Microwave Communications Systems Upgrade - Canadian Coast Guard (CCG)

Trade Agreement: Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
Tendering Procedures: All interested suppliers may submit a bid
Competitive Procurement Strategy: Best Overall  Proposal
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: Yes
Nature of Requirements: 

Amendment history:
Amd 001: To publish questions and answers (Q&As) from potential bidders.
Amd 002: To postpone solicitation closing date to 2018-08-29 2:00PM PDT.
Amd 003: To publish Q&As, minutes from Bidder's Conference, and revisions to the solicitation documents

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SUMMARY


1.2.1  To provide engineering design, testing, supply, and installation services for the upgrade and betterment of Microwave Communications Systems to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), in accordance with the requirement detailed herein.

All work will be performed on an "as and when requested" basis in accordance with the Task Authorization process detailed herein.

The CCG in Western Region provides Marine Communications and Traffic Services along the coast of British Columbia. This is done primarily through VHF radio, along with supporting technologies including cameras, DF, AIS and RADAR. Whether it’s day-to-day vessel traffic coordination or distress call monitoring and response, two MCTS Centres, located in Prince Rupert and Victoria, manage all of the marine communications in the Western Region. 

Due to the remote and mountainous nature of the BC coastline, the majority of the communications backhaul from CCG peripheral radio sites to the MCTS centres utilizes CCG’s private microwave radio network, with the remaining links using DS0 circuits leased through major carrier networks.

The Coast Guard’s radio communications network is faced with microwave radio equipment obsolescence, outdated transport methods, insufficient capacity issues as well as unreliable/insufficient/expensive land lines.

The CCG in Western Region maintains (4) independent microwave radio networks containing a total of thirty (30) backhaul microwave radio links.  All are in need of replacement. In addition, the CCG and is looking to interconnect these four (4) independent networks, and some of its remaining sites served by leased lines, by adding up to approximately thirty (30) proposed new microwave radio links in the Western Region (in joint collaboration with RCMP) and approximately five (5) new links in the Atlantic Region.

It is the CCG’s intent to replace these obsolete existing equipment, antenna systems and land lines with new modern TDM/IP radios while also expanding CCG’s existing microwave radio network within the Western Region to meet CCG’s current and future requirements for IP, bandwidth, reliability and security.  The CCG will be specifically looking for carrier-grade microwave radio solutions of high power that can deliver more throughput and reliability over longer hops, utilizing smaller antennas, while maintaining the highest quality and security standards available.

This contract will focus on Microwave Radios & Antenna Systems only.  Supporting infrastructure such as buildings, towers, power generation etc. can be assumed to exist or be supplied by the CCG.

Contractor must be able to provide ‘Turn-Key’ Engineering services for up to approximately fifty (50) existing and new wireless telecommunications links. Services must include, but not be limited to:
a) Wireless transmission engineering and network design
b) Site assessments & site surveys
c) Project management, planning and scheduling for a multi-year phased installation
d) Supply of radio/antenna equipment as specified in the Technical Statement of Requirements (TSOR)
e) Assist with all aspects of the installation of the new system
f) Supply training on new microwave radios and sub-systems
g) Ability to provide full ‘Turn-Key’ engineering services from concept to completion, or any part thereof

NOTE: Although the CCG is asking the Contractor to be capable of providing a Turn-Key solution, the CCG may only require portions thereof, and may do some of the design/installation in-house or working together with the Contractor.  This will be determined after contract award, and during the initial Project Planning stage.

This new radio network must allow for the future migration of CCG’s peripheral VHF radios and site electronics, from analog over TDM, to IP.  As such, the Contractor must provide a hybrid TDM/IP microwave radio to accommodate a seamless migration from our current TDM infrastructure.  Must be ‘NATIVE’ TDM and IP, no pseudo-wire radios.

For this contract to work most effectively, the CCG requires the Contractor must have an in-house ‘Core Team’ of key strategic personnel/employees able to provide continuity year to year in servicing the CCG’s project work and comprised of persons qualified and able to undertake the work described in the SOW.  This ‘Core Team’ must be available for Task Authorizations to the CCG throughout the contract.
a) Project Manager - Wireless Telecom Project authority lead & liaison with CCG Project Authority
b) Senior RF Transmission Engineer - Microwave Network & link design/licencing
c) Assistant RF Transmission Engineer - Microwave Network & link design/licencing
d) Senior RF Technologist - Microwave Radio configuration installation & troubleshooting
e) Senior Tower/Antenna Rigger - Antenna systems Installation and alignment technicians
f) Assistant Tower/Antenna Rigger - Antenna systems Installation and alignment technicians

The Contractor must provide the range of services and supply of equipment identified in the Statement of Work (SOW) and Technical Statement of Requirements (TSOR) for commission within Canada.

The requirement does not offer exchange rate fluctuation risk mitigation.

The responsive bid with the highest combined rating of technical merit and price will be recommended for award of a contract. Canada intends to award only one contract.

1.2.2  The requirement is subject to the provisions of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).

1.2.3  This bid solicitation is to establish a contract with task authorizations (TA) for the delivery of the requirement detailed in the bid solicitation, to the Identified Users across Canada, including areas subject to the following Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements (CLCAs):
- Maa-nulth First Nations Final Agreement 
- Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement
- Tla’amin Final Agreement

1.2.4 There is an optional bidders’ conference associated with this requirement. Consult Part 2 - Bidder Instructions.

1.2.5  The Federal Contractors Program (FCP) for employment equity applies to this procurement; refer to Part 5 - Certifications and Additional Information, Part 7 - Resulting Contract Clauses and the annex titled Federal Contractors Program for Employment Equity - Certification.

1.2.6  This bid solicitation allows bidders to use the epost Connect service provided by Canada Post Corporation to transmit their bid electronically.  Bidders must refer to Part 2 entitled Bidder Instructions, and Part 3 entitled Bid Preparation Instructions, of the bid solicitation, for further information.

1.2.7  The Phased Bid Compliance Process applies to this requirement. Consult Part 4 for more details.

1.2.8  BIDDER’S CONFERENCE  

A bidders' conference will be held at 1230 Government Street, Victoria BC on Wednesday July 25, 2018. The conference will begin at 9:30 AM Pacific Daylight Saving Time (PDT), on the 4th floor in room 402. The scope of the requirement outlined in the bid solicitation will be reviewed during the conference and questions will be answered. It is recommended that bidders who intend to submit a bid attend or send a representative.  

The Bidder’s conference will be presently simultaneously on the Webex platform and teleconference. Arrangements will also be made to allow Bidders to participate by teleconference and WebEx.

Bidders are requested to communicate with the Contracting Authority before the conference to confirm attendance in person or participation via WebEx. Bidders should provide, in writing, to the Contracting Authority, the name(s) of the person(s) who will be attending and a list of issues they wish to table no later than Thursday July 19, 2018 at 2:00 PDT.

Any clarifications or changes to the bid solicitation resulting from the bidders' conference will be included as an amendment to the bid solicitation. Bidders who do not attend will not be precluded from submitting a bid.

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It is the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that all amendments issued prior to solicitation closing have been obtained and addressed in the submitted bid.

Bidders intending to submit bids should obtain solicitation documents from the Government Electronic Tendering System (GETS) at https://buyandsell.gc.ca/procurement-data/tenders. Amendments, when issued, will be available on GETS. Bidders basing their submissions on solicitation documents obtained from other sources do so at their own risk.

For further information, please refer to the solicitation documents.

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

Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.