MEOSAR PROJECT

Trade Agreement: Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited
to bid
Attachment: None
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Com Dev Ltd
155 Sheldon Drive
Cambridge Ontario
Canada
N1R7H6
Nature of Requirements: 
Advance Contract Award Notice

PWGSC File Number: W8474-12MS01/A
Contracting Officer: Alan Chan
Telephone Number: (819) 956-1691
Fax Number: (819) 997-2229
Email Address: alan.chan@pwgsc.gc.ca

The Department of National Defence (DND) has a requirement for
the provision of services as specified under "Background" below.
The purpose of this Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) is to
signal the government's intention to award a contract for these
services to COM DEV Ltd., Cambridge, Ontario. Before awarding a
contract, however, the government would like to provide other
suppliers with the opportunity to demonstrate that they are
capable of satisfying the requirements set out in this Notice,
by submitting a statement of capabilities during the 15 calendar
day posting period.

If other potential suppliers submit a statement of capabilities
during the 15 calendar day posting period that meet the
requirements set out in the ACAN, the government will proceed to
a full tendering process on either the government's electronic
tendering service or through traditional means, in order to
award the contract.

If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a
statement of capabilities meeting the requirements set out in
the ACAN, a contract will be awarded to the pre-selected
supplier.

Background

Canada's involvement in the MEOSAR project stems from its
participation in the international COSPAS-SARSAT Programme
(C-S).  Canada, France, Russia and the USA are signatories to
the International COSPAS-SARSAT Programme Agreement (ICSPA)
where they have agreed to collectively provide the space segment
to the Programme.

Since its inception, C-S has relied on Low Earth Orbiting (LEO)
satellites and more recently geostationary (GEO) satellites to
detect and locate emergency beacons.  These systems work well
but have important limitations. To overcome these limitations,
C-S has begun exploring the use of Medium Earth Orbiting (MEO)
based satellite systems to provide instantaneous alerts and
locations. 

Based on the agreement with other C/S countries, Canada has
provided Low Earth Orbit Search And Rescue Repeaters (LEOSARRs)
to the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) system from the outset and since
the life cycle for the LEOSAR is coming to the end, Canada is
now focusing to provide SARRs to the future Medium Earth Orbit
(MEO) system. While a proposed MEOSARR will be hosted on USAF,
GPS III satellites exists, Canada is constraint by the tight
Schedule of the GPS III satellite schedule and it is the only
opportunity available for replacing the out-dated system before
the end of their life cycles.

Proposed Work

The current MEOSAR payload technology is at technical readiness
level 5 (TRL-5).  The proposed Contractor is required to produce
a repeater prototype by progressing up on the TRL on September
2015 and produce technical documents to the US GPS III
Constellation counterpart at two specific timeframes (June 13,
2013 and January 2014).

Minimum Essential Requirements

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement
of capabilities that it meets the following requirements: 

1.1 Space hardware design and building experience
1.1.1 The Contractor must have at least 5 years experience in
designing, manufacturing, and testing space qualified hardware
within the last 10 years.

1.2 Radio Frequency (RF) design and building experience
1.2.1 The Contractor must have at least 5 years experience in
designing and manufacturing RF components for space environment,
Ultra-High Frequency (UHF), L-Band and hybrid within the last 10
years.

1.3 Space qualified repeater technology
1.3.1 The Contractor must have at least 5 years experience,
within the last 10 years, in designing and building
space-qualified repeater technology for search and rescue. The
Contractor must also have experience in prototype, and design up
to at least a Technology Readiness Level 5 (TRL-5). 

1.4 Experience in the provision of technical documents related
to Search And Rescue Repeater (SAR) intruments designed and
manufatured for integration onto a satellite platform.
1.4.1 The Contractor must have experience providing technical
documents related to SAR repeater intruments designed and
manufactured for integration onto a satellite platform.  The
work must have been led to the placement of a SAR instrument in
the austere environment of space and contributed to the success
of an operational SAR satellite system.  

1.5 United States (US) Interagency Forum for Operational
Requirements (IFOR)
1.5.1 The Contractor shall be able to meet the US Government
security certification process by Contract Award.

Canadian Content Policy will apply to the future procurement
should Canada has accepted the Statement of Capabilities, and
results in a follow-on competitive process.

Justification for the Pre-Selected Supplier

The proposed Contractor, COM DEV Ltd., Cambridge, ON, is the
only known Canadian supplier actively engaged in the development
of a MEOSAR repeater.  As a result of the work completed on the
Galileo Advanced Concepts (GAC) program and MEOSAR EQM Contract,
COMDEV has an established MEOSAR repeaters design which, after
an initial feasibility assessment, has been found to be
compatible with the COSPAS-SARSAT technical and operational
requirements at a TRL-5.  

They are also the only known Canadian company with the
capacities of meeting DND's requirement for a qualified vendor
with Interagency Forum for Operational Requirement (IFOR).

COM DEV also maintains relevant search and rescue technology and
design heritage from 20 years of previous experience in LEOSAR.
The level of expertise, the availability of skilled personnel,
equipment and test facilities, as well as the network of
contacts they have developed across Canada place COMDEV in a
unique position to complete the project within the required
timeframe and budget.

Period of Contract

The period of Contract will be from June 2012 to September 2015
inclusive.

Inquiries and Submission of Statements of Capabilities

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available
to meet the specified requirements may submit a statement of
capabilities, in writing, to the Contracting Authority
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 closing date for accepting statements of capabilities is May
17th, 2012, 2:00 p.m. EDT.

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:

Alan Chan
Space Science and Communication Division
Services and Specialized Acquisitions Management Sector
Acquisitions Branch
11C1, Phase III - Place du Portage
11 Laurier Street
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0S5

Telephone: (819) 956-1691
Facsimile: (819) 997-2229
E-mail: alan.chan@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.