Certifiable Airworthy Network Interface Card (CANIC)

Trade Agreement: Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid Attachment: None Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Interchangeable Parts Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Vendor Name and Address: Edgewater Computer Systems, Inc. 1125 Innovation Drive Ottawa Ontario Canada K2K3G6 Nature of Requirements: Certifiable Airworthy Network Interface Card (CANIC)

W7714-135761/A Davidson(sv), Linda Telephone No. - (819) 956-1367 Fax No. - (819) 997-2229

1. Advanced Contract Award Notice (ACAN)

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. Canadian Content

The level of Canadian Content has been set at 80%, with competition 'solely limited' to firms meeting the Canadian Content requirement.

3. Definition of requirement

The Department of National Defence (DND) has a requirement for development, testing, environmental qualification, certification, production and delivery of ten (10) Certifiable Airworthy Network Interface Cards (CANIC) circuit card assemblies (CCA). The CANIC Procurement Requirement Specification (PRS) defines the specific hardware and software functional and performance requirements such that the CANIC CCA possesses physical and functional characteristics that are appropriate for an airborne avionics environment.

Under the CANIC, Technology Demonstration Project (TDP), DND sponsored the development and demonstration of a broad-band aircraft data bus technology that allows high bandwidth signals to be coupled to existing STANAG 3838 aircraft wiring without interfering with legacy communications. The technology affords a two orders-of-magnitude increase in data throughput without costly rewiring of the legacy aircraft. The contract was based on a foundation of CAN/US Research and Development (R&D) by Edgewater Computer Systems Inc. (ECSI), Ottawa, Ontario with ECSI successfully delivering four Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL) interface cards. Significant independent testing by DND and partner The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) nations have successfully confirmed the CANIC conformance with the contract specification.

In parallel with the CANIC TDP, DND has been leading the development and validation of a broad-band real-time databus standard (STANAG 7221) in conjunction with Australia, Germany, United Kingdom and the United States. The STANAG is considered crucial to Weapon Systems Managers as it provides a reference to which future interface cards can be manufactured.

4. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities

Minimum Essential Requirements

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that its product meets the following requirements:

1. Bidder must demonstrate that they possess significant experience analyzing and implementing high speed (70Mb or higher) networks suitable for aerospace applications. Experience MUST be demonstrated by: - providing a brief description of the experience(s), project(s); - providing name of client(s) the service was provided for; - providing reference name and phone number; - providing the starting and finishing date of the service provided to the client(s), and - Demonstrating the implementation results in a representative aerospace environment. 2. Bidder must demonstrate that they possess significant experience in researching, analyzing and implementing high integrity (10-12 bit error rate or lower) networks suitable for aerospace applications. Experience MUST be demonstrated by: - providing a brief description of the experience(s), project(s); - providing name of client(s) the service was provided for; - providing reference name and phone number; - providing the starting and finishing date of the service provided to the client(s), and - Demonstrating the implementation results in a representative aerospace environment. 3. Bidder must demonstrate that they possess significant experience in researching, analyzing and implementing high speed and high integrity networks implemented over legacy MIL-STD-1553 networks in a non-interference basis suitable for aerospace applications. Experience MUST be demonstrated by: - providing a brief description of the experience(s), project(s); - providing name of client(s) the service was provided for; - providing reference name and phone number; - providing the starting and finishing date of the service provided to the client(s), and - Demonstrating the implementation results in a representative aerospace environment. 4. Bidder must demonstrate that they have successfully demonstrated their technology in an actual aircraft, either in a ground or in an airborne environment. The Technology MUST be demonstrated by: - providing a brief description of the demonstration(s), project(s); - providing name of client(s) the service was provided for; - providing reference name and phone number; - providing the starting and finishing date of the service provided to the client(s), and - presenting satisfactory demonstration results.

5. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement

This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement

Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT)

6. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The United States Air Force (USAF) developed under Contract an open standard, MIL-STD 1553 B Notice 6, which enables on-board communications at rates up to 200 Mbps without rewiring the aircraft while still allowing legacy 1553 B Notice 2/4 communications. MIL-STD 1553 B Notice 6 is the only standard that will allow on-board communications without rework of the aircraft. Furthermore, while seeking to upgrade its on-board communications networks, Canada must remain interoperable with its allies and in particular the United States. The USAF and US Office of the Secretary of Defense have committed to deploying open standard, MIL-STD 1553 B Notice 6 compliant Network Interface Cards (NICs) within the Enhanced Link-16 program. To meet the requirements of this program, the MIL-STD 1553 B Notice 6 compliant NICs must be developed within two years. Previously, the US, UK and AUS have all purchased a CANIC 1553 prototype kit from Edgewater. DND has provided letters from the U.S. DoD indicating that they are seeking partner nation participation in the development of an 'Enhanced Link-16' which is enabled by Extended 1553 i.e. Extended 1553 is required for Enhanced Link-16 to work. Industry opportunities indicated in these letters refer therefore to broader industry opportunities, such as testing, integration work for each specific platform, etc.

Edgewater Computing Systems Inc (ECSI) is the only company that has demonstrated a prototype that meets the MIL-STD 1553 B Notice 6 communication specifications and this prototype has been validated by tests with the USAF and DND.

7. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)

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'.

8. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons

The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the section of the trade agreement(s) specified:

Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) - Article 506, 12.b

9. Ownership of Intellectual Property.

Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.

10. The period of the proposed contract

The proposed contract is for a period of two (2) years.

11. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Edgewater Computer Systems, Inc. 1125 Innovation Drive Ottawa, Ontario K2K 3G6

12. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities

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 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.

13. The closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is 14 February 2013 at 2:00 p.m. EST

14. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to

Linda Davidson Public Works and Government Services Canada Acquisitions Branch Science Procurement Directorate Defence Sciences Division Place du Portage, Phase III, 11C1 11 Laurier Street Gatineau, Québec K1A 0S5 E-mail: linda.davidson@tpsgc-pwgsc.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.