Development of plant-produced enzymes and antibodies

Trade Agreement: Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid Attachment: None Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Government Objectives Representing Best Interests/Value to Govt Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Vendor Name and Address: University of Guelph Prof. JC Hall Rm 2225 EC Bovey Bldg Dept. of Environmental Biology University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada N1G2W1 Nature of Requirements: Title: Development of plant-produced enzymes and antibodies.

1. Advance Contract Award Notice An ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction 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 the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.

2. Definition of Requirement Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) - Suffield, Medicine Hat, Alberta has a requirement for a Contractor to develop a tobacco expression platform that produces proteins with humanized glycolsylation patterns; produce plant-derived recombinant human butyrylcholinesterase (and/or additional enzymes) in this improved tobacco expression system; provide technical expertise on the design of conjugates for development of specific antibody response to small molecules in immunized animals and to generate, express, purify and produce small molecule specific antibodies.

Due to the nature of this work it is expected that there may be follow-on contracts.

3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements:

a) a PhD in a natural science. b) experience with hapten conjugate design. c) experience developing high affinity hapten-specific antibodies. d) experience in recombinant antibody technology, generating recombinant antibody libraries and developing anti-hapten antibodies using recombinant antibody techniques. e) experience producing recombinant proteins, antibodies and antibody fragments in tobacco plants. f) experience producing anti-hapten antibodies or anti-hapten antibody fragments in tobacco.

4. Applicability of Trade Agreements This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements: Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)

5. Justification for Pre-Identified Supplier The proposed sole source contract focuses on the investigation linked to a previous procurement and strategy for pursuing protein production in tobacco, and development of small molecule specific antibodies in a collaboration of DRDC Suffield and University of Guelph. The previous procurement was tendered recently openly and competitvely and awarded to Dr J. Christopher Hall of University of Guelph (W7702-115040/001/EDM issued 2010-08-31).

For this open-competitive contract, Dr J. Christopher Hall of University of Guelph was the only bidder due to the extensive experience in both of the required fields (protein production in tobacco, and development of small molecule specific antibodies) This contractor also has rights to a line of genetically engineered tobacco for the production of therapeutic proteins for improved human tolerability over other plant expression systems available. These techniques and expertise will be used in the current contract and the information is crucial for correlating features of the subject of matter. The current procurement will seek to build on previous R&D work and improve the production efficiency and human tolerability characteristics of the plant-made proteins developed in the previous contract W7702-115040/001/EDM. Additionally, this current procurement is associated with a DRDC Technology Investment Fund (TIF) award in which the external collaborator was identified and rational for participation is required. Their previous work under W7702-115040/001/EDM will be the basis for continuing R&D efforts in this new contract funded by DRDC's TIF.

6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection 6(d) - "only one person is capable of performing the work".

7 Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons The following exclusions and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the section of the trade agreement specified:

Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) - Limited Tendering under Article 506, #12 b and h.

8. Ownership of Intellectual Property Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) has determined that any intellectual property arising from this contract will vest in Canada. DRDC is exempted from the Treasury Board "Policy on Title to Intellectual Property Arising Under Crown Procurement Contracts" approved 1 June 2000.

9. The Period of the Proposed Contract The proposed contract is from date of award to March 31, 2015 inclusive.

10. The Estimated Cost of the Proposed Contract The estimated value of the contract, is $530,000.00 (GST included).

11. Name and Address of the Pre-Identified Supplier: University of Guelph School of Environmental Science Guelph ON Attention: Dr J. Christopher Hall

12. Suppliers' Right to Submit a Statement of Capabilities Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN, 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 requirement.

13. The Closing Date and Time for Accepting Statements of Capabilities 2:00 MDST October 24, 2012

14. Inquiries and Submission of Statement of Capabilities Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:

Jasmine Scott, Supply Specialist Public Works and Government Services Canada Telus Plaza North 5th Floor 10025 Jasper Avenue Edmonton, AB T1J 1S5

Telephone:780-497-3578 Facsimile: 780-497-3510 E-mail: jasmine.scott@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.