Pond Inlet Arctic Char Project Coordination

This procurement has been set-aside under the federal government's Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB). Only Indigenous businesses as defined under PSIB are eligible to challenge the proposed procurement strategy to award the contract to the named Indigenous business.

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. Title

Pond Inlet Arctic Char 2026 Multi Year Project Coordination

3. Definition of Requirements

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has a requirement for the services of Mittimatalik Hunters & Trappers Organization, as a Contractor and a Designated Inuit Organization under the Nunavik Land Claims Agreement, to participate and contribute to the NFR development process.

The primary objective of the work is the collection of biological and environmental information for Arctic Char in the Pond Inlet area.

The Contractor will be responsible to hire, administer and pay beneficiaries (field workers) on co-operative field research in the Pond Inlet region for the following locations.

The Contractor must, but not limited, to the following

1) ensure all appropriate insurances, including Workers Compensation or an acceptable alternative and accident and liability, have been obtained before work may begin. Proof must be supplied within 14 days of award of the Contract to the Contracting Authority. 2) promptly report any problems to the Project Authority to enable the appropriate action to be taken and ensure that the Contract is completed within the specified Contract period. 3) ensure that beneficiaries understand the requirements and conditions of the Contract and Safety and Harassment policies; and boat operators are aware that they and their boats must meet the safety requirements as set out by Transport Canada. 4) ensure that beneficiaries provide their own bedding and, where necessary, their own tents. 5) retain ownership for all of sampled fish carcasses and is responsible for deciding their disposition and use. 6) Return all field crew, equipment, and samples to Pond Inlet, NU. All information and samples collected from the study shall be transferred to the Project Authority by March 31.

If other potential suppliers submit a statement of capabilities during the 15 calendar days posting period that meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, DFO/CCG will proceed to a full-tendering process on whether 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.

4. Criteria for Assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (minimum essential requirements)

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements:

For summer

At least ONE (1) of the beneficiaries must

1) have five (5) years fishing at the designated location (the Pond Inlet area) during the summer and shall act as Boat Captain. 2) have a command of both English and the Inuit language to ensure effective communication between all members of the crew. 3) have a minimum of five (5) years of experience setting and retrieving gill nets. 4) understand the anatomy of fishes sufficiently to dissect fish carcasses to obtain all required measurements. A minimum of five (5) years of fishing experience is required to meet this requirement. 5) have the ability to clearly record, in English, the information collected in the field books provided. 6) have five (5) years of experience working with Arctic Char.

For winter

At least TWO (2) of the beneficiaries shall

1) have a minimum of five (5) years of experience fishing in the Pond Inlet area during the winter, under the ice and shall act as primary field guide. 2) have a command of both English and the Inuit language to ensure effective communication between all members of the crew. 3) have a minimum of five (5) years of experience setting and retrieving gill nets from under the ice 4) understand the anatomy of fishes sufficiently to dissect fish carcasses to obtain all required measurements. A minimum of five (5) years of fishing experience is required to meet this requirement. 5) have the ability to clearly record, in English, the information collected in the field books provided 6) have five (5) years of experience working with Arctic Char.

5. Trade Agreements

This procurement is set aside from the international trade agreements under the provision each has for measures with respect to Indigenous peoples or for set-asides for small and minority businesses.

6. Security Requirements

This contract does not contain any security requirements.

7. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The pre-identified supplier is the only supplier that we are aware of who offers a product which meets all the Minimum Essential Requirements listed above.

8. Exception to the Government Contracts Regulations

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.”

9. Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement (CLCA)

This requirement is applicable to a Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement (CLCA).

- Nunavut Lands Claim Agreement (1993)

10. Contract Period

The Contract period will be from award to April 30, 2028 inclusive and includes an option to extend the contractual period by three (3) periods of one (1) year each.

11. Estimated Cost

The estimated value of the Contract is 277,725.00 $ CAD (excluding applicable taxes).

12. Name and Address of the Proposed Contractor

Mittamatalik Hunters & Trappers Organization P.O. Box 189 Pond Inlet, Nunavut X0A 0S0

13. Suppliers’ right to submit a statement of capabilities

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a Statement of Capabilities in writing, by e-mail, to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date and time of this Notice. The Statement of Capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

14. Closing Date

The closing date for a submission of a Statement of Capabilities is September 11, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. EDT.

15. Requests for information and submission of statements of capabilities

Request for information and statements of capabilities must be sent before the date and time indicated in Article 13, to:

Contract Authority mailto: Manon Paulin, Senior Contracting Officer Procurement and Material Management Fisheries and Oceans Canada Telephone : 438-468-3247 Email : DFO.Tenders-Soumissions.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca