Precipitation Chemistry Bags

Trade Agreement: NAFTA / CFTA / FTAs with Peru / Colombia / Panama / Korea
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Vins Plastics Ltd.
p.o. box 1030
12 industrial court
bradford Ontario
Canada
L3Z2B4
Nature of Requirements: 

Precipitation Chemistry Bags


1. Advance 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. Definition of the requirement 

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Canadian Air and Precipitation Monitoring Network (CAPMoN) requires up to 85,050 contamination-free sample bags which are used to collect, store and ship precipitation samples from remote sites. It is essential that they meet the most stringent contamination protocols during the manufacturing process as concentrations of major ions at trace levels would seriously impact CAPMoN’s ability to interpret environmental data. This data, specifically on acid rain contaminants, is used to determine long term trends in the atmosphere and in assessing the effectiveness of emission control measures. 

3. 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 Precipitation Chemistry Sample Bags meet the following requirements: 

3.1 - The supplier must demonstrate that they have previously, within the last five (5) years, manufactured sample bags used for the collection and transportation of liquid environmental samples weighing up to 4.0 kg;

3.2 - The supplier must be able to demonstrate that they have previously manufactured sample bags designed to collect liquid environmental samples where contamination resulting from the sample bags fall within Environment and Climate Change Canada minimum chemical contamination requirements as described below:

Concentrations of major ions extracted from the sample bags must be: 

i) Cl- <10 ppb; 
ii) NO3-<15 ppb;
iii) SO4= <15 ppb;
iv) Na+<10 ppb;
v) Ca++<10 ppb;
vi) Mg++<6 ppb;
vii) K+<10 ppb; and 
viii) NH4+<20ppb 

When 100 mL of >18 M? deionized water is used to rinse the interior of a sealed bag and allowed to sit at 4 degrees Celsius for 21 days;

3.3 - The supplier must be able to demonstrate that they have the expertise and equipment (with valid non-expired - calibration certificates) required to perform the physical tests (bag weight and Tensile strength) as described in item 3.4 (Specification) of this document. 

The supplier must be able to demonstrate that they have a production facility that allows for the control of particulate matter contamination during production and all manufacturing and handling processes must meet or exceed those used in the production of sample bags for the food industry. The supplier is required to document and execute the steps that will be taken to minimize particle matter adhering to the sample bags before (setting up the clean environment) and during the manufacturing process. In addition, the supplier must be willing to execute additional particulate matter control measures that will be prescribed by ECCC based on what has worked in the past such as draping all manufacturing areas to control dust, cleaning floors, machinery including machine body, machine rollers and hoppers with pre-provided (by ECCC) de-ionized water and Kimwipes (low particulate matter laboratory grade tissues) before and during manufacturing process.

3.4 - Specifications:

- Bag mean weight must be between 72 grams to 76 grams with standard deviation less than 2 grams. 
- Must include an outer (polyester film) and inner (virgin Polyethylene with no other substitutions) laminates to be laminated together using alcohol primer; and
- Tensile strength of side and bottom seals must be equal to or greater than 6500 grams per 2.54 cm of seal. 

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

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s):

a. Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
b. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier 

The only known supplier of Precipitation Chemistry Sample Bags meeting all the above required technical specifications is Vins Plastics Limited. For this reason it is proposed to negotiate this requirement with Vins Plastics Limited.  

6. 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". 

7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons 

The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:  

• Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) - Article 513 (b):

If the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute goods or services exist for any of the following reasons:

(ii) the protection of patents, copyrights, or other exclusive rights; 

(iii) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons; 

(v) to ensure compatibility with existing goods, or to maintain specialized goods that must be maintained by the manufacturer of those goods or its representative; 
 

• North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - Article1016 (b)

“ where, for works of art, or for reasons connected with the protection of patents, copyrights or other exclusive rights, or proprietary information or where there is an absence of competition for technical reasons, the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists.”

8. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date 

The firm requirement of 135 boxes must be delivered on or before March 31, 2018. 

The optional requirement one for 135 boxes, if exercised must be delivered by March 31, 2020. 

The optional requirement two for 135 boxes, if exercised must be delivered by March 31, 2022.  

9. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier 

Vins Plastics Limited.
P.O. BOX 1030,
Bradford, ON  L3Z 2B4
Canada 

10. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities 

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction 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.

11. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities 

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is January 08, 2018 at 2:00 p.m EST. 

12. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities are to be directed to:

Hussain Noor 
Supply Officer
33 City Centre Drive, Suite 480-C
Mississauga, ON L5N 3C2 
Telephone: 905-615-2077
E-mail:  Hussain.Noor@pwgsc-tpsgc.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.