Acoustic Recorders - Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Trade Agreement: NAFTA / CFTA / FTAs with Peru / Colombia / Panama / Korea Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Government Objectives Representing Best Interests/Value to Govt Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Vendor Name and Address: JASCO Applied Sciences (Canada) Ltd Unit 202/301 - 32 Troop Avenue Dartmouth Nova Scotia Canada B3B1Z1 Nature of Requirements:

Acoustic Recorders - Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has a requirement, on behalf of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), for the provision of six (6) Acoustic Recorders, as specified below. The purpose of this Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) is to signal the intention to award a contract to JASCO Applied Sciences (Canada) Ltd. in Dartmouth, NS. Before awarding a contract, however, PSPC would like to provide other suppliers with the opportunity to demonstrate their capability of satisfying the requirements set out in this Notice, by submitting a statement of capabilities during the posting period. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in this ACAN, on or before the closing date stated, the contracting officer may then proceed with award to the pre-identified supplier.

GSIN: N6655F

Criteria for Assessment of the Statement of Capabilities The following Mandatory Technical Criteria will be used to assess any Statement of Capabilities: * Ability to effectively record signals spanning frequencies of 20 Hz to 150 kHz, thereby allowing for capture of acoustic signals of all cetacean species of interest to DFO (ranging from 20 Hz blue whale calls to 130 kHz harbor porpoise clicks); * Sufficient battery power to allow for one year (or more) of deployment and recording; * Sufficient memory space (at least 10 TB of data) to allow for capture of acoustic signals at high frequency sampling rates (at least 250 kHz) and appropriate duty cycles (several minutes/hour) for at least one year; * Ability to program a duty cycle that includes multiple sampling rates (e.g., switching between high frequency and low frequency sampling rates) during a single deployment; * Low levels of system self-noise to allow for accurate measurement of ambient acoustic noise level; * Deployable to depths of at least 250 m in salt and brackish water for long periods of time; * Successfully field-tested to do all of the above.

Government Contracts Regulations (GCRs) Exception: The following exception to the GCRs is invoked for this procurement: Section 6 (d) - only one person or firm is capable of fulfilling the contract.

Trade Agreements This procurement is subject to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), but the following limited tendering reason is being invoked: Article 513, 1. (b) iii) where there is an absence of competition for technical reasons.

This procurement is subject to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), but the following limited tendering reason is being invoked: Article 1016, 2. (b) where, for works of art, or for reasons connected with the protection of patents, copyrights, or other exclusive rights, or proprietary information or where there is an absence of competition for technical reasons, the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute exists.

Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier JASCO is the only known supplier that can provide instruments that meet the specific specifications for these project needs.

DFO Science currently owns several AMARs which have been used to successfully collect data in support of marine mammal research programmes in Canadian waters since 2010. The Science Branch in Newfoundland and Labrador region has built mooring configurations and protocols for these AMARs. The purchase of these new units will ensure that the acoustic monitoring work conducted in Newfoundland and Labrador will be comparable to past and ongoing datasets, including those being collected by the AMARs in our partner regions. If DFO NL was to acquire a different system it would mean additional costs associated with the development of new data analysis methods beyond that which could be obtained from our Maritimes colleagues who are currently using AMARs. Additionally, the data collected would be more difficult to compare to past and future AMAR datasets collected in nearby DFO regions for marine mammal species common to all areas.

Finally, other types of autonomous acoustic recorders are generally not able to record in the desired frequency range and at the sampling schedule over the required time frame, and would likely require more deployments and retrievals throughout the year to collect the data needed. This would incur significant increases in costs associated with fieldwork and may not be logistically feasible.

Period of Delivery Delivery is required by March 26, 2018.

Name and Address of the Pre-Identified Supplier: JASCO Applied Sciences (Canada) Ltd. Suite 202, 32 Troop Avenue Dartmouth, NS B38 1Z1

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified, and available to provide the services described in the ACAN, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified on or before the closing date specified. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is: December 20, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. NST

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to: Nikki Hoskins, Supply Specialist Public Services and Procurement Canada 7th Floor, John Cabot Building 10 Barter's Hill, P.O. Box 4600 St. John's, NL A1C 5T2

Telephone: 709-772-8192 Facsimile: 709-772-4603 E-mail: Nicole.Hoskins@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

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.