Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
Title: CubeSat Mission 1 – Osiris-3 Payload
1. Definition of ACAN
An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) is a public notice informing suppliers that Canada intends to award a contract for goods or services to a pre-identified supplier and invites other suppliers to express their interest by submitting a statement of capabilities. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in this ACAN by the closing date stated in this notice, Canada may proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.
2. Requirement
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has a requirement for the provision of the Osiris-3 payload for CubeSat Mission 1, including all associated services and technical support required for payload design, development, manufacturing, integration, testing, sustaining engineering, delivery, commissioning, and mission operations.
Osiris-3, is a Canadian-developed atmospheric remote sensing instrument designed for deployment on a CubeSat platform. The payload will support atmospheric composition measurements using limb-scattering spectroscopy techniques and will contribute to the Government of Canada’s advancement of space-based Earth observation and atmospheric monitoring capabilities.
3. Suppliers’ Right to Submit a Statement of Capabilities
Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to meet the requirements described in this ACAN may submit a written Statement of Capabilities to the Contracting Authority identified in this notice on or before the closing date and time. Statements of Capabilities must be submitted by email to the Contracting Authority prior to the closing date and time specified in this notice.
4. Criteria for assessment of the statement of capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)
The supplier must provide sufficient objective evidence to demonstrate compliance with each essential requirement. Evidence may include, but is not limited to, technical reports, engineering analyses, scientific publications, test results, validation reports, qualification records, mission references, interface specifications, intellectual property documentation, and other verifiable supporting documentation.
The burden of proof rests with the supplier. Assertions of capability, experience, or equivalency that are not supported by objective evidence will not be considered sufficient. CSA will assess the evidence provided against each essential requirement. Failure to provide sufficient evidence of demonstrating compliance with any one of the essential requirements may result in the Statement of Capabilities being deemed insufficient.
No Minimum Essential Requirements Minimum Evidence Required
1 Capability to generate atmospheric remote-sensing data products that are scientifically comparable to those expected from the OSIRIS-3 mission concept.
Performance specifications;
Retrieval algorithms;
Validation results;
Published science results;
Sample atmospheric data products; and
Mission reports.
2 Technical expertise in atmospheric remote-sensing payloads Project references, resumes of key personnel, technical publications, mission experience, or descriptions of previous atmospheric remote-sensing projects.
3 Compatibility with a 16U CubeSat platform Interface specifications, engineering analyses, spacecraft accommodation studies, mass and power budgets, qualification reports, or equivalent technical documentation.
4 Ability to support payload integration and operations Integration plans, operations concepts, mission support experience, commissioning procedures, or references from previous missions.
5 Science-quality data generation capability Calibration reports, validation reports, instrument performance results, scientific publications, or evidence of previous operational use.
6 Technical maturity and spaceflight readiness Environmental test reports, qualification testing results, flight heritage, technology demonstrations, TRL assessments, or other evidence demonstrating readiness for spaceflight implementation.
7 Intellectual property rights and technical authority Documentation demonstrating ownership, licensing rights, design authority, or legal authority to use and modify the payload design, software, algorithms, or associated technologies.
5. Security Requirement
There is no security requirement associated with this procurement.
6. Set-aside under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business
This procurement is not subject to any set-asides for Indigenous suppliers.
7. Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement(s)
This procurement is not subject to any modern treaties or Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements.
8. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
As part of CubeSat Mission 1 mission planning, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) assessed mission options and identified the Osiris-3 payload as the required payload to meet the mission's scientific objectives.
The proposed approach is based on the University of Saskatchewan's role as the developer of the Osiris-3 payload and its possession of the technical expertise, design authority, background intellectual property, proprietary knowledge, and development experience associated with the payload. The University has established knowledge of the payload architecture, interfaces, calibration methodology, operational concepts, and performance characteristics required to complete the remaining development, integration, testing, commissioning, and operational support activities.
The University of Saskatchewan has been identified as the only known viable source capable of providing these services based on its ownership and control of the relevant background intellectual property, its role as the original developer of the payload, and its demonstrated expertise in atmospheric remote sensing instrumentation.
While intellectual property considerations form part of the justification, the primary basis for this requirement is the University's unique combination of:
- Design authority for the Osiris-3 payload;
- Specialized scientific and engineering expertise;
- Proprietary technical knowledge and development experience;
- Established understanding of the payload architecture, interfaces, calibration approach, and operational concepts; and
- Continuity of development activities from design through mission operations.
Engaging an alternative supplier would require significant knowledge of transfer, redevelopment, design validation, qualification, integration, and mission assurance activities. This would introduce substantial additional cost, schedule impacts, and technical risk, including the potential loss of continuity in payload development and scientific performance. Such impacts would be incompatible with the mission objectives, available resources, and project schedule.
Based on the information available to CSA, no alternative supplier is currently known to possess the same combination of technical capability, design knowledge, intellectual property access, and continuity necessary to further develop, integrate, test, commission, and support the OSIRIS-3 payload without introducing unacceptable technical, schedule, and mission risks.
9. Government Contracts Regulations Exception
The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement: subsection 6(d), where only one person or firm is capable of performing the contract.
10. Exclusions and Limited Tendering Reasons
This procurement is proposed pursuant to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), Article 513(1)(b)(iii), where competition is absent for technical reasons.
11. Ownership of Intellectual Property
For the development of the payload, ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising from the proposed contract will vest in the University of Saskatchewan.
In recognition of Canada's contribution to the development of the Foreground Intellectual Property, Canada will be granted a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce, modify, translate, disclose, and distribute the Foreground Intellectual Property for all Government of Canada purposes, excluding commercial exploitation.
Any Foreground Intellectual Property developed by Canada, or developed on Canada's behalf, in connection with post-launch activities, including commissioning, mission operations, and data exploitation activities, will vest in Canada.
12. Period of the Proposed Contract
The proposed contract period is estimated to be 36 months from contract award. The contract will include delivery of the payload, integration support, commissioning support, mission operations support, and any contract options exercised by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Additional support services within the scope of the original requirement may be acquired through the exercise of contract options or through contract amendments, subject to operational requirements, available funding, applicable approvals, and the terms and conditions of the resulting contract.
13. Cost Estimate of the Proposed Contract
The estimated value of the contract is approximately $2.5M to $3M CAD, including options and excluding applicable taxes. The resulting contract is expected to include the work and support required during the payload development, integration, testing, commissioning, and operational support phases of the project.
14. Delivery Location
The work will be performed primarily at the Contractor’s facilities and at any other locations required to complete the work. Deliverables, including an Osiris-3 payload equivalent, technical documentation, test results, reports, and related support services, must be delivered to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) or to another location designated by CSA under the resulting contract.
15. Pre-Identified Supplier
University of Saskatchewan
105 Administration Place
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A2
Canada
16. Contracting Authority
The Canadian Space Agency Procurement Office will lead the procurement in accordance with its delegated contracting authority and applicable Government of Canada procurement policies and requirements. Johnathon Gillis, Procurement Manager, Canadian Space Agency, will act as the Contracting Authority for this procurement and will be responsible for all procurement and contractual matters associated with the resulting contract.
Johnathon Gillis
Canadian Space Agency
Procurement and Contracting Services | Procurement Specialist
Telephone: 1-514-498-0523
Email: R••••••••@•••••••.••.ca
