Lightning Detection Parts & Service

Trade Agreement: WTO-AGP/NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with
Peru/Colombia/Panama
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited
to bid
Attachment: None
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
Vaisala Canada Inc
100-13775 Commerce Parkway
Richmond British Columbia
Canada
V6V2V4
Nature of Requirements: 
Lightning Detection Network Parts and Service

1.	ACAN Explanation

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 Requirement

Environment Canada (EC), Meteorological Service of Canada, has a
requirement to provide real time lightning to support EC's
warning mandate and support a number of key economic sectors in
Canada. The requirement includes the set up of a Standing Offer
in order to continue the upgrade and support of the existing
Canadian Lightning Detection Network (CLDN).  The requirement is
to provide hardware depot maintenance and various network
services on the EC owned CLDN equipment by supplying sensors,
parts, services, and accessories. The Standing Offer will
include the maintenance services, such as hardware maintenance,
preventative maintenance, remedial maintenance, depot
maintenance and replacement parts and components.  The Standing
Offer will be for a two year period with options to extend for
three additional one year periods.

3.	Criteria for Assessment of the Statement of Capabilities

3.1	Minimum Essential Requirements:

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

	Must be able to provide the following data stream elements for
each lightning stroke in near real-time:
o	Always 0 (UALF Type 0)
o	Year  
o	Month  
o	Day
o	Hour
o	Minute
o	Second
o	Nanosecond
o	Latitude (4 decimal places)
o	Longitude (4 decimal places)
o	Peak Current (kA)
o	Multiplicity (zero for stroke)
o	Number of sensors participating in solution
o	Degrees of freedom
o	Ellipse angle from (zero to 180.0 degrees)
o	Ellipse semi-major axis
o	Ellipse semi-minor axis
o	Chi-squared value
o	Rise time
o	Peak-to-zero time
o	Max rate of rise of wave form in kA/micro sec
o	Cloud-Cloud or Cloud-Ground strike
o	Angle information used to establish position
o	Signal information used to establish position
o	Time information used to establish position

	Must be able to perform remote diagnosis on Vaisala LS7000 and
LS7001 sensors.  The LS7000 series can be managed remotely. When
interacting remotely the operator has complete command and
control of the system and must perform functions such as:
o	remote diagnostics of all system boards
o	self tests
o	monitoring performance of the sensor with respect to lightning
detection
o	angle consistency testing
o	signal strength consistency testing
o	gain calibrations
o	threshold management
o	noise recognition
o	GPS timing engine management
o	miscellaneous Command and Control functions
o	remote reset

	Must be able to maintain a ticket system to track sensor, or
communications component failure.  This ticket must be
communicated to EC and updated as required.  The following
information must be included in the message:
o	Vaisala Ticket #.
o	Date and time of failure.
o	Problem description.
o	Site code (Telesat ID).
o	Actions taken by Vaisala.
o	Recommended actions for EC tech.
o	Supplies/spares needed.
o	Site history (if pertinent).
o	Criticality of site to the network.
o	Support contact person's name/phone number.

	Must be able to provide a repair service for the LS7000 and
LS70001 within 30 days of receipt of the repair service order.

	Must be able to deliver new LS7001 sensors (c/w mast and
antenna) within 90 days of receipt of the call-up document.
	
	Must be able to provide radio frequency surveys at existing or
proposed CLDN sites as required.

	Must be able to provide technical operational and maintenance
training for EC Technicians on an as required basis.

	Must be able to provide sensor data quality information and
provide feedback to the EC Life Cycle Manager.
	
	Must be able provide expert advice in the siting new or
relocated sensors within the CLDN


4.	Applicability of Trade Agreements

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements: 
Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement
(WTO-AGP)


5.	Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

Environment Canada requires the continuation of the standing
offer with Vaisala Inc. in order to upgrade and support the
current Canadian Lightning Detection Network (CLDN) to meet
their operational requirements.
 
In the mid-1990's, it was recognized that a national lightning
network in Canada was necessary to support EC's warning mandate
for lightning detection and support a number of key economic
sectors in Canada.  At that time, Vaisala Inc. was recognized as
a world leader in lightning science and detection.  They owned
and operated a national lightning network in the USA (National
Lightning Detection Network) and proposed to EC a detection
system that would seamlessly integrate with their own,
eliminating any boundary issues along the Canada-USA border.  

A contract was therefore awarded to Global Atmospheric Inc. (now
Vaisala Inc.) for the procurement and installation of an 83
sensor network across Canada which became operational in 1998
and called the Canadian Lightning Detection Network (CLDN).  By
collaborating in this fashion, EC acquired a state-of-the-art
lightning detection system for Canada and its clients, that
built upon infrastructure already in place elsewhere (e.g.
24/7/365 operation in the USA, redundant back-up), minimizing
duplication of effort and exploiting economies of scale.  

The purpose of this network was to allow EC to provide enhanced
forecasts and warnings for damaging thunderstorms and to provide
better services to aviation, defense, provincial forest fire,
hydro and other agencies.  This network had to be fully
integrated with the US lightning Detection Network (NLDN) to
ensure adequate coverage south of the Canadian border as a large
number of damaging thunderstorms in southern Canada originate in
the United States.  The US NLDN is owned and operated by Vaisala
Inc., who is the sole manufacturer of the sensors used in the
CLDN.  Furthermore, Vaisala's National Communications and
Control centre is the only facility that can process the
combined CLDN and NLDN sensor data to provide the required
lightning solution information.  

The lightning sensors and downstream components were designed to
operate as an integrated "system", much like a single device or
"black box", working seamlessly 24/7/365.  The components of
this "system cannot be segregated and contracted out to
different suppliers.

Vaisala is the only supplier able to process raw data from the
current suite of Vaisala manufactured sensors.  The raw data
from these sensors is proprietary, encrypted, and protected by
Vaisala's exclusive IP ownership.

Vaisala Inc. is therefore the only known supplier in a position
to meet this requirement.

6.	Government Contracts Regulations Exception

The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations
is invoked for this procurement under subsection 6(d) - "Only
one person or firm is capable of performing the contract."

7.	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 (a), to
ensure compatibility with existing products, to recognize
exclusive rights, such as exclusive licences, copyright and
patent rights, or to maintain specialized products that must be
maintained by the manufacturer or its representative;  (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) - Article 1016.2
(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; 
(d), for additional deliveries by the original supplier that are
intended either as replacement parts or continuing services for
existing supplies, services or installations, or as the
extension of existing supplies, services or installations, where
a change of supplier would compel the entity to procure
equipment or services not meeting requirements of
interchangeability with already existing equipment or services,
including software to the extent that the initial procurement of
the software was covered by this Chapter

World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement
(WTO-AGP) - Article(s) XV (b) when, for works of art or for
reasons connected with protection of exclusive rights, such as
patents or copyrights, or in the absence of competition for
technical reasons, the products or services can be supplied only
by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or
substitute exists;  (d), for additional deliveries by the
original supplier which are intended either as parts replacement
for existing supplies, or installations, or as the extension of
existing supplies, services, or installations where a change of
supplier would compel the entity to procure equipment or
services not meeting requirements of interchangeability with
already existing equipment or services.

8.	Period of the proposed Standing Offer

The proposed standing offer is for a period of two years with
options to extend for three additional one year periods. 

9.	Name and Address of the Pre-Identified Supplier

Name:  	   Vaisala Canada Inc.
Address:  100-13775 Commerce Parkway Richmond, British Columbia
CANADA, V6V 2V4

10.	Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities

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

The closing date and time for accepting statements of
capabilities is 19 November 2013 at 2:00 p.m.

12.	Inquiries and submission of statement of capabilities

Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:
Marian Shaw
Supply Specialist
33 City Centre Drive - Suite 480C
Mississauga, Ontario, L5B 2N5
Telephone: 905-615-2065
Facsimile: 905-615-2060
E-mail:pmarian.shaw@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.