01R11-22-C013 - PLANT ROOT SIMULATOR PROBES AND SOIL ANALYSIS - Lethbridge, AB (01R11-22-C013)

ACAN (01R11-22-C013)

PLANT ROOT SIMULATOR PROBES AND SOIL ANALYSIS

- Lethbridge, AB

This ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) intends to award a service contract 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 this ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.

REQUIREMENT:

The Contractor is required to provide Plant Root Simulator TM

(PRS) probes and associated soil analyses of NO3-N, NH4+N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, B, Pb & Cd for all experimental units, each consisting of 4 anion and 4 cation probes, for experiments being conducted at AAFC locations in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The experiments focus on using crops and crop residues with high C:N to immobilize nitrogen in the soil making it temporarily unavailable to weeds going into the soybean (N-fixing legume) phase of the crop rotation. Less nitrogen available for weeds will reduce the ability for weeds to compete with soybean. The PRS system will be used to assess soil nutrient availability over time, during the growing season. The PRS probes provide a balanced measurement of soil nutrient status over the two weeks during their deployment, providing a more-continuous measurement of soil nutrient supply when deployed in sequence. The PRS probe system is required to meet the objectives of these research experiments.

CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF THE STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES :

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that they are able to provide Plant Root Simulator Probes and associated analysis as stated in the requirement above.

CONTRACT PERIOD:

from May 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022

ESTIMATED VALUE:   $ 24,192.00 (plus applicable taxes)

PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER:

Western Ag Innovations

804 Central Avenue

Saskatoon, SK

S7N 2G6

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION:

The PRS probes ) and associated analysis are only available from Western Ag Innovations, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan under patent US 6,242,261 B1.The probes/analysis will assess soil nutrient availability over time, during the growing season and provide a balanced measurement of soil nutrient status over the two weeks during their deployment, providing a more continuous measurement of soil nutrient supply when deployed in sequence. This is unique from other measurements of soil nutrient status because other measurements rely on point estimates of soil nutrient status using soil tests. Soil tests provide the status at a single point in time, which will be less useful than the continuous measurements provided by the PRS probes. There are no other probes that are manufactured that can provide a probe/type of analysis that AAFC requires for this specific research.

SUBMISSION OF STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES CLOSING DATE AND TIME:

The closing date and time for accepting Statement of Capabilities is

April 16, 2021 at 2:00 pm CST.

ACAN NOTICE:

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 Authority.

An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than 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, either via letter, facsimile or Email 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 Solicitation Number, Name of Contracting Authority and closing date of the ACAN must appear within your Statement of Capabilities in block letters.

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.