INTRODUCTION:
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a requirement for the provision of harvest opportunities for intertidal bivalves for members of the Nisga’a First Nation in those areas identified in the Nisga’a Final Agreement. The purpose of this Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) is to signal the government's intention to award a contract for a marine biotoxin monitoring program to facilitate safe and legal bivalve harvesting to Nisga’a Lisims Government (NLG). Before awarding a contract, however, the government would like to provide other suppliers with the opportunity to demonstrate that they are capable of satisfying the requirements set out in this Notice, by submitting a statement of capabilities during the 20 calendar day posting period.
If other potential suppliers submit a statement of capabilities during the 20 calendar day posting period that meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, the government will proceed to a full tendering process on either the government's electronic tendering service or through traditional means, in order to award the contract.
If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a statement of capabilities meeting the requirements set out in the ACAN, a contract will be awarded to the pre-selected supplier.
BACKGROUND:
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ecosystems and Fisheries Management, North Coast has a requirement to provide funding for a marine biotoxin monitoring program for the intertidal bivalve harvest areas that are described in the Nisga’a Final Agreement that meets the monitoring requirements set out by the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP). This monitoring program, in addition to other CSSP requirements, will ensure safe access for the Nisga’a First Nation to one of their traditional food sources.
The work will involve the following: Monitoring stations will be set up in pre-defined areas as agreed to by NLG and DFO, in consultation with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) who is the Federal Agency responsible for the marine biotoxin monitoring program. Each monitoring station will consist of an anchor attached to a nylon rope equipped with a Styrofoam buoy provided by CCG. Pacific blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) will be hung from the buoy in bunches contained in vexar plastic netting. Additional shellfish samples taken from harvest beaches may include: Native littleneck clam (Protothaca staminea), Butter clam (Saxidomus gigantea) and Nuttall’s cockle (Clinocardium nuttallii). Mussels will be given an initial soak period of at least two weeks. Mussel samples will be collected continuously once per week from September 1 to October 31, and once every two weeks from November 1 to March 15. One sample will be collected at each station on each trip. In order to have an area opened for FSC harvest, three clean mussel samples must be submitted a week apart, over a minimum period of 14 days (Day 0, day 7 and day 14), along with a clean sample of the target food species also submitted on the third week. Once CFIA has determined that all samples are acceptable with regards to marine biotoxin levels, DFO will open the area for food, social and ceremonial (FSC) harvest. The opening will be maintained with regular mussel sample submissions; any deviation from the established schedule will result in a closure of the harvest area (s) and additional samples will be required to re-open the area (s).
