Vessel Charter 4Vn Stratified Fixed Gear Survey

ADVANCED CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE (ACAN)

Advance contract award notice (ACAN) – notification through the open bidding methodology of the intent to award a directed contract.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a requirement for the provision of Vessel Charter 4Vn Stratified Fixed Gear Survey. The purpose of this Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) is to signal the government’s intention to award a contract for these services to 4Vn Sentinel Fishery Association. Before awarding a contract, however, the government would like to provide other suppliers with the opportunity to demonstrate that they are capable of satisfying the requirements set out in this Notice, by submitting a statement of capabilities during the ACAN posting period. If other potential suppliers submit a statement of capabilities during this ACAN posting period that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the government will proceed to a full tendering process on either MERX 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.

Fisheries and Oceans intends to award contract F5238-130089 4Vn Random Stratified Fixed Gear Survey to the following:

4Vn Sentinel Fishery Association c/o Kevin Nash 7 Davis St. Glace Bay, N.S. B1A 5G9

1.Trade Agreements

The proposed procurement is subject to the following trade agreements

____ Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) N/A North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Exempt ____ World Trade Organization – Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) ____ Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business (PSAB) ____ Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements (CLCA) ____ None of the above

2. Limited Tendering

N/A

3. Background

With the closure of the cod directed fishery in 1993 in the Northern Scotian Shelf, information on the status of the commercial fishery is no longer available to scientists of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans for the purposes of stock assessment. This information was previously being used in combination with information from research vessel surveys. The Fisheries Resource Conservation Council (FRCC) recommended that DFO put in place a program of sentinel fisheries to collect such information. The Minister of DFO subsequently accepted this recommendation.

These sentinel surveys are not commercial fisheries, but consist of limited removals from the stocks under predetermined protocol for the purpose of collecting biological data. The primary objective is to collect information on the trend in abundance of the ground fish stocks as an adjunct survey to DFO’s research surveys. The data collected by the Sentinel Surveys should provide Scientists with accurate and current information on the status of the stock, spawning behaviour, stock movements and the general health of the stock.

. 4. Work Requirements

Conduct a random stratified fixed gear survey in NAFO subdivision 4Vn in September 2013 in support of population monitoring. The mandatory requirements which must be met by the supplier are attached as Appendix A. Responsibilities include:

• Selecting 4 vessels that are fully equipped for commercial longlining. Vessel operators must have a valid commercial groundfish fishing licence, must be experienced in commercial groundfish fishing in 4Vn, and must have a minimum of 5 years experience conducting scientific surveys. • Each vessel must have room for a DFO observer as well as the fishing crew. • The vessel must carry an inspected life raft with capacity for everyone on board. • All vessels operators must be familiar with the survey protocols, including: o sampling at defined station locations (see Appendix B) o use of proper survey gear (Appendix C). • Supplying an approved dockside monitor and related duties of monitoring companies. • Supplying a project manager with a minimum of 12 years experience coordinating joint DFO-industry science surveys. • Supplying fisheries technicians for conducting detailed sampling of cod (Appendix C).

Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property for the purposes of this ACAN, Intellectual Property is any rights resulting from intellectual activity in the industrial, scientific, literary, or artistic fields including all intellectual creation legally protected through patents, copyright, industrial design, integrated circuit topography, and plant breeders rights, or subject to protection under the law as trade secrets and confidential information. Intellectual Property does not include prototypes or any other physical embodiments of intellectual creation when such physical embodiments are deliverables of a Crown Procurement Contract.

Note: Indicate ownership of the intellectual property or state the exceptions set out in Section 6. If no IP is involved indicated that there is no IP - NO

6. Mandatory Requirements Mandatory Requirement

The supplier must provide 4 vessels fully equipped for commercial longlining.

Vessel operators must have a valid commercial groundfish licence and must be experienced in commercial groundfish fishing in 4Vn.

At each fishing station 5 tubs of standardized longline gear must be set. Each tub of gear must have between 450-500 #12 circle hooks. The groundline on the longline gear must have floating line spliced into it at intervals to raise hooks off the bottom. The floating line is added every 60 hooks. Gangions are to be 18 incles long and made of 150-200 point test braided nylon set 6 feet apart along the ground line. The vessels must have space for one onboard observer along with crew members.

The captain and crew must assist with observer activities while fishing scientific stations.

Each vessel must carry an inspected life raft with capacity for everyone on board.

The captains and crew must be capable of conducting research survey of groundfish in NAFO Division 4Vn as per the detailed scientific survey protocols in Appendix C and have a minimum of 5 years experience in such activities.

The supplier must supply an approved dockside monitor for all landings by the survey vessels.

The supplier must supply technicians to conduct detailed sampling of cod onshore as detailed in the scientific survey protocols in Appendix C.

The supplier must supply a project manager with a minimum of 12 years experience in coordinating joint DFO-industry science surveys.

7. Justification for Proposed Contract Award

Section 6 (D): Only source capable in performing the work.

8. Proposed Contract Award

Contract to Commence – September 1, 2013 through to August 31, 2014 with the working portion of the contract being September 1 through to September 30, 2013

Option to extend the Contract

The Contractor grants to Canada the option to extend the term of the Contract by up to three (3) additional one (1) year period(s) under the same terms and conditions. The Contractor agrees that, during the extended period of the Contract, it will be paid in accordance with the applicable provisions as set out in the Basis of Payment.

Canada may exercise this option at any time by sending a written notice to the Contractor at least sixty (60) Calendar days before the expiry date of the Contract. The option may be exercised by the Contracting Authority, and will be evidenced for administrative purposes only, through a contract.

9. Value of Proposed Contract

An estimated amount of $98,900

10. Response

The Department encourages any company or person who believes that it can provided the required services in accordance with the requirements set out in this notice to contact: Kimberly Walker at 506-452-3624; facsimile # 506-452-3676 by email Kimberly.walker@dfo-mpo.gc.ca no later than 2:00 p.m. Atlantic Time, Sept. 30, 2013, the Closing Date of this Posting.

“Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the service 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.

Information provided will be used for technical evaluation purposes only and is not to be construed as a competitive solicitation. Your written response must provide sufficient evidence (e.g. specifications, technical data, drawings, or any other proof) that clearly demonstrates that your product or service is capable of fulfilling this requirement".