Mercury Global Anchor Stations

Trade Agreement: Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Attachment: YES (MERX) Electronic
Competitive Procurement Strategy: Best Overall  Proposal
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Nature of Requirements: 
Mercury Global Anchor Stations and In-Service Support

1. SUMMARY

The Mercury Global project will provide the Department of
National Defence (DND) with assured access to robust global
wideband satellite communications to meet the needs of the
Canadian Forces (CF) in the present and future.

Mercury Global will provide the CF with a secure, reliable and
high availability wideband military X and Ka band communications
space segment via an Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) signed
January 2012 with the US Department of Defense and other
international partners.  This MOU provides the CF with immediate
access to the US Department of Defense's Wideband Global SATCOM
(WGS) satellite constellation. 

The requirements of the Mercury Global Project under this
solicitation are as follows:

1.  Deliver strategic Military X-band and Ka-band SATCOM Anchor
Stations (AS) and associated equipment at three (3) Anchor
Sites. These AS will enable backhaul connectivity into DND's
Information Management Infrastructure from global theatres. 

2.  Deliver SATCOM In-Service Support (ISS) for all AS and
associated equipment, compatible with DND operations in Canada.

It is Canada's intention to issue two (2) separate contracts to
the same organization; one (1) for the Design and Build segment
and one (1) for the In-Service Support segment.

The period of any resulting contract will be for a period not to
exceed two (2) years from Contract Award for work covered by the
Design and Build requirement.

The period of any resulting contract will be for a period of
seven (7) years from Contract Award  for work covered by the
In-Service Support requirement, with the option to extend for
two (2) additional five (5) year periods.

2. TRADE AGREEMENTS

This procurement is not subject to any Comprehensive Land Claim
Agreement (CLCA) nor has it been set-aside for Aboriginal
Business under the federal government's Set-Aside Program for
Aboriginal Business.

The requirement is subject to the provisions of the Agreement on
Internal Trade (AIT).

3. INDUSTRIAL & REGIONAL BENEFITS

This procurement is subject to the Industrial Regional Benefits
(IRB) Policy. The details of each of the IRB requirements are
addressed in the solicitation

4. SECURITY REQUIREMENT

The resulting Contractor must, at all times during the
performance of the Contract, hold a valid Facility Security
Clearance at the level of SECRET, with approved Document
Safeguarding and Production Capabilities at the level of SECRET,
issued by the Canadian Industrial Security Directorate (CISD),
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

The resulting Contractor personnel requiring access to
CLASSIFIED information, assets or sensitive work site(s) must be
a citizen of Canada, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, New Zealand and, the United States and must EACH
hold a valid personnel security screening at the level of
SECRET, granted or approved by CISD/PWGSC.

For additional information, consult Part 6 - Security, Financial
and Other Requirements, Part 7 - Resulting Contract Clauses -
Design and Build and Part 8 - Resulting Contract Clauses -
In-Service Support.  Bidders should consult the "Security
Requirements for PWGSC Bid Solicitations - Instructions for
Bidders"
(http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/lc-pl/lc-pl-eng.html#a31)
document on the Departmental Standard Procurement Documents Web
site."

This procurement is subject to the Controlled Goods Program.

5. CONDIFENDIALITY AGREEMENT

In order to receive a copy of the solicitation package and
associated documents, bidders must sign and return the attached
Confidentiality Agreement to the Contracting Authority
identified below.  Bidders are required to identify their
Security Officer, to whom the solication package will be
distributed.

6. MAXIMUM FUNDING

The maximum funding available for the Design and Build (DAB)
contract resulting from the bid solicitation is $60,000,000.00
(Goods and Services Tax or the Harmonized Sales Tax extra, as
appropriate). Bids valued in excess of this amount will be
considered non-responsive.  This disclosure does not commit
Canada to pay the maximum funding available.

This maximum funding does not apply to the In-Service Support
segment.

7. OPTIONAL SITE VISIT

It is recommended that the Bidder or a representative of the
Bidder visit the work site.  Arrangements have been made for a
tour of the work sites.  The site visits will be held as follows:

CFB Masstown, NS - 15 August 2013 at 08:00 ADT; 
CFB Esquimalt, BC - 19 August 2013 at 08:00 PDT; and
DRDC Shirley's Bay, ON (if reqested).

Bidders will require a Visit Clearance Request (VCR) for all
attendees to visit the identified locations.  Bidders are
responsible for their own VCR through the appropriate
organizations.  A Letter of Invitation with applicable
information will be provided to Bidders.

Bidders must communicate with the Contracting Authority no later
than two (2) business days before the scheduled visit to confirm
attendance and provide the name(s) of the person(s) who will
attend.  Bidders who do not confirm attendance and provide the
name(s) of the person(s) who will attend as required will not be
allowed access to the site.  Bidders will be requested to sign
an attendance form.  Bidders who do not attend or send a
representative will not be given an alternative appointment but
they will not be precluded from submitting a bid.  Any
clarifications or changes to the bid solicitation resulting from
the site visit will be included as an amendment to the bid
solicitation.

8. EVALUATION AND SELECTION METHODOLOGY

Proposals will be evaluated against Mandatory and Point-Rated
criteria.

The responsive bid receiving the highest responsive combined
rating of technical merit and price will be recommended for
award of contract.

9. FAIRNESS MONITOR

Bidders are advised that Canada will be utilizing the services
of a Fairness Monitor throughout the procurement process.

10. CONTRACTING AUTHORITY

The Contracting Authority (or delegated representative) is
responsible for the management of the Request for Proposal and
any resulting Contract.  To ensure the integrity of the
competitive bid process, enquiries and other communications
regarding the Request for Proposal are to be directed ONLY to
the Contracting Authority named below.

Mark Thorsley
Supply Team Leader
Acquisitions Branch
Public Works and Government Services Canada(PWGSC)

Telephone:  (819) 956-1772	 
Fax:  (819) 997-2229
E-mail address:  mark.thorsley@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca






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.