COMPLETE CAESIUM FOUNT. PHYSICS PKG

Trade Agreement: WTO-AGP/NAFTA/AIT/Canada FTAs with Peru/Colombia/Panama 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: National Physical Laboratory Queens Road Teddington United Kingdom TW11 0LW Nature of Requirements: 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

The National Research Council has a requirement for the supply of one (1) complete caesium fountain physics package including vacuum vessel with integrated interrogation cavity, support structure and magnetic field screens for delivery to Ottawa, Ontario.

3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities

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

The required equipment is the only commercially available instrument that will seamlessly integrate into and with the NRC Caesium fountain clock (CFC). The new equipment must include caesium source/reservoir, single-stage vapour cell magneto-optical trap, detection region, microwave cavities (Ramsey and state-preparation), drift tube with water jacket for temperature stabilisation, ion pumps and additional vacuum components, valves, getters. The new equipment must be constructed of non-magnetic stainless steel (316LN), OFHC copper, and aluminum. The caesium source/reservoir must contain two glass ampoules of caesium, one larger than the other so the larger ampoule can be crushed first and the smaller ampoule left until needed at a later date. The single-stage vapour cell magneto-optical trap must be a machined MOT chamber and all viewports machined must accept the Thorlabs standard cage system. The detection region must have a laser beam tilted with respect to horizontal to reduce resonant background fluorescence and must have the collection optics close to the atomic trajectory for large solid angle (approx 0.38 sr). The microwave cavities must be tuned to ±0.5 MHz (corresponding to a temperature mistuning of ±3°C) of Cs resonance frequency at 25°C.

4. Applicability of the trade agreements to the procurement

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements

Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The only known supplier of a complete caesium fountain physics package meeting all required technical specifications is NPL in England. For this reason, it is proposed to negotiate directly with the OEM, NPL, Middlesex, United Kingdom.

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 is capable of performing the work".

7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons

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

Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) - Article 506.12 (b) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - Article 1016.2 (b)

8. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

The equipment must be delivered on 30th November 2016.

9. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

National Physical Laboratory Hampton Road Teddington Middlesex TW11 0LW UK

10. 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.

11. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is 16th September 2015 at 2:00 p.m. EDST.

12. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to

Monique Gosselin Supply Specialist Public Works and Government Services Canada Scientific, Medical and Photographic Division - PV Portage III - Floor: 6A2 - Room: 48 11 Laurier Street Gatineau, Quebec Canada K1A 0S5

Telephone: 819-856-3803 Facsimile: 819-956-3814 E-mail: monique.gosselin@pwgsc.gc.ca

Delivery Date: 31/08/2015

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.