DEGRADED VISUAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH

Trade Agreement: Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
Tendering Procedures: 
Attachment: None
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Elbit Systems Ltd.
P.O.Box 539
Israel
31053
Nature of Requirements: 
File Number: W7714-125562/A
DEGRADED VISUAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT

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.

The Department of National Defence (DND) has a requirement for
the provision of services as specified under "Proposed Work"
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: 

Elbit Systems Ltd.
P.O. Box 539
Haifa
31053
Israel. 

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.

1.0	Background

Maintenance of orientation based on inputs from the visual,
vestibular and somatosensory systems is essential for pilot
safety and mission success.  Of all the sensory systems that are
required for maintaining spatial awareness and orientation,
vision is the predominant input.  Brownout or whiteout is a
situation in which blowing dust or desert sand or snow from
rotor down wash obscure both horizon and terrain features. They
can suddenly hinder overall visibility, and can lead to
undetected drift or bank or even create vection (visually
induced sensation of self motion).  When devoid of vision as in
brownout or whiteout the pilot must transition from VMC (visual
meteorological condition) to IMC (instrument meteorological
condition) flying. Unfortunately, there is also an inherent
delay for the pilot to regain orientation after the transition. 
In addition, the helicopter, by nature is an unstable platform. 
Pilots have to "work" persistently with their controls in order
to gain and maintain stability.  

The fidelity of current helicopter instrumentation is not
sufficient to execute instrument landings in the
low-speed-flight phases (takeoff and landing) where the onset of
brownout or whiteout normally occurs.  In order to fully achieve
the required task, visual cues that will provide drift, height
above terrain (HAT), descent rate, ground speed, attitude,
slope, terrain features, Landing Zone location, obstacle
clearance and moving obstacle detection that are mission related
must be available to ensure control of the aircraft during
landing.

Display of these visual cues has been developed separately along
two approaches, a two-dimensional approach and a
three-dimensional approach.  The US Army Aviation and Missile
Research Development and Experimentation Center (AMRDEC) have
lead the development of the 2-D Brown Out Symbology System
(BOSS), and the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
(Dstl) has invested significantly in the development of a 3-D
"Dust-Off" Low Visibility Landing (LVL) solution (herein termed
"Dust-Off"/DVE).  Under the auspices of The Technical
Cooperation Program (TTCP), a forum for defence science and
technology collaboration between Australia, Canada, New Zealand,
the United Kingdom and the United States, these two technologies
have been closely monitored by DRDC.

Each approach has been evaluated independent of the other and
each has a unique performance and cost factor associated with
it.  Since the CF has a documented deficiency related to the DVE
problem and that both approaches offer potential for
implementation on the CH146 fleet, DRDC has been asked by the
air force to conduct a head-to-head evidence based performance
and human factors evaluation in order to fully appreciate the
technical and human performance differences between the two
approaches.

Given past collaborative activity under TTCP, the US Army AMRDEC
has offered unrestricted access to the (2-D) BOSS symbology set
and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has offered DRDC
access to a DVE scenario configured rotary wing flight
simulator. Also under TTCP, the Dstl facilitated access to the
(3-D) "Dust-Off"/DVE system.  Support to an evaluation was
offered through the provision of the proprietary "Dust-Off"/DVE
software installed on proprietary display generation hardware
that is fully compatible with the current CF AN/AVS-7 symbology
system (acquired under Public Works and Government Services
Canada (PWGSC) Contract W8475-05EB73/001/BB dated 25 November
2004).  

Initial project scoping activities included an assessment of
flight test platform options.  The assessment compared resource,
schedule and technical risk of employing a CF Aerospace
Engineering Test Establishment (AETE) configured CH146 Griffon
versus a modified National Research Council (NRC) Canada
modified Bell 412 helicopter.  The two aircraft are functionally
identical in terms of handling qualities and visual cueing.  It
was determined that the CH146 option was assessed as being
higher risk in all three criteria; therefore, it was recommended
to proceed with testing at NRC.  For the purpose of this work
the CH146 and the NRC Bell 412 are to be considered as
equivalent aircraft.

2.0	Proposed Work

The objective of the work described herein relates to the
contractor hardware and software integration requirements and
technical support for both a simulator based and airborne
(helicopter) based evaluation trial.

Defence Research & Development Canada - Corporate (DRDC
Corporate) will conduct research and development trials to
address the requirement of reducing spatial disorientation and
improving safety of CF rotary wing operations, specifically the
CH146 Griffon, operating in Degraded Visual Environment (DVE)
conditions. The trials will compare two different approaches in
displaying visual cues to the aircrew when encountering DVE
conditions, first in a rotary wing flight simulator and
secondly, in flight employing a representative helicopter. A
two-dimensional (2-D) approach to DVE visual cueing and a
three-dimensional (3-D) conformal approach to DVE visual cueing
will be compared against a current AN/AVS-7 symbology system
which will serve as the control. For the trials, all three
symbology systems will be displayed through a
head-mounted-display that is consistent with the Griffon
airframe.

The aim of the trials is to provide the CF with the
specifications of the most promising symbology system that can
be implemented into current and future CF rotary wing airframes
as a risk mitigation tool when flying in DVE.

The "Dust-Off"/DVE software and display generation hardware will
be made available for loan during trial periods.  DRDC will be
required to pay for the integration engineering and trial
support provided by the contractor.

3.0	Minimum Essential Requirements

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

3.1	Contractor must have a commercially demonstrated and
available three-dimensional (3-D) conformal approach to DVE
visual cueing HMD system with a fully functional interface with
the existing CF ANVIS HUD system.

3.2	Contractor must be able to complete hardware and software
integration and provide technical support for both simulator
based and airborne (helicopter) based evaluation trials for a
CH146 Griffon operating in Degraded Visual Environment (DVE)
conditions.

Canadian Content Policy, will not apply to the future
procurement, should Canada accept a Statement of Capabilities
and result in a follow-on competitive process.

4.0	Justification for the Pre-Selected Supplier

The proposed Contractor, Elbit Systems Ltd., Haifa, Israel is
the only known Supplier that can provide commercially
demonstrated and available three-dimensional (3-D) conformal
approach to DVE visual cueing HMD system with a fully functional
interface with the existing CF ANVIS HUD system.

The Elbit Dust-off/DVE  system is the only 3D system that is
flight test ready to evaluate against the 2D BOSS system via
airborne (helicopter) based evaluation trials for a CH146
Griffon operating in Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) conditions

5.0	Period of Contract

The period of Contract will be from June 2012 to 31 Mar 2014
inclusive.  

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is
$2,100,000.00 (GST/HST extra).

6.0	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
June 26, 2012, 2:00 p.m. EDT.

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:

Kent Cummings
Supply Team Leader 
Defence Sciences Division
Science Procurement Directorate
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Place du Portage, Phase III, 11C1
11 Laurier Street
Gatineau (Hull), Québec
K1A 0S5

TEL.: 819-956-1904
FAX: 819-997-2229
E-MAIL: kent.cummings@pwgsc.gc.ca

7.0	Policy Considerations

This requirement is consistent with the following:

Government Contracts Regulations (ref.: Article 6.d), which
states that only one person or firm, is capable of performing
the work;

Agreement on International Trade (AIT) (ref.: Article 506.12.b):
where there is an absence of competition for technical reasons
and the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular
supplier and no alternative or substitute exists;

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) does not apply to
this procurement; and

World Trade Organization- Agreement on Government Procurement
(WTO-AGP) does not apply to this procurement.


8.0	Set-aside under the Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal
Business

The Set-aside under the Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal
Business does not apply to this procurement.

9.0	Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement(s)

This procurement is not subject to any Comprehensive Land Claims
Agreements.

10.0	Ownership of Intellectual Property.

Canada intends to retain ownership of any Foreground
Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract on
the basis that the main purpose of the contract is :1) to
generate knowledge and information for public dissemination and
2.) where the Foreground consists of material subject to
copyright, with the exception of computer software and all
documentation pertaining to that software.

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.