Trade Agreement: WTO-AGP/NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with Peru/Colombia/Panama
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address:
Communitech Corporation
151 Charles St W Suite 100
Kitchener Ontario
Canada
N2G1H6
Nature of Requirements:
Innovation Hub
W6431-170030/A
Lopez, Maria
Telephone No. - (905) 615-2071 ( )
Fax No. - (905) 615-2060 ( )
m••••••••@•••••.••.ca
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, 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 the requirement
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has been directed to explore innovative solutions for Canada’s future airpower needs. As a technology-enabled force, the RCAF requires close ties to Canadian industry and academic institutions that are at the forefront of technological innovation. While the RCAF enjoys a good relationship with many such stakeholders, an imperative exists to develop closer ties, across a broader base, which can enable rapid innovations. This initiative will contribute to one of the RCAF Force Development Considerations from the RCAF Future Air Operating Concept (FAOC) by developing strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with an array of joint, interagency, multinational, academic and industrial entities to enrich the RCAF understanding of threats and opportunities.
A unique ecosystem is required to effectively advance innovative RCAF activities in partnership with Canadian industry and academia. RCAF requires imbedded access to an ecosystem in order to fill a significant capability gap within the RCAF’s force development process, ensuring the air force rapidly maximizes technology advancements and implications to its greatest advantage.
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 service meets the following requirements:
- must provide the opportunity for the RCAF to network with hi-tech innovators in order to foster a long-term relationship for collaborating on future issues. This shall involve strategic engagement into the broader tech industry, from several large Canadian businesses to hundreds of smaller high-technology start-up companies that are co-located, with a view to achieving innovation transfer across research disciplines and industries;
- must provide the opportunity to network with academic institutions onsite that can provide students or researchers who would engage in problem areas identified by the RCAF. This shall include access to innovative technology areas such as 3D printing, big-data analysis and quantum computing;
- must provide engagement of internal RCAF teams to develop innovative ideas or more productive, efficient ways of doing business, with the aimof instilling a culture of innovation within the organization;
- must offer multiple integration type events annually for their partners, including tech conferences, student competitions, learning workshops and networking events with on and off-site companies;
- must provide RCAF Innovation Hub with a physical presence within an integrated innovation network; and access to national innovation networks or federal Centres of Excellence.
4. Applicability of the trade agreements to the procurement
The procurement is subject to the following trade agreements:
Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
The Communitech innovation hub is extremely unique. Services within this ecosystem include:
a. An onsite location at the hub. This is more than just a location - it is a physical presence within a network. This onsite capabilityenables collaborative development opportunities for the RCAF across a wide-variety of academia and industry, alleviating the difficulty associated with trying to innovate from within one’s own organization, and/or virtually innovate with outside organizations. One central location provides horizontal interaction between otherwise ?stovepiped? organizations;
b. Facilitators that oversee the coordinated interaction between industry and academia partners within the hub, bringing together hundreds of small (start-up) and medium sized technology companies, co-locating them under one roof with service providers, academic partners, funders, and all the tools needed to fuel initiative and innovation;
c. Onsite integration with large Canadian companiessuch as General Motors, Canadian Tire, Thomson Reuters, TD Bank and Manulife. The hub provides local interaction with several national and international strategic partners, such as COM DEV, Blackberry, Open Text, Google Canada, Intel and Agfa. It also provides a national connection within the Canadian Digital Media Network, connecting network hubs that can assist the RCAF in finding solutions to its airpower needs;
d. Access to a constant source of university creativity and resourcing through theirtwo onsite innovation incubators: University of Waterloo’s Velocity Garage and Wilfrid Laurier University’s Launch Pad. In addition, the Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning produces quality technical and design talent;
e.Hosting a range of onsite activities per year, including conferences, student competitions, workshops and networking events, ensuring that the RCAF will be privy to the latest industry and academic advancements among partners within the Hub; and
f.Developing an Innovation Base Camp to help instil an innovation culture within the organization to include defining the problem space and ideation. Collision Days are also arranged to demonstrate rapid innovation where RCAF problems are pitched to companies across Canada, with the best ones presenting their solutions.
6. Government Contracting Regulations Exception
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.?
7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons
The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:
- Agreement on Internal trade (AIT) - Articles 506.12 (b), ?Where there is an absence of competition for technical reasons and the products or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists.?
- World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) - Article XV (b), ??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 (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.?
8. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date
The contract date will be from April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2020 with an option to extend for two one year periods.
9. Cost estimate of the proposed contract
The estimated value of the contract is $1,050,000.00 (GST/HST extra).
10. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
Communitech
151 Charles Street West, Suite 100
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
N2G 1H6
11. Suppliers’ 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.
12. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is March 9, 2017.
13. Inquiries and submissions of statements of capabilities
Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
Maria Lopez
Supply Team Leader
Public Works and Government Services Canada
33 City Centre Dr, Suite 480C
Mississauga, ON L5B 2N5
Telephone: 905-615-2071
Facsimile: 905-615-2060
E-mail: m••••••••@•••••.••.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.
