Self-Propelled Plot Seeder - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Trade Agreement: NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with Peru/Colombia/Panama Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid Attachment: None Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Vendor Name and Address: wintersteiger 4705 Amelia Earhart Drive Salt Lake City Utah United States 84116 Nature of Requirements: Self-Propelled Plot Seeder - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

01580-150303/A Glover, Cindy Telephone No. - (780) 497-3860 Fax No. - (780) 497-3510

1. Advance Contract Award Notice

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

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon Research Centre, located at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has a requirement for the supply, delivery and off-loading of one (1) self-propelled plot seeder. The plot seeder will be used for seeding agricultural, experiment plots for Plant Gene Resources of Canada (PGRC). Typically, PGRC plants from 2,000 to 5,000 individual plots of four to five species each year.

Currently seed regeneration carried out by PGRC is done with seeders that are designed for seeding small seeded oilseed crops such as canola and rapeseed. These seeders do not have adequate soil penetration, which then causes the seeds to be left lying on the ground, which are prone to being eaten by birds or die from drought stress. The Wintersteiger Row/Plotseed XL has a drill opener designed specifically to penetrate the soil conditions at the Saskatoon Research Centre farm. It allows for much better seed placement and thus a greater successful seeding establishment for larger seeded crops such as wheat, barley, oats, peas, lentils, chickpeas or sunflowers. Furthermore, the research plots are adjacent to other program plots and a tight turn radius is required. The Wintersteiger Row/Plotseed XL has a self-propelled design and specialized hydraulic steering brakes, which is necessary to manoeuver the seeder on the small areas where the research plots are located. The design also places the motor and operator at the rear of the unit so the extra weight allows for the packing of the seed after it has been placed in the ground.

The Wintersteiger Row/Plotseed XL TC self-propelled plot seeder with Great Plains openers is the only known seeder that meets this requirement.

Make: Wintersteiger Model: Row/Plotseed XL TC

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 equipment meets the following requirements:

3.1 The seeder must not compact the soil before seeding and compaction must happen after the seed has been placed in the ground with pressure wheels that are attached to the discs to insure adequate contact between the seeds and the soil. The openers must be similar to commercially available full sized farm equipment that is currently used for seeding on the Canadian prairies.

3.2 The frame of the seeder must have an adjustable track width of 125 to 185 cm with graduated adjustments which give a wide range of choices for different row spacing requirements. This flexibility is required to allow for different research and species requirements.

3.3 The wheels at the rear and front must be narrow (less than 20 cm wide). This allows for uniform spacing between the seeded rows from different passes of the seeder. This is a requirement for research uniformity and also maximizes the use of field space.

3.4 The seeding length needs to be fully adjustable to accommodate a wide range of seeding requirements and plot designs. It must have a range of adjustment from 62 cm to 1050 cm and must have a minimum of 50 increments within this range to allow for different row lengths.

3.5 The seeder must have hydrostatic drive with at least two speed ranges, one for seeding (0 to 6 km/h) and one for transport (0 to 12 km/h).

3.6 The seeder must have four soil openers with individual, belted-cone, seeding mechanisms so that four different seed lines can be seeded at one time. The mounting frame must be able to accommodate at least six openers if future changes are required.

3.7 Each individual belt unit must be filled by an antistatic funnel for uniform seed distribution. It must be size appropriate for the seeding of cereals, legumes and sunflowers. It must have an easily-operated, lifting mechanism.

3.8 The seeder must have manoeuvrability so that it can work in small spaces and have a very small turn radius. This would be accomplished by having specially designed power steering, a compact body and hydraulic steering brakes.

3.9 The frame must be designed so that in the future, options such as wind/rain shrouding and a plot herbicide applicator can be added.

3.10 The seeder must not exceed 1600 kg, so that it can be transported on a pre-existing trailer. Its towing capacity cannot exceed 2160 kg.

3.11 The seeder must have a separate operator's seat for the seed dispensing person with a tray to hold the seeds in a convenient location.

3.12 The distribution systems must be designed so that only one seed dispensing person is needed to fill the funnels efficiently.

4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement

The procurement is subject to the following trade agreements

i. Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) ii. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

Wintersteiger is the only known supplier that can provide the self-propelled plot seeder that meets the technical requirements necessary for seeding the agricultural experiment plot crops for Plant Gene Resources of Canada (PGRC).

6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)

The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection 6 (d) - only one person is capable of performing the contract.

7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons

The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:

i. Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) - Article 506.12 (b) ii. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - Article 1016 2 (b)

8. Delivery Date

All the deliverables are required on or before March 31, 2015.

9. Cost Estimate of the Proposed Contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $127,250.00 CAD (GST/HST extra).

10. Name and Address of the Pre-identified Supplier

Wintersteiger 4705 W. Amelia Earhart Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84116-2840 USA

11. Suppliers' Right to Submit a Statement of Capabilities

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services and/or 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.

12. Closing Date for a Submission of a Statement of Capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is December 19, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. MST.

13. Inquiries and Submission of Statements of Capabilities

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be delivered to

Cindy Glover Supply Specialist Public Works and Government Services Canada Western Region - Acquisitions Branch ATB Place, 5th Floor 10025 Jasper Avenue Edmonton, AB T5J 1S6

Telephone: (780) 497-3860 Facsimile: (780) 497-3510

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.