Advance Procurement Notice
NORAD Northern Basing Infrastructure (NNBI)
Forward Operating Locations (FOL) Inuvik and Yellowknife (with Security Requirements)
Purpose of this Advance Procurement Notice
This is not a bid solicitation.
This is an advance notice of potential contracts with anticipated security requirements, providing interested design-builders with an opportunity to begin the sponsorship request process for potentially obtaining the required security clearance(s) that are anticipated. Note that there is no guarantee that these solicitations will proceed or that any security clearance(s) will be granted under the sponsorship process in a timely fashion or otherwise.
Description of the Program and Services
The Department of National Defence (DND) is investing in infrastructure developments for the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) Modernization and Continental Defence at the FOLs in Inuvik and Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.
This infrastructure investment aims to ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have the tools they need to achieve their security and sovereignty objectives. These improvements will enable advanced aircraft operations and quick mobilization in the North for NORAD missions.
The infrastructure requirements for the Inuvik and Yellowknife FOLs will include the following but are not limited to:
Airfield improvements;
New and/or repurposed hangars with aprons and taxiways;
Ammunition compounds;
Fuel facilities;
Accommodations, warehousing, planning, multi-purpose facilities, and support equipment;
Robust IT, Cyber, and Logistics infrastructure.
Preliminary rough order of magnitude (ROM) estimates for the various facility components for each locations are as follows, subject to revision:
Total hangar space, ~ 33,000 m2
Fuel storage, between 500,000 to 2,000,000 litres
Office space 500 m2
Ammunition Storage 600 m2
Accommodations 4,000 m2
Fire Hall 2,000 m2
Multi-purpose facilities 9,000 m2
Indoor storage (Total), 9,000 m2
Apron 122,000 m2
Total asphalt surface 72,000 m2
The delivery method for this infrastructure will be Modified Design-Build (MDB) contracts, with one MDB contract per site and an estimated total contract value that may exceed $5B for each location. These multi-year contracts consist of the following sequential and/or concurrent phases and are not limited to:
Requirements validation, concept development, market analysis and planning activities.
Design Phase activities.
Construction Phase activities.
It is anticipated that the Request for Proposal (RFP) will include detailed evaluation criteria; however, these remain subject to change and will be finalized and fully described in the RFP documentation upon release. At a high level, it is expected that the RFP will assess proponents on demonstrated experience across a range of factors, including northern design and construction experience, experience delivering similar asset types (both within and outside of northern environments), and the integration of design and construction capabilities within a single team. Key personnel requirements will include demonstrated northern experience for certain roles. The evaluation of approach and methodology is expected to consider how proponents plan to successfully deliver projects in northern environments, including logistics, climate, and constructability considerations, as well as their approach to Indigenous participation based on principles of meaningful participation and mitigation of potential adverse effects. In addition to the technical evaluation, a formal interview process will be conducted to further assess team capability to successfully deliver the project in a northern environment.
The terms and conditions of the contract will allow for self-performed work by the design-build team.
The infrastructure work for Inuvik is projected to be procured in Summer 2026 and Yellowknife in Winter 2026/2027. This is conditional on receiving approval to proceed by DND.
The Government of Canada is committed to advancing reconciliation and fostering meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples. In support of these commitments, DND aims to create opportunities for Indigenous businesses and communities through meaningful subcontracting, employment, and training related to the proposed project.
To align with these objectives, the successful proponents will be required to develop an Indigenous Benefits Plan (IBP) as part of the MDB contracts. The IBPs will outline proposed initiatives and opportunities for Indigenous participation, including subcontracting, employment, and training activities.
Contract Award and Anticipated Security Requirements
To be eligible for contract award, a proponent will be required to, among other things, actively hold all required security clearance(s) prior to the date of the award, as further detailed in the tender documents.
The anticipated security clearance level for this contract is Facility Security Clearance at the level of SECRET.
Industrial Security Program (ISP) Sponsorship
Defence Construction Canada (DCC) is providing design-builders early access to the security clearance application process through sponsorship under its Industrial Security Program (ISP). Accordingly, design-builders that intend to submit a proposal on one or more of these projects and that do not actively hold the above identified security clearance(s) should begin forthwith the security clearance application process by applying through DCC’s ISP.
Under this program, DCC may, at its entire discretion, provide preliminary assistance to all the potential proponents with their respective security clearance sponsorship process.
To begin the security clearance sponsorship process, please submit a sponsorship request application to DCC by following the steps identified on DCC’s website at: https://www.dcc-cdc.gc.ca/industry/security-requireme…
In their sponsorship request application to DCC, design-builders are asked to quote the following information, among other things:
Advance Procurement Notice (APN) number (Project number on the MERX notice);
Contract number PR24NNBI; and
Level of clearance requested to be sponsored for.
Sponsorship Process
Upon receipt, DCC will review the sponsorship request application and will communicate directly with the design-builders to provide assistance for the completion of the sponsorship request packages.
Once DCC has determined, at its entire discretion, that a design-builder:
has started the sponsorship process prior to the solicitation (s) (Contract number(s) listed on their request for sponsorship) being advertised on MERX,
has met all the material requirements of the sponsorship request package, and
has submitted a proposal.
DCC will send the documents to the Public Services and Procurement Canada’s (PSPC) Contract Security Program (CSP).
Following receipt of the sponsorship request package, the CSP will communicate directly with the proponent regarding any further steps or actions to be undertaken or the status of the sponsorship request package processing. At such time, the proponent will need to promptly cooperate with CSP to ensure that the process is completed as soon as possible.
Questions
Any questions pertaining to the sponsoring process through the ISP can be addressed to:
Telephone Number: (613) 998-8974; or
Email address: ISP.Sponsorship@dcc-cdc.gc.ca
Any questions relating to this Advance Procurement Notice can be addressed to:
Antoine am Rhyn
Regional Service Line Leader, Contract Services
Defence Construction Canada
819-431-7650
Antoine.amrhyn@dcc-cdc.gc.ca
Disclaimer
DCC is only providing assistance, at its entire discretion, for the above stated sponsorship process and does not provide any representations or guarantees that a sponsorship request package or a security clearance application forwarded by DCC to the CSP will be successful or result in the granting of the requested security clearance(s) by the CSP. At all times, the processing of a sponsorship request package or a security clearance application is subject to the respective terms, conditions, and timelines of DCC’s ISP sponsorship process and the CSP security clearance granting process. By applying to either of the aforementioned processes, the proponent agrees to bear any fees and risks associated with: (i) the completeness or accuracy, or lack thereof, of its application or related documents submitted under or in connection with either said processes, and (ii) the timeliness, or lack thereof, of any processing or granting of security clearance(s) under or in connection with either said processes. Notwithstanding anything else stated above, DCC shall in no event be liable to the proponent for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive or exemplary damages arising out or in connection with the above stated sponsorship process.
Bidding and Documents are available on http://www.merx.com. Fees may apply; See https://www.merx.com/public/pricing for more information.
