The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (CATPM) is issuing this Negotiated Request for Proposals (NRFP) to solicit Proposals from qualified Design-Build Proponents for major redevelopment work at its historic facility located at 300 Commonwealth Way in Brandon, Manitoba.
CATPM is a nationally recognized aviation museum located on an active airfield and housed within an original 1941 British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) hangar, one of the few remaining wartime structures of its type still in use. The Museum’s mandate is to preserve, interpret, and share the history of the BCATP and the contributions of Canadians and Commonwealth personnel during the Second World War. The site includes aircraft, archival collections, artifacts, vehicles, and displays related to flight training, air operations, and wartime service.
The existing hangar, now over 80 years old, remains central to the Museum’s identity and visitor experience but has reached a stage where significant structural remediation, systems upgrades, and accessibility improvements are required to ensure safety, long-term preservation, and
continued public use. CATPM is also actively expanding its public programming, collections care capacity, and community partnerships, creating additional operational and spatial needs.
This NRFP seeks complete Design-Build proposals to address these requirements through two redevelopment pathways, both of which must be fully developed, priced, and evaluated by the Proponent:
Option A - Repair & Stabilization of the Existing 1941 Hangar
Based on deficiencies identified by Burns Maendel Consulting Engineers Ltd. in the June 29, 2023 Structural Condition Assessment (Attached Document)
Scope includes:
• Remediation of Warren trusses, chords, columns, bracing, and roof system
• Structural stabilization to address misalignment, sagging, and deterioration
• Upgrading building systems to meet Manitoba Building Code
• Full accessibility upgrades (washrooms, pathways, entrances, galleries, offices, gift shop)
• Hazard mitigation and building code compliance
• Construction sequencing to maintain museum operations where feasible
Mandatory Requirement - Temporary Storage Facility
Because structural remediation requires the removal of aircraft, artifacts, and museum contents from affected zones, Option A must include the design and construction of a temporary storage facility. This storage facility shall:
• Be fully enclosed and secure
• Use a pile-supported foundation system consistent with the conceptual Sea-Can layoutprovided (Aviation museum pile layout), or an approved alternative
• Protect artifacts and aircraft during construction
• Include climate considerations
• Meet safety and security requirements
The Design-Builder must accommodate CATPM-led decanting, including access routes, staging areas, temporary protections, and sequencing. CATPM will carry out all physical handling and movement of aircraft and collections.
Option B - New Hangar-Style Building + Restoration Plan for the Existing 1941 Hangar
Option B requires both:
1. Design and construction of a new hangar-style building (WWII-inspired exterior aestheticmandatory), and
2. A complete restoration/repair plan for the existing 1941 hangar, integrated into the overallredevelopment strategy.
Scope includes:
• Design and construction of a new hangar-style building to support museum operations,including galleries, aircraft storage, workshops, offices, and visitor amenities
• Full site development and civil engineering required for the new facility
• Accommodation and support for CATPM’s decanting and transition plan (CATPM conductsthe move; the Design-Builder provides staging, access, protections, and sequencing)
Mandatory Requirement - Restoration Plan for the Existing 1941 Hangar
Under Option B, the Proponent must provide a complete structural remediation and restoration plan for the original 1941 hangar, including:
• Structural repair approach (trusses, chords, columns, bracing, roof system), based onBurns Maendel findings
• Safety, code compliance, and hazard mitigation solutions
• Accessibility improvements for long-term public use
• Integration with the new hangar footprint, site flow, and the Museum’s operating model
• A detailed sequencing plan identifying when and how restoration activities occur relative tothe new building’s construction
• Cost estimates for all required work to restore and stabilize the original hangar
Option B must therefore include integrated cost, schedule, sequencing, and risk analysis for:
• The new hangar building, and
• The full restoration/repair plan for the existing 1941 hangar.
