Evaluating the Performance of Highway Embankments on Degraded or
Degrading Permafrost

Trade Agreement: Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
Tendering Procedures: 
Attachment: None
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Government Objectives
Representing Best Interests/Value to Govt
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address: 
The University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba Admin
Rm. 202 Administration Building
Winnipeg Manitoba
Canada
R3T2N2
Nature of Requirements: 
Evaluating the Performance of Highway Embankments on Degraded or
Degrading Permafrost

T8125-120244/A
Valdez Soc, Giselle
Telephone No. - (204) 984-2899 (    )
Fax No. - (204) 983-7796

Requirement:

Requirement for Evaluating the Performance of Highway
Embankments on Degraded or Degrading Permafrost along a section
of the Manitoba Provincial Road (PR) 391.  In previous studies,
instrumentation was installed under the shoulder and toe of the
embankment, while this proposed study will enable the research
team to install additional instrumentation at the centre of the
embankment, and collect data for a period of two years across
the whole section of the embankment. A complete embankment
profile and cross-section will provide the research team with
invaluable research data that could be used in the validation of
their elastic-thermo-viscoplastic (ETVP) numerical soil model,
as well as support future design guides and decision makers
while adapting their transportation infrastructure in permafrost
regions.

The Department of Transport requires the following research
activities to be conducted in support of its objectives:

1.	Expansion of an existing database of field performance with
new data collection occurring at the centre of the embankment in
order to provide a complete profile of the test site's highway
embankment;
2.	Installation of remote monitoring equipment, including
satellite service provider, to facilitate the automatic
collection of data from the site;
3.	Studying the impact of road construction and maintenance
operations on the thermal regime of a highway located in a
region of discontinuous permafrost;
4.	Determination of the influence of vertical groundwater flow
and surface drainage on the performance of the road embankment;
5.	Confirmation of the altered thermal regime in the embankment
due to road construction and maintenance operations;
6.	Investigation of the long-term deformation patterns of the
Manitoba Provincial Road (PR) 391 highway embankment at the test
site. The investigation will focus on the base of the
embankment, in the foundation at the toe, and in the slope;
7.	Examination of the effects of temperature on the
stress-strain characteristics of warming soils, as a result of
climate change, by performing laboratory tests of soil samples
from the test site;
8.	Validation of an ETVP numerical model that includes the
effect of temperature on the viscoelastic behaviour of soil. The
model will be incorporated as an 'add-in' for the GeoStudio
suite of computer software. The GeoStudio suite is a powerful
modelling tool used for geotechnical modelling of both industry
and academia alike. The validation of this tool will assist in
the evaluation and modelling of other highways located in
discontinuous permafrost zones affected by climate change; and
9.	Geophysical investigation of the Manitoba Provincial Road
(PR) 391 test site to obtain continuous soundings across the
section of the highway embankment using electromagnetic surveys.

To fulfill the requirements of this contract, The University of
Manitoba and its representative, Dr. Alfaro, has been selected
as they are the only known contractor that meets all of the
following mandatory qualifications and capabilities:

"	Must be professionally certified with a P.Eng classification
in a Canadian province/territory in the fields of engineering or
geosciences;

"	Must have at least 10 years of technical research experience
in the fields of civil engineering and geosciences, with an
extensive understanding of permafrost and the impacts of its
degradation on Canada's transportation infrastructure; 

"	Must be fluent in either of Canada's official languages;

"	Must have access to sufficient human resources, equipment, and
research capacity to provide the deliverables outlined in the
contract within the stated timeframe;

"	Must be located in Manitoba, or be willing to relocate to this
area to provide the deliverables outlined in contract; 

"	Must have access to a large network of researchers,
practitioners, etc. These networking opportunities could be used
as forums to share research, improve researching capabilities,
and could take the form of networks, research communities, and
permafrost-related workshops, among others.;

"	Must ensure that the data integrity and consistency from a
previous study along a section of the Manitoba Provincial Road
(PR) 391 highway embankment, between University of Manitoba and
Manitoba's Ministry of Transport (MIT), be maintained in any
subsequent data collection and analysis; and,

"	All work completed for this contract should be performed in
accordance with all applicable federal, provincial and municipal
requirements.


Requirement: The Following Deliverables are Required to be Met:

DELIVERABLE 1: Vertical/Horizontal drilling and installation of
instrumentation at test site with results to be shared with
Transport Canada;

DELIVERABLE 2: Installation of remote monitoring equipment to
facilitate automatic collection of data from the test site with
results to be shared with Transport Canada;

DELIVERABLE 3: Geophysical investigation across a section of the
highway embankment at the test site is performed with results to
be shared with Transport Canada;

DELIVERABLE 4: Submit interim report to Transport Canada;

DELIVERABLE 5: Validation of elastic-thermo-viscoplastic (ETVP)
numerical model with results to be shared with Transport Canada;

DELIVERABLE 6: Deliver a presentation of project
results/findings to Transport Canada; and

DELIVERABLE 7: Submit final report to Transport Canada for
approval.

Period of Contract:

From date of award until October 31, 2014.

Estimated Value:

The estimated value of this contract is not to exceed $150,000.00

Trade Agreements:

This procurement is subject to the limited tendering provisions
of the Agreement on Internal Trade as follows:  AIT Article
506.12.a

The following exceptions to the Government Contracts Regulations
are being invoked:  
Part 1, Section 6 (d)


Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available
to provide the services and/or 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.

This PWGSC office serves the public in English.

Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

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with one firm only as identified above. Should you have any
questions concerning this requirement, contact the contracting
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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.

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procurement.

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