Notice of Intent to Direct Award
Vancouver General Hospital Chiller 4 Overhaul and AFD Installation
Document Number: E844-00/E726-00NOI
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCH) intends to overhaul Chiller 4 and install an AFD (Adjustable Frequency Drive) for Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), project number E844-00 and E726-00. The value of these purchases, labour, design and construction work with the Original Equipment Manufacturer
Trane Canada ULC (“Trane”) is anticipated to be between $1,460,000.00 and $1,530,000.00 plus tax. VCH has chosen not to complete a public tendering process for this portion of the Project and award this contemplated work and contracting to Trane. Additional electrical work, construction, harmonic filter and tie into the 12.5kVA vault will be competitively bid. This direct award to Trane is for the following reasons:
- Chiller 4 is an 1800-ton centrifugal chiller manufactured by Trane and installed in 2008. Trane has the expertise, knowledge, experience, and is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), appropriate in supplying all equipment, parts and engineered replacements for the compressors, bearings, seals and integration of the AFD to the existing Chiller 4. The AFD is proprietary controls unique to the Chiller 4 OEM. Chiller 4 is due for an overhaul by ASHRAE and industry standards for continued reliable operation and extended lifespan. The addition of the AFD and Overhaul requires OEM supply of equipment and engineering as well as commissioning and certifications.
- Chiller 4 is currently serviced by Trane on site at VGH doing maintenance and service repairs for the VGH Chiller and Cooling Tower fleet under their competitively bid maintenance and service contract which includes major repairs and joint improvements. The VGH cooling systems have experienced major repairs and this unit is in need of an overhaul and requires an AFD to improve VGH operational systems, redundancies and savings;
- Chiller 4 is critical to VGH cooling systems. The Project needs to be completed during the fall and winter of 2025 prior to the spring-summer seasons to minimize and eliminate impacts to clinical, facility operations and patient care. This requires a full understanding of VGH operations and cooling systems which Trane has as the incumbent on site since 2018 under competitively bid contracts;
- There are synergies and savings in time, quality and costs of specifications and the work with Trane for completing the Project in the required timeframe with the required expertise for extended reliable operation, warranties and continued cooling for the VGH campus. These units are engineered, designed and manufactured by Trane.
- The abovementioned portions of the Project work should be completed by the OEM, Trane. VCH wants to disclose in advance to any other potential pre-qualified and authorized bidders for this work. Additional electrical work and supply that can supplied by multiple service providers and equipment suppliers; and contractors will be competitively bid or procured by VCH separately from the work outlined in this NOI.
- A Consent of Surety issued by a surety company registered to transact business in the Province of British Columbia will be required along with an appropriate Comprehensive Commercial General Liability insurance of $2,000,000 or more, WorkSafe BC clearances, and an existing contract the same or similar in nature to the competitively bid contract for Trane are required for other companies interested in this work.
Prequalified Contractors who are authorized to perform this work on Trane equipment with the required engineering, design and work experiences may challenge this decision by emailing the undersigned
by March 7, 2025, at 15:00 local time.
Provide proof showing your qualifications, workplan, OEM authorizations, parts supply, repair and overhaul experience, insurance coverage, bonding coverage, contracting and WorkSafe BC clearance letters related to the requirements defined in this NOI. Only challenges from qualified authorized contractors that can meet the above requirements will be reviewed.