Report and Database - yields from hardwood trees from sawmill

ADVANCE CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE (ACAN)

1. Definition

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 competitive requirements of the government's contracting policy have been met. Following notification to suppliers not successful in demonstrating that their Statement of Capabilities meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contract may then be awarded using the Treasury Board's electronic bidding authorities.

If other potential suppliers submit Statement of Capabilities during the fifteen calendar day posting period, and meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, the department or agency must proceed to a full tendering process on either the government's electronic tendering service or through traditional means, in order to award the contract.

2. Definition of Requirements

Proposed provider has completed a project to upgrade the current database which allows predicting the yields in terms of solid wood and sawlog products from hardwood trees, classified using different grading systems from Quebec and New Brunswick. . The supplemental database cover 100 white birch trees from the Bas-Saint-Laurent Region, and 300 trees of red oak, American beech, red maple and white birch from the Outaouais Region.

Yields in volume and product value form the 400 hardwood sampled trees was obtained followed an optimal bucking (maximizing the volume of high quality grades following the Petro Classification), followed by the processing of the logs in a sawmill.

- The proposed provider followed a methodology with 3 keys steps: Simulated bucking in the field: the goal of this exercise was to quantify the yields by grade classes from different bucking recipes (different from the optimal Petro bucking recipe), in order to take in account the various constrains which may reduce the bucking efficiency in the forest. Cut-down trees were marked to simulated different bucking options and the resulting logs were measured and graded. . - Optimized bucking: The real bucking of the sampled trees was done with a chain saw, following the Petro log grading norms, in order to maximize the volume of high quality sawlogs. The process also took in account the production of veneer-quality logs (A Grade, following the norms of the MFFP) - Processing of logs in a sawmill. Sawn wood from the sampled trees were monitored all along the sawmill process in order to quantify the sawn products of each log and each tree. Processing time on the sawing carriage and sawing patterns were noted for each log. Sawn products were classified using the NHLA norms.

The Canadian Wood Fibre Centre from Natural Resources Canada wish to have access to the database from this study in order to complement the NRCan databases.

3. Trade Agreements

This contract is subject to none of the current Fair Trade Agreements.

4. Contract Period

From Contract award to March 31st, 2015.

5. Estimated Cost

Estimated cost for the contract is $ 50,000.00, applicable taxes extra.

6. Exception to the Government Contracts Regulations and applicable trade agreements

Part 1, Section 6 d) of the Government Contract Regulations apply to this contract (see section 8)

7. Name and Address of the Proposed Contractor

FPInnovations 319 rue Franquet Québec (Qc) G1P 4R4

8. Inquiries on Submission of Statement of Capabilities

FPInnovations, Canada’s unique research and development institute is a private and non-profit organization, which promotes actively the use of wood on the behalf of its industrial members. The proposed provider is the only one which has developed a database allowing the quantification the yields and value from hardwood stems and logs, for the specified species (red oak, American beech, red maple and white birch) Since these new data complement the existing database, it is crucial for the CWFC of NRCan to have access to this new information, for its current research program.

In order to submit a statement of capabilities, a provider must make the demonstration that he has a database, as previously described, and meet the following minimal requirements: - Have a minimum of 5 years of experience in the measurement yields of logs and sawn products from hardwood trees. - Have an advanced knowledge of grading and classification of standing trees, logs and sawn products in hardwoods, in particular with the Petro and NHLA systems.; - Have the resources and infrastructures to proceed to the analyses described in Section 2 - Have a rigorous quality control process to ensure the quality of the produced data.

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a Statement of Capabilities in writing, preferably by e-mail, to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date and time of this Notice. The Statement of Capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

9. Closing Date for submission of a Statement of Capabilities

The closing date for a submission of a Statement of Capabilities is March 18, 2015 at 2:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Saving time.

10. Contract Authority

Danie Juneau Procurement Specialist 418-648-7635 Danie.juneau@RNCan.gc.ca