ACAN - COULOMETRIC DISSOLVED INORGANIC CARBON ANALYSIS SYSTEM
WITH INTEGRAL ACIDIFICATION

Trade Agreement: NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with Peru/Colombia/Panama
Tendering Procedures: 
Attachment: None
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
UIC INC
PO BOX 863
1225 CHANNAHON RD
JOLIET Illinois
United States
60434
Nature of Requirements: 
ACAN - COULOMETRIC DISSOLVED INORGANIC CARBON ANALYSIS SYSTEM
WITH INTEGRAL ACIDIFICATION

F1688-130032/A
Kobenter, Hélène
Telephone No. - (250) 363-3404 (    )
Fax No. - (250) 363-3344


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, 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

The Cultus Lake Salmon Research Laboratory of Fisheries and
Oceans Canada (DFO) in Cultus Lake, BC Canada has a requirement
for one autonomous coulometric inorganic carbon analyzer for the
analysis of freshwaters in British Columbia. The analyzer will
replace current manual titrimetric analyses and meet DFO's need
to increase sample analytical capacities while reducing
laboratory labour, operating and waste disposal costs.

The equipment will primarily be used for routine and rapid
assessment of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in lake water
samples for monitoring and research applications, and must
possess sufficient analytical range and capability to repeatedly
perform absolute determinations of DIC in a variety of
freshwater samples at high accuracy (< 1.3 % of standard) and
precision (< 0.2% of standard). Minimal standardization and
calibration, rapid sample analysis, and low operating costs for
materials and reagents are also required. 

Direct measurements of inorganic carbon evolved by acidification
to carbon dioxide with coulometric detection is the only method
that meets these requirements. Calculation by difference from
estimation of other carbon constituents carries inherent
compounding of sampling and analytical errors, unnecessary
sample preparation steps, and higher processing times and
material costs for this application.  Alternatively,
non-dispersive infrared detection requires routine instrument
calibration, and is known to exhibit reduced precision, and
difficulty in quantifying analytical accuracy, due to the
inferential, relative nature of the technique.  These aspects of
non-dispersive infrared detection make the technique
inappropriate for this application, as they create uncertainty
in analytical error, and do not address DFO's need to reduce
laboratory labour and operating costs.

The only instrument identified as currently meeting these
requirements is the UIC Inc. CM140 Total Inorganic Carbon
Analyzer (CM5015 CO2 coulometer; CM5230 acidification module;
CM5133 sample introduction kit; CM5090 cell cleaning kit).


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 equipment meets all of the following
minimum mandatory requirements:

3.1  Calibration-free, direct coulometric measurement of DIC by
acidification and analysis of carbon dioxide.

3.2  American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D 513
Standard Test Methods for Total and Dissolved Carbon Dioxide in
Water, Edition 11e1 standard compliant .

3.3  Quantifiable analytical accuracy less than (<) 1.3 % known
standard value.

3.4  Quantifiable analytical precision less than (<) 0.2% of
standard value.

3.5  Analytical detection limit of  0.01 µg carbon or less.

3.6  Autonomous operation (i.e. no computer or other external
control devices required).

3.7 External data transfer via USB key or common memory card
(e.g. compact flash, SD, micro SD).

3.8  Low externally-supplied carrier gas and reagent consumption
rates.

3.9  Sample introduction capacity greater or equal to (> =)
50mL/sample.

3.10  Shipment and on-site installation and training and
warranty serviced provided at the DFO Cultus Lake Salmon
Research Laboratory at Cultus Lake, BC Canada.
	

4.  APPLICABILITY OF THE TRADE AGREEMENTS TO THE PROCUREMENT

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements:
-  Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
-  North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)


5.  SET-ASIDE UNDER THE PROCUREMENT STRATEGY FOR ABORIGINAL
BUSINESS

Not Applicable


6.  COMPREHENSIVE LAND CLAIM AGREEMENT(S)

Not Applicable


7.  JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

It is intended to sole source this requirement to UIC
Incorporated (1225 Joliet, IL USA 60436).  Following extensive
scientific and industry inquiry the UIC Inc. CM140 Total
Inorganic Carbon Analyzer was identified as the only known
instrument on the market to directly measure dissolved inorganic
carbon in aqueous solutions through acidification and carbon
dioxide evolution using coulometry.  This technique produces
absolute and quantifiably accurate and precise measurements of
inorganic carbon dissolved in lake water samples relative to
other techniques.  For reasons of quantifiable accuracy and
precision, rapidity, and the need for routine low-cost analyses,
total carbon analyzers that calculate inorganic carbon by
difference or that utilize non-dispersive infrared detection are
not appropriate for this application.


8.  GOVERNMENT CONTRACT REGULATIONS EXCEPTION(S)

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


9.  EXCLUSIONS AND/OR LIMITED TENDERING REASONS

The following limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:

Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) - 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) - 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"; and


10.  PERIOD OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT OR DELIVERY DATE

All deliverables must be received at Destination in Cultus Lake,
BC Canada V2R 5B6 on or before MARCH 31, 2014 (MANDATORY).


11.  COST ESTIMATE OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT

The estimated value of the contract is CAD $35,000.00,
Applicable Taxes extra.


12.  NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER

UIC, Inc
1225 Channahon Rd.
Joliet, IL 60436
United States


13.  SUPPLIER'S 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.


14.  CLOSING DATE FOR A SUBMISSION OF STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES

The closing date and time for accepting statements of
capabilities is 2014-01-31 at 2:00 PM Pacific Standard Time
(PST).


15.  ENQUIRIES AND SUBMISSION OF STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES

Enquiries and Statements of capabilities are to be directed to: 

Hélène Kobenter
Supply Officer
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Acquisitions Branch 
1230 Government Street, Suite 401
Victoria, British Columbia 
Canada V8W 3X4
Telephone: (250) 363-3404
Facsimile:   (250) 363-3344
Email address: Helene.Kobenter@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca


This PWGSC office provides procurement services to the public in
English.
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.