Advance Procurement Notice
REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM (RPAS) – INFRASTRUCTURE
Comox, British Columbia
(with Security Requirements)
Purpose of this Advance Procurement Notice
This is not a bid solicitation. This is an advance notice of a potential contract with anticipated security requirements to provide interested consultants/contractors an opportunity to begin the sponsorship request process for potentially obtaining the required security clearance(s) that are anticipated. Note that there is no guarantee that this contract will proceed or that any security clearance(s) will be granted under the sponsorship process in a timely fashion or otherwise.
Description of the Project and Services
Modified Design Build (MDB) for the design and construction of a new purpose built Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) – Infrastructure project, the Department of National Defence (DND) is planning to construct an Air Maintenance Detachment (West) at 19 Wing Comox, British Columbia (BC). The project will be to design and construct the detachment consisting of approximately 5,700 sq.m gross building area with approximately 11,000 sq.m of exterior spaces including apron and open parking on a vacant brownfield land within the Operational Zone General Restricted Area (GRA). The facility will house three (3) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) fully assembled ready for operations configuration and include, but not limited to, workshops, offices, administrative spaces, meeting rooms, maintenance bay facilities, specialty aircraft maintenance labs, communication equipment and server rooms, building support spaces, common spaces, equipment storage and other associated areas. New facility will be designed to achieve a Green Building Certification and be Net Zero Carbon compliant to support climate-resilient operations.
The Rough order of magnitude value for the MDB contract (including design and construction) is estimated to be $53M. It is anticipated that this solicitation will be initiated in Fall 2024. This is conditional on the contract receiving approval to proceed by DND.
The Government of Canada is committed to reconciliation and meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples. Hence, DND is committed to supporting Indigenous Businesses and Peoples in the form of meaningful sub-contracting to support the proposed project.
To support DND’s commitment, the development of an Indigenous Benefits Plan (IBP) that outlines sub-contracting opportunities for Indigenous Businesses and Peoples will be required in the MDB contract.
The Indigenous communities may anticipate that there may be opportunities for the provision of subcontracts associated with the construction of the proposed facility.
Contract Award and Anticipated Security Requirements
In order to be eligible for contract award, a consultant/contractor will be required to, among other things, actively hold all required security clearance(s) at the time of closing, as further detailed in the solicitation documents.
As of the date of posting of this Advance Procurement Notice, the required security clearance(s) are anticipated to be:
- for consultants/contractors: a valid and active FACILITY SECURITY CLEARANCE (FSC) at the level of SECRET granted or approved by the Contract Security Program (CSP), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC); and
Industrial Security Program (ISP) Sponsorship
Defence Construction Canada (DCC) is providing consultants/contractors early access to the security clearance application process through sponsorship under its Industrial Security Program (ISP). Accordingly, consultants/contractors that are interested in submitting or participating in a proposal for this procurement and that do not actively hold the above identified security clearance(s) should begin the security clearance application process by applying through DCC’s ISP.
Under this program, DCC may provide preliminary assistance with the security clearance sponsorship process.
To begin the security clearance sponsorship process, please submit a sponsorship request application to DCC by following the steps identified on DCC’s website at: https://www.dcc-cdc.gc.ca/industry/security-requirements.
In their sponsorship request application to DCC, consultants/contractors are asked to quote the following information, among other things:
- Contract number 81311; and
- Level of clearance requested to be sponsored for.
Sponsorship Process
Upon receipt, DCC will review the sponsorship request application and will communicate directly with the consultant/contractor to complete a sponsorship request package. Once DCC has determined that the consultant/contractor has substantially completed the sponsorship request package, DCC will forward the package to the CSP, PWGSC on behalf of the consultant or contractor based on the following timelines:
- 60 calendar days prior to planned solicitation closing, for FACILITY SECURITY CLEARANCE (FSC) at the level of SECRET.
Following receipt of the sponsorship request package, the CSP, PWGSC will communicate directly with the consultant or contractor regarding any further steps or actions to be undertaken or the status of the sponsorship request package processing. At such time, the consultant or contractor will need to cooperate with the CSP, PWGSC in a timely fashion to further the process.
Questions
Any questions pertaining to the sponsoring process through the ISP can be addressed to:
Telephone Number: (613) 998-8974; or
Email address: ISP.Sponsorship@dcc-cdc.gc.ca
Any questions relating to this Advance Procurement Notice can be addressed to:
Andrew Webster
Coordinator, Contract Services
Defence Construction Canada
(343) 553-9546
andrew.webster@dcc-cdc.gc.ca
Disclaimer
DCC does not provide any assurances or guarantees that a sponsorship request package or a security clearance application forwarded by DCC to the CSP, PWGSC on behalf of a consultant/contractor will be successful or result in the granting of the requested security clearance(s) by the CSP, PWGSC, in a timely fashion. At all times, the processing of a sponsorship request package or a security clearance application is subject to the respective terms, conditions, and timelines of DCC’s ISP sponsorship process and the CSP, PWGSC’s security clearance granting process. By applying to either of the aforementioned processes, the consultant/contractor accepts and agrees to bear any risks associated with: (i) the completeness or accuracy, or lack thereof, of its application or related documents submitted under or in connection with either said processes, and (ii) the timeliness, or lack thereof, of any processing or granting of security clearance(s) under or in connection with either said processes.
