel flange on base and chamber with rubber seal] and chamber geometry, etc);
4.Must use a push-in collar (minimum depth: 10 cm) made of stainless steel (minimum 2 mm);
5.Chamber heights must be between 15 and 20 cm;
6.The chamber must be insulated, or with reflective covering (e.g. aluminum/rubber composite lid powder coated white to reflect heat) to limit changes in headspace air and underlying soil temperature;
7.The chambers must include properly sized vent tubes (4 mm ID; and between 20 to 45 cm length) on the side of the chamber;
8.Must be air tight when closed;
9.Chambers should be portable (less than 18 kg each), allowing AAFC staff to move them to different sites, but heavy-duty enough to handle the Quebec spring/summer/autumn;
10.The system must be able to function autonomously (i.e. no mains power), with the ability to close and seal eight or more chambers for up to one hour before re-opening the same chambers. While closed, the system must also be able to draw three to four 20 ml gas samples from the enclosed headspace of each chamber, and inject these samples into 12ml pre-evacuated Exetainers;
11.After the gas sample is injected into the Exetainer, the gas samples (Exetainers) must be stored in a manner that keeps them safe, secure and leak-free for up to one month at a time;
12.The system must be able to hold a minimum of 240 Exetainers (12 ml);
13.The system must be based on a design that has been used previously to collect headspace samples and determine greenhouse gas fluxes;
14.Supplier must provide evidence of prior fabrication of a working system;
15.The system needs to have its own control panel / box, power source (i.e. solar panel 40W or greater) and eight (minimum) chambers. The power source must provide sufficient power to open/close chambers, and pump the air samples and inject them into the Exetainers;
16.Delivery must be made to AAFC-AAC in Quebec City, Canada (2560 Hochelaga Boulevard Quebec, Quebec G1V 2J3);
17.An operation and maintenance manual must be provided with the equipment, ideally in French, otherwise in English: 2 hard copies or the electronic version. A parts list including consumable supplies and accessories should also be provided;
18.Complete training must be given in either English or French, to up to four (4) users. The training must last at least two (2) hours and must include the following items but not be limited to: maintenance, use and operation of devices and programming. Training must be conducted either at AAFC's location or conducted virtually; and  
19.Remote technical support (i.e. over phone or Zoom) must be made available for a period of at least one year.

Quantity required: 1 

4. APPLICABILITY OF THE TRADE AGREEMENT(S) TO THE PROCUREMENT

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements:

- Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)

5. GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS REGULATIONS EXCEPTION

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

6.EXCLUSIONS AND/OR LIMITED TENDERING REASONS

The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the (section of the trade agreement(s) specified):

Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)

Chapter Five - Government Procurement
Article 513: Limited Tendering
1. Subject to paragraphs 2 and 3, and provided that it does not use this provision for the purpose of avoiding competition among suppliers or in a manner that discriminates against suppliers of any other Party or protects its own suppliers, a procuring entity may use limited tendering in the following circumstances:
(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.
 
7. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

Queensland University of Technology is the only entity that has fabricated and tested a system that is capable of autonomous sampling of soil greenhouse gas fluxes using a small 40W solar panel as its sole power source.

Queensland University of Technology manufactures the Semi-automated Soil Greenhouse Gas Sampling System,which combine all the unique and essential characteristics required by AAFC. Consequently, in accordance with government contracting policy, it is proposed that a contract be awarded to Queensland University of Technology, which is to our knowledge, the only firm capable of supplying the equipment.

8. OWNERSHIP OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

No intellectual property rights will arise from the performance of the work under this Contract.

9. PERIOD OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT OR DELIVERY DATE

The equipment must be delivered no later than fourteen (14) weeks following the contract award.

10. NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

Queensland University of Technology
Kelvin Grove Campus
Division of Research and Commercialisation
Level 4, 88 Musk Avenue,
Kelvin Grove QLD 4059

11. APPROXIMATIVE VALUE

Between $35,000.00 and $45,000.00 CAD.

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.

13. CLOSING DATE FOR A SUBMISSION OF A STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES 

The closing date and time for acceptation statements of capabilities is on February 22, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.  EST.

14. INQUIRIES AND SUBMISSION OF STATEMENTS OF CAPABILITIES

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to: 
    
Name:         Julie Carbonneau
Title:        Procurement Agent
Telephone:    (418) 929-6780
Email:        Julie.carbonneau@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.