1. ADVANCE CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE (ACAN)
An advanced contract award notice (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 and time stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.
2. DEFINITION OF THE REQUIREMENT
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has a requirement for the provision of rental services of a firearms range facility in Nova Scotia on an as and when requested basis. The firearms range facility must permit the firing of 9mm and 5.56 calibers, 12-gauge Shotgun shells and rifled slugs, 40mm less lethal, 308 rifle and ERT 300 blackout rounds. The proposed contract period is for a period of one year, with the option to extend the contract for four additional one-year periods.
The purpose of this Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) is to signal the government’s intention to award a contract for these services to Nova Scotia Rifle Association. Before awarding a contract, however, the government would like to provide other suppliers with the opportunity to demonstrate that they are capable of satisfying the requirements set out in this Notice, by submitting a Statement of Capabilities during the 15 calendar day posting period.
If other potential suppliers submit a Statement of Capabilities during the 15 calendar day posting period that meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, the government will proceed to a full tendering process on either the government's electronic tendering service or through traditional means, in order to award the contract.
3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)
Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a Statement of Capabilities that it meets the following requirements:
3.1 The Firearm Range Facility must be located in Nova Scotia, within daily driving distance (approximately 50 km) from RCMP H Division Headquarters located at 80 Garland Avenue, Dartmouth, NS.
3.2 The Firearm Range Facility must permit the firing of 9mm and 5.56 calibers, 12-gauge shotgun shotshells and rifled slugs, 40mm less lethal, 308 rifle and ERT 300 blackout rounds.
3.3 The Firearm Range Facility will permit the RCMP approved course of fire to be run for both service-issued handguns and long guns.
3.4 The Firearm Range Facility must permit sufficient individual lanes/firing points (capacity) to support the operational needs of training up to 24 shooters per course. Carbine training requires a minimum range length of 100 m. Pistol/shotgun/40mm requires a minimum range length of 25 m.
3.5 The Firearms Range Facility must:
3.5.1 based on range availability, allow for use by RCMP for lengthy periods of time (sometimes entire months) during recertification seasons (typically April, May, June, September and October);
3.5.2 based on range availability, allow range bookings on an as-and-when-requested basis to account for other mandatory training;
3.5.3 be available for full-day courses from 07:30 to 16:30 to allow for set-up and clean-up, and when adequate notice is provided, allow for extended training past 16:30;
3.5.4 be available for half-day bookings; and
3.5.5 on occasion, allow for use of more than one range at a time.
3.6 The Firearms Range Facility must accommodate lateral movement for Carbine/Pistol training including the 100m shooting.
4. APPLICATION OF THE TRADE AGREEMENTS TO THE PROCUREMENT
This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement:
- Canadian Free Trade Agreement
5. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PRE-SELECTED SUPPLIER
There is a limited number of suppliers available to provide these services in Nova Scotia. The pre-identified supplier meets all of the minimum essential requirements described in this ACAN.
6. GOVERNMENT CONTRACT REGULATIONS EXCEPTION(S)
The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under
Subsection 6(d) - only one person or firm is capable of performing the work.
7. EXCLUSIONS AND/OR LIMITED TENDERING REASONS
The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the Canada Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), Article 513, b (iii):
b. if the goods or services can be supplied only by a particular supplier and no reasonable alternative or substitute goods or services exist for any of the following reasons:
iii. due to an absence of competition for technical reasons
8. COST ESTIMATE OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT
The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $595,000.00 (HST extra).
9. NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PRE-IDENTIFIED SUPPLIER
Supplier Name: Nova Scotia Rifle Association
Supplier Address: PO Box 482, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 3Y8
10. 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.
11. CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR A SUBMISSION OF A STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is January 28, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Atlantic Time.
12. INQUIRIES AND SUBMISSION OF STATEMENTS OF CAPABILITIES
Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
Sandra Bremner
RCMP Contracting Authority
ATL_Bid_Receiving@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
