Analogue Geological Sample Library

NATURE OF REQUIREMENTS: During the past several years, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has invested in the development of scientific instruments targeted for inclusion on future planetary missions. A variety of these prototypes have been developed as part of a geological instrument suite designed to characterize rock and mineral samples while mounted on robotic platforms.

The prototype instruments often represent smaller, lighter, and less power intensive versions of their laboratory counterparts. However, designing for power and mass savings can result in performance tradeoffs. Thus, it is necessary to compare the data products of the prototypes against those generated by more rigorously calibrated bench top instruments.

Ensuring that prototype instruments will meet the requirements for scientific characterization of planetary materials thus requires a suite of geologically relevant materials on which to perform measurements. Thus, the CSA is looking to establish a contract through this bid solicitation in order to:

• procure a collection of rock and mineral samples comparable to those that exist on the Moon and Mars, and; • perform a variety of laboratory analyses on the samples.

The complete description of the work to be completed under this requirement is provided in Annex “A”.

Interested suppliers are required to submit their proposals in accordance with the instructions provided in this RFP.

ENQUIRIES - BID SOLICITATION: All enquiries must be submitted in writing to the Contracting Authority no later than five (5) calendar days before the bid closing date. Enquiries received after that time may not be answered. Bidders should reference as accurately as possible the numbered item of the bid solicitation to which the enquiry relates. Care should be taken by bidders to explain each question in sufficient detail in order to enable Canada to provide an accurate answer. Technical enquiries that are of a proprietary nature must be clearly marked "proprietary" at each relevant item. Items identified as "proprietary" will be treated as such except where Canada determines that the enquiry is not of a proprietary nature. Canada may edit the questions or may request that the Bidder do so, so that the proprietary nature of the question is eliminated, and the enquiry can be answered with copies to all bidders. Enquiries not submitted in a form that can be distributed to all bidders may not be answered by Canada.

A French version of the RFP will be made available upon request.