Certifiable Airworthy Network Interface Card (CANIC)

Trade Agreement: Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited
to bid
Attachment: None
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Interchangeable Parts
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Edgewater Computer Systems, Inc.
1125 Innovation Drive
Ottawa Ontario
Canada
K2K3G6
Nature of Requirements: 
Certifiable Airworthy Network Interface Card (CANIC)


W7714-135761/A
Davidson(sv), Linda
Telephone No. - (819) 956-1367 
Fax No. - (819) 997-2229


1. Advanced 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.  Canadian Content

The level of Canadian Content has been set at 80%, with
competition 'solely limited' to firms meeting the Canadian
Content requirement.

3. Definition of requirement

The Department of National Defence (DND) has a requirement for
development, testing, environmental qualification,
certification, production and delivery of ten (10) Certifiable
Airworthy Network Interface Cards (CANIC) circuit card
assemblies (CCA).  The CANIC Procurement Requirement
Specification (PRS) defines the specific hardware and software
functional and performance requirements such that the CANIC CCA
possesses physical and functional characteristics that are
appropriate for an airborne avionics environment.

Under the CANIC, Technology Demonstration Project (TDP), DND
sponsored the development and demonstration of a broad-band
aircraft data bus technology that allows high bandwidth signals
to be coupled to existing STANAG 3838 aircraft wiring without
interfering with legacy communications. The technology affords a
two orders-of-magnitude increase in data throughput without
costly rewiring of the legacy aircraft. The contract was based
on a foundation of CAN/US Research and Development (R&D) by
Edgewater Computer Systems Inc. (ECSI), Ottawa, Ontario with
ECSI successfully delivering four Technology Readiness Level 6
(TRL) interface cards. Significant independent testing by DND
and partner The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) nations
have successfully confirmed the CANIC conformance with the
contract specification.

In parallel with the CANIC TDP, DND has been leading the
development and validation of a broad-band real-time databus
standard (STANAG 7221) in conjunction with Australia, Germany,
United Kingdom and the United States. The STANAG is considered
crucial to Weapon Systems Managers as it provides a reference to
which future interface cards can be manufactured.

4. 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 following
requirements:

1. 	Bidder must demonstrate that they possess significant
experience analyzing and implementing high speed (70Mb or
higher) networks suitable for aerospace applications. Experience
MUST be demonstrated by: - providing a brief description of the
experience(s), project(s); - providing name of client(s) the
service was provided for; - providing reference name and phone
number; - providing  the starting and finishing date of the
service provided to the client(s),         and - Demonstrating
the implementation results in a representative aerospace        
              environment. 
2. 	Bidder must demonstrate that they possess significant
experience in researching, analyzing and implementing high
integrity (10-12 bit error rate or lower) networks suitable for
aerospace applications.  Experience MUST be demonstrated by: -
providing a brief description of the experience(s), project(s);
- providing name of client(s) the service was provided for; -
providing reference name and phone number; - providing  the
starting and finishing date of the service provided to the
client(s), and - Demonstrating the implementation results in a
representative aerospace                      environment. 
3. 	Bidder must demonstrate that they possess significant
experience in researching, analyzing and implementing high speed
and high integrity networks implemented over legacy MIL-STD-1553
networks in a non-interference basis suitable for aerospace
applications.  Experience MUST be demonstrated by: - providing a
brief description of the experience(s), project(s); - providing
name of client(s) the service was provided for; - providing
reference name and phone number; - providing  the starting and
finishing date of the service provided to the client(s),       
and - Demonstrating the implementation results in a
representative aerospace environment. 
4. 	Bidder must demonstrate that they have successfully
demonstrated their technology in an actual aircraft, either in a
ground or in an airborne environment. The Technology MUST be
demonstrated by: - providing a brief description of the
demonstration(s), project(s); - providing name of client(s) the
service was provided for; - providing reference name and phone
number; - providing  the starting and finishing date of the
service provided to the client(s),        and - presenting
satisfactory demonstration results.  



5. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement: 

Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)

6. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The United States Air Force (USAF) developed under Contract an
open standard, MIL-STD 1553 B Notice 6, which enables on-board
communications at rates up to 200 Mbps without rewiring the
aircraft while still allowing legacy 1553 B Notice 2/4
communications. MIL-STD 1553 B Notice 6 is the only standard
that will allow on-board communications without rework of the
aircraft. Furthermore, while seeking to upgrade its on-board
communications networks, Canada must remain interoperable with
its allies and in particular the United States. The USAF and US
Office of the Secretary of Defense have committed to deploying
open standard, MIL-STD 1553 B Notice 6 compliant Network
Interface Cards (NICs) within the Enhanced Link-16 program. To
meet the requirements of this program, the MIL-STD 1553 B Notice
6 compliant NICs must be developed within two years. 
Previously, the US, UK and AUS have all purchased a CANIC 1553
prototype kit from Edgewater.  DND has provided letters from the
U.S. DoD indicating that they are seeking partner nation
participation in the development of an 'Enhanced Link-16' which
is enabled by Extended 1553 i.e. Extended 1553 is required for
Enhanced Link-16 to work. Industry opportunities indicated in
these letters refer therefore to broader industry opportunities,
such as testing, integration work for each specific platform,
etc.  

Edgewater Computing Systems Inc (ECSI) is the only company that
has demonstrated a prototype that meets the MIL-STD 1553 B
Notice 6 communication specifications and this prototype has
been validated by tests with the USAF and DND.  

7. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)

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

8. 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:

Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) - Article 506, 12.b

9. Ownership of Intellectual Property.

Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of
the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.

10. The period of the proposed contract 

The proposed contract is for a period of two (2) years.

11. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier:

Edgewater Computer Systems, Inc.
1125 Innovation Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K2K 3G6

12. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available
to provide the 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. The closing date for a submission of a statement of
capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of
capabilities is 14 February 2013 at 2:00 p.m. EST

14. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:

Linda Davidson 
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Acquisitions Branch
Science Procurement Directorate 
Defence Sciences Division
Place du Portage, Phase III, 11C1		
11 Laurier Street				
Gatineau, Québec
K1A 0S5			
E-mail:  linda.davidson@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.