Surveillance of Space 2 RFI

Trade Agreement: NONE
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: 

Amendment 008
This amendment serves to publish a presentation from the 2020 Military Space Situational Awareness conference.

Amendment 007
This amendment serves to extend the RFI period to October 14, 2020.

Amendment 006
This amendment serves to publish the Summary of Feedback and Outcomes document.

Amendment 005
This amendment serves to extend the RFI period to September 30, 2020.

Amendment 004
This amendment serves to extend the RFI to September 10, 2020.

Amendment 003
This amendment serves to extend the RFI period to June 30, 2020.

Amendment 002
This amendment serves to:
1 - Publish questions asked by vendors and answers provided by Canada; and,
2 - Extend the RFI period to April 30, 2020.

Amendment 001
This amendment serves to advise industry that RFI responses are requested in writing.

GENERAL

This industry consultation process seeks information from industry on its interest, capacity and ability to produce and deliver the systems that meet the requirements for the Department of National Defence Surveillance of Space 2 (SofS 2) project. This industry consultation process provides industry the opportunity to provide feedback in the development and refinement of the requirement, including the proposed technical requirement, the procurement strategy and methods of leveraging economic benefit for Canada. 

The information gathered through this industry consultation process may be used by Canada to assist in the development of a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the implementation of the SofS 2 procurement. As such, the requirement may be revised pending alternate solutions and discussions that take place during all industry engagement processes.

BACKGROUND

The Canadian Armed Forces rely heavily on space-based assets to conduct operations. The space environment is increasingly congested due to the dramatic increase in commercial and other satellites and debris. Potential adversaries also possess increasingly sophisticated anti-satellite weapons. In the context of this environment, access to Space Situational Awareness (SSA) helps ensure the security and integrity of national space-based capabilities, the awareness of space threats to Canadian territory, and support to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations worldwide. In 2013, the Department of National Defence (DND) and the CAF launched their first military satellite, Sapphire, a Space Based Optical (SBO) sensor that provides valuable Space Situational Awareness to both Canada and its allies. SSA products allow Canada to accurately assess the orbital positions and projected paths of our space assets. 

Surveillance of Space 2 (SofS 2) offers Canada the opportunity to build on the performance of Sapphire and to continue Canada’s status as a valuable contributor to the US owned and operated Space Surveillance Network (SSN) and enjoy guaranteed access to the SSN. Canada has previously released a Request for Information (RFI) (file number W8474-187639/A) to buyandsell.gc.ca that sought vendor feedback on solutions for a Space Situational Awareness (SSA) capability that could include Space Based Optical (SBO) Sensors, Ground Based Optical (GBO) Sensors, or a combination of the two. The SofS 2 project solution selected now includes both GBO and SBO Sensor segments, which may be subject to separate procurement processes and implementation timelines. An RFI specific to the GBO requirement (file number W8474-207923/A) has since been posted on buyandsell.gc.ca: 
https://buyandsell.gc.ca/procurement-data/tender-notice/PW-ST-047-36767

REQUIREMENT

Please refer to the new RFI document, located in the Solicitation Documents linked below, for details.

FAIRNESS MONITOR

Vendors are advised that the services of a Fairness Monitor have been engaged in support of the engagement and procurement process stages. The Fairness Monitoring Program provides client departments, government suppliers, Parliament and Canadians with independent assurance that Public Services and Procurement Canada conducts its activities in a fair, open and transparent way. Additional information can be found at: http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/se-fm/index-eng.html

INDUSTRIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL BENEFITS

The Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy, including Value Proposition, may apply to this procurement. For more information about the ITB Policy, please visit www.canada.ca/itb.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

In order to participate in the Industry Engagement process, potential respondents must return a signed copy of the Rules of Engagement provided in notice W8474-187639/A to the Contracting Authority indicated below via email. Document distribution will follow a green procurement approach and utilize electronic distribution as appropriate.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: ENGAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

This RFI seeks to update industry on the project schedule, the High Level Mandatory requirements, and the proposed procurement process. Canada also wishes to solicit feedback on the aforementioned items. Please refer to the new RFI document, located in the Solicitation Documents linked below, for details. Responses to this RFI are requested on or before February 20, 2020; timely responses are requested to support Canada’s decision making process. E-mail responses will be accepted.

Submission of a response to this RFI is not required in order to submit a response to any follow-on RFP.

ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS

Canada is willing to schedule one-on-one meetings with industry to discuss the proposed procurement processes for the SBO requirement. Meetings will be held at a location within the National Capital Region. These meetings will be recorded and a summary of information discussed, as well as any questions received and answers provided by Canada, will be published on buyandsell.gc.ca. To schedule a meeting, please contact the contracting authority listed below.

Participation in one-on-one meetings is not required in order to submit a response to any follow-on Request for Information or potential Request for Proposal, as applicable.

ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

Additional Industry Engagement activities may occur at a later date, and may include the review of draft solicitation documents such as Terms and Conditions, Evaluation Plans, Economic Benefit plans, Technical Documentation and/or Statements of Work.  

Throughout the engagement, Canada will accept questions from industry to discuss specific issues, solutions and/or to revise and refine the requirements. A running list of questions received from industry and answers provided by Canada will be maintained and will be posted directly on buyandsell.gc.ca. While representatives of Canada will be aware of which vendors posed which questions, no identifiers will be provided publicly to industry. All questions and answers will be reviewed by members of Canada’s technical, procurement and economic benefit teams, as well as by the Fairness Monitor prior to distribution. 

Following the completion of the industry engagement activities, a Summary of Findings and Outcomes document, which will provide an overview of all engagement activities that took place, will be posted on buyandsell.gc.ca.

NOTES TO INTERESTED FIRMS

This Industry Engagement process is not a bid solicitation and a contract will not result from this process.

Potential respondents are advised that any information submitted to Canada in response to this Industry Engagement process may be used by Canada in the development of a subsequent competitive RFP. 

The issuance of this Industry Engagement process does not create an obligation for Canada to issue a subsequent RFP, and does not bind Canada legally or otherwise, to enter into any agreement or to accept any suggestions from organizations. Canada reserves the right to accept or reject any or all comments received.

Participation in this Industry Engagement process is not a condition or prerequisite for participation in any RFP(s).

Companies participating in this Industry Engagement process should identify any submitted information that is to be considered as either company confidential or proprietary.

All enquiries and other communications related to this Industry Engagement process shall be directed exclusively to the Contracting Authority.

CONTRACTING AUTHORITY

All enquiries and other communications related to this Industry Engagement process shall be directed in writing as follows:

Alan Chan
Public Services and Procurement Canada
Procurement Branch
10 Wellington St.
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0S5

TEL: 613-858-9358
E-mail: alan.chan@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.

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.