Advance Contract Award Notice: Contract for Aircraft Accident Investigation Training
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
DND requires professional services for the provision of a six-week Aircraft Accident Investigator course. The purpose of the course is to provide a training baseline for aircraft accident investigators assigned to the Directorate of Flight Safety (DFS). Instruction must cover the fundamentals of running an investigation from initial notification through report writing and should include, as a minimum:
a. Aircraft Accident Initial Response. This section must cover:
- Disaster response;
- Appraisal of the accident site;
- Accident site management;
- In-flight and post-flight breakup;
- Wreckage and impact analysis;
- Collection and storage of evidence;
- Interviewing techniques; and
- Investigating external agencies and facilities.
b. Aircraft Systems. This section must cover:
- Aircraft engines and power plants;
- Electrical systems;
- Environmental and pneumatic systems;
- Fuel systems;
- Hydraulic systems;
- Lighting systems; and
- Auxiliary systems.
c. Cabin Investigation Aspects. This section must cover:
- Structures and crashworthiness;
- Physiology, psychology and ergonomics; and
- Passenger behavior/survivability.
d. Flight Data Analysis. This section must cover:
- Flight data recorders;
- Cockpit voice recorders;
- Additional recording sources for data; and
- Legal aspects of recorded data for investigations.
e. Human Factors for Accident Investigators. This section must cover:
- Human error in aviation accidents;
- Reason’s Model of human error;
- Human Factors Analysis and Classification Systems (HFACS);
- Cause analysis for accident investigations; and
- Developing preventive measures based on human error and performance.
f. Investigation Management. This section must cover:
- Team management for complex accidents;
- Relations with regulators and interested external parties;
- Liaising with victims and their families;
- Media management;
- ICAO Annex 13 and other applicable documents; and
- Report writing and follow up actions.
g. The training should be delivered using a combination of the following methods:
- Lectures;
- Simulations;
- Practical exercises;
- Video presentations; and
- Visits to accident investigation support facilities
3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)
Any interested Contractor must demonstrate by way of a Statement of Capabilities that it meets the following requirements:
a. Demonstrated experience in conducting a consolidated, comprehensive six-week course that touches on all areas of expertise pertinent to aircraft accident investigation and prevention;
b. Demonstrated experience in conducting training that covers the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), European, British Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB), US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Canadian Transportation Safety Board (TSB) procedures and standards;
c. The capability to offer a British/European viewpoint in dealing with accident investigations and with ICAO; and
d. The capability to provide course participants access to British and European contacts that prove extremely beneficial when DFS investigations cross international boundaries or when dealing with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or United Nations (UN) partners.
4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement
This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements:
- Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)
- North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
- World Trade Organization – Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
- Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
- Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)
- Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement
5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
Cranfield University is the only known firm that possesses all of the essential qualifications and capabilities.
6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception
The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection 6(d) “only one person or firm is capable of performing the work”.
7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons
The following exclusion and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the
- Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) – Article 506: Procedures for Procurement 12.(b)
- World Trade Organization – Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) – Article XV: Limiting Tendering Procedure 2.(b)
- North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) – Article 1016: Limited Tendering Procedures 2.(b)
8. Ownership of Intellectual Property (IP)
No IP will result from the work in the Contract.
9. Period of the proposed Contract
The period of the proposed Contract is from the date of Contract Award to 31 December 2015, plus four (4) one-year option periods.
10. Estimated Cost of the proposed Contract
The estimated all-inclusive value of the Contract, including option periods is GBP 214,223.65 (approximately $407,774.72 CDN).
11. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
Cranfield University
Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0TR
UK
12. 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.
13. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is 24 March 2015, 2:00 pm EDT.
14. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
Kim Seguin, D Svcs C 4-3-5
Department of National Defence
K••••••••@••••••.••.ca