Trade Agreement: CETA / WTO-AGP / CPTPP / NAFTA / CFTA / FTAs with Peru / Colombia / Panama / Korea
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:
ANTON PAAR CANADA INC
4920 Place Olivia
St. Laurent Quebec
Canada
H4R2Z8
Nature of Requirements:
(1.0) 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.
(2.0) Background: Nanoindentation instruments are highly useful for producing localized mechanical property measurements in materials at the sub-micron scale. They use an array of indenter probe tip geometries to precisely measure the local loading response. Established mathematical relationships are then used to produce accurate readings of properties like elastic modulus, hardness, creep compliance, viscoelasticity (by DMA) and small-scale material stress-strain curves. Coupled with dedicated software they are able to quickly produce spatial 2D and 3D mechanical property ?maps? of a material surface, highlighting topographical and compositional factors affecting mechanical performance
(3.0) Definition of the requirement: The NRC has a requirement for a high-throughput nanoindentation platform to carry out its mandate at its new Mississauga research centre. As the first research centre in the greater Toronto area (GTA), NRC-Mississauga will have a focus on accelerated materials discovery. An essential part of this vision is to build up the centre’s capabilities in support of advanced, automated material characterization.
To comply with the new research centre’s mandate, the NRC requires a nanoindentation platform capable of independently analyzing a wide range of material types and architectures, from thin films, gels and polymers, to 3D printed composite lattices, to superalloys and ceramics. The NRC requires an instrument that is (a) sufficiently sensitive to probe the softest materials (µN loading range, with nN resolution), and (b) capable of fast (= 600 indents/hour), unattended, and automatic operation. Furthermore, the instrument must be (c) highly modular, having the capacity to attach other surface characterization equipment; such as a Nano Scratch Tester, Nano tribometer, Microindentation tester, and/or an Atomic Force Microscope.
The automation of high-throughput measurements and data analysis is crucial for accelerated material discovery. Only nanoindentation platforms that couple a computer-controlled motorized stage with a top surface referencing probe alongside the indenter can achieve the level of precision required for multiple thousands of sequential, unattended indentations within a day. The reference probe, made from materials with no thermal expansion, probes the substrate surface position while the nanoindenter tip tests the material. Having these two position data streams automatically eliminates errors from thermal drift. A nanoindenter with a reference probe does not need to wait multiple hours between indents to achieve thermal stability. This functionality exponentially decreases the time necessary to obtain large datasets. Multiple specimen types can be mounted and analyzed side-by-side for maximum efficiency.
At NRC-Mississauga, the nanoindenter must be capable of at least 600 measurements per hour to work together with planned high-throughput experimentation machinery. Furthermore, the motorized stage must be able to pinpoint each target site with no less than 1 µm accuracy. These features are only achievable with the ?Quick Matrix? measurement mode offered by the UNHT3, which has a XY table step resolution of 50 nm.
Additionally, the nanoindenter must be capable of high-resolution depth profiling and ?continous stiffness measurement (CSM)’ modes, that enable the user to probe mechanical properties as a function of penetration depth into the sample. Coupled with dedicated software, this versatility must also enable the use of the nanoindenter for Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) measurements, obtaining Storage and Loss Modulus information. The indenter must be able to penetrate 100 µm into the sample surface, with depth resolution no worse than 0.003 nm, and a depth noise floor no greater than 0.03 nm. The force sensitivity must be 0.003 µN, and a load noise floor no greater than 0.05 µN.
(4.0) 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 product meets all of the following unique features:
- Must have the following functionalities in one instrument, (1) Micro hardness Indentation, (2) Nano Scratch Tester, (3) Nano Tribometer, and (4) Atomic Force Microscopy Instruments in one machine. At minimum, must be able to operate two (2) functionalities simultaneously while unattended.
- Must have a modular design where multiple functionalities of Nano & Micro technology can be subdivided and operated simultaneously at rate of = 600 measurements per/hr. while unattended (automated functionality).
- The nanoindenter must have mitigation technology built in to the instrument to circumvent the effects of thermal drift on the nanomechanical properties.
(5.0) Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement:
- Canadian Free Trade Agreement
- World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
- North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
(6.0) Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier:
The vendor in question is offering a unique combination of proprietary functionalities that addresses NRC’s technical requirement. The vendor holds the sole patent and exclusive rights for reference probe based thermal drift correction and is the only suitable nanoindenter that addresses all of the unique requirements listed in article 4.0 (minimum essential requirements) .
(7.0) Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s):
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".
(8.0) The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the following:
1016.2 (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.
(9.0) Ownership of Intellectual Property: No IP will be generated as a result of this project. Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contractor will vest in the Contractor.
(10.0) Period of the proposed contract: (8-12 weeks) after receipt of contract.
(11.0) Name and address of the pre-identified supplier:
Anton Paar Canada - 4920 Place Olivia Montreal , PQ H4R 2Z8
(12.0) 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.
(13.0). Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities:
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is . February 24, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Standard).
(14.0) Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
Francine Frigon - Public Services and Procurement Canada
Commercial Acquisitions and Supply Management Sector
Address: 140 O’Connor Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0R5
Telephone: (819) 743-4279
E-mail: f••••••••@••••••••.••.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.
