ACAN - AGRONOMY SERVICES FOR PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT TRIALS

This Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) intends to award a service contract 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 this ACAN, the Contracting Officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier. REQUIREMENTS: The Contractor shall carry out agronomy services and collect data for AAFC Phosphorus Fertilizer Management Trials. This will include the Contractor providing land with low phosphorus soil levels that is in close proximity to Brandon Research and Development Centre. The Contractor is also responsible to provide the seed, fertilizer and chemical, the equipment and the technical resources to carry out the work. SCOPE OF WORK / DELIVERABLES: The Contractor shall: 1. Provide land with low phosphorus soil levels that is in close proximity to Brandon Research and Development Centre (BRDC). 2. Plant the seed, as per experimental design and fertilize the crop in the spring of 2021, and Option Years 2022, and 2023. Fertilizer treatments: (n=10) including control. Struvite and MAP for P sources, build and maintenance rates, and either side-band, broadcast, or seed place according to the agreed upon plan, with adjustments based on necessity. Plot size: will be half the seeder width by the length of the field. 3. Sow and management of plots (including spraying for weed and pest control), as needed.  4. Harvest plots when crop is ripe in 2021 and in Option Years 2022 and 2023 using well maintained harvest equipment, taking care to minimize harvest losses and/or mistakes, and as weather at harvest permits.  5. Collect, weigh, and record crop yield, protein and/or oil content data and deliver to   AAFC in a data file each year. CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF THE STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES: Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a Statement of Capabilities that they have a proven track record conducting on-farm agronomic research, be within 40 km of Brandon, Manitoba, and have sufficient land available that would be responsive to phosphorus fertilizer (i.e., less than 20 ppm Olsen P soil test). Plot lengths are expected to be upwards of 1600 ft (500 m) long and 40 ft wide (12 m). CONTRACT PERIOD: From Contract Award to March 31, 2022, with two (2) additional, one (1) year options to extend. INITIAL CONTRACT VALUE:  $23,100.00 (including GST) Option Periods: #1 - April 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023 - $23,100.00 (including GST) #2 - April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024 - $23,100.00 (including GST) PRE-IDENTIFIED CONTRACTOR: Agritruth Research Inc./ Lost Island Farms (2005) Ltd. RR1 Rapid City, MB R0K 1W0 SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION: To answer the relevant questions of, and to fulfill our obligations to the Lake Winnipeg project, we must link phosphorus management to water quality. We therefore need a field experiment to be conducted to do this. We need a large amount of land that has low phosphorus levels in soil. This does not exist at BRDC. We also need to take multiple samples throughout the year, we therefore need the site to be close to BRDC for ease of access. The site proposed fulfills these needs. Agritruth Research Inc. has experience doing this kind of research, has the equipment, and has the land needed that is in close proximity to Brandon. Agritruth Research Inc. is the only contractor that is close enough to Brandon, has sufficient land at low P levels, and has the experience and knowledge to conduct P research. ACAN NOTICE: 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 Authority. An ACAN allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than 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. Submission of Statement of Capabilities: Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services described herein, may submit a Statement of Capabilities in writing, by email only 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 Solicitation Number, Name of Contracting Authority and closing date of the ACAN must appear within your Statement of Capabilities in block letters. The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement. CONTRACTING AUTHORITY: Melissa Smith, Senior Contracting Officer Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Western Service Centre Email: melissa.smith3@canada.ca