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ACAN s 
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Griffon Helicopter Development  –  MERX ACAN Notice  –  July 2008 Improving  Griffon  Helicopter  Hot-and-High  Performance — Aerodynamic  Testing  and  Evaluation  —  MERX ACAN Notice This ACAN requires a supplier  –  BLR  or  Boundary Layer Research, Inc. of  Everett, WA  –  to mount their product on a Canadian Forces  CH-146 Griffon utility helicopter. The firm will then be responsible for verifying its performance gain claims. Products to be tested are BLR’s Fastfin™ carbon fibre tailfin replacement and tailboom strake kits. Both kits are easy to install and  work on simple principles. The original vertical tail fin also impedes lateral air flow. By reducing that fin size,[1] Fastfin allows the tail rotor to be more effective. The strakes disrupt the boundary layer flow (left) around the tailboom. Without strakes, the main rotor downwash produces unintentional ‘lift’ along the tailboom, acting against the tail rotor. To counter-act this effect, more power is diverted to the tail rotor thereby robbing the main rotor. According to NASA, the hover ceiling is increased  by as much as 6000 ft (1828m) when the tailboom strakes are installed. DND is demanding proof of such claims because, while the BLR kits are type certified, [2]  they are not ‘performance quantified’. Whether the DND approach is prudent or merely timid depends on your point of view. Some 6000 helicopters are currently flying with the BLR strakes installed (including the entire Australian Army Huey fleet). And, ironically, the type certification for the strake installations resulted from tests performed in 2001 by the NRC and Transport Canada. The prototype strake kits were mounted on the NRC  Institute for Aerospace Research’s  B412 ASRA (Advanced Systems Research Aircraft). The Ottawa tests resulted in Bell 412 operators being allowed to install strake kits but made no changes to the by-the-book performance levels. BLR  has since completed  more extensive tests which should result in an official Aircraft Flight Manual  Supplement confirming  claimed gains. In theory, applying the BLR strakes and Fastfin  to  Canadian Forces CH-146s, should increase the Griffon’s official WAT (Weight Altitude and Temperature) chart limits up to 454 kg beyond current levels. This has obvious implications for Afghan operations. [1] Technically, fin size is not reduced. The area removed from original vertical fin has been re-instated on the extended tailboom fairing.  Fastfin,  itself, is a two-part carbon composite assembly. One segment is the reduced fin, the other is the extended fairing. [2] For example, the strake kit has US  FAA Supplemental Type Certificate SR00798SE. As noted, this is for installations only. This STC has no effect on performance ratings. The full text of  this ACAN (as published on the MERX website) is reproduced below. ________________________________________ BLR  [ Strake Kit  and Fastfin ]  Aerospace Test  and Evaluation  –  ACAN [Advance Contact Award Notice] ________________________________________ Reference Number                PW-$KIN-546-4782 Solicitation Number              W3996-080032/A Organization Name               Public Works and Government Services Canada                                                  Travaux publics et Services gouvernementaux Canada Source ID                               FD.DP.QC.10077.C2 Associated Components     No Dates Published     — Revised        2008-07-21 Closing         2008-08-06  02:00 PM  Eastern Daylight Saving Time  EDT Details Category     Aerospace GSINS          JX1520B: HELICOPTERS (MILITARY) REPAIR AND OVERHAUL Region of Delivery            Ontario Region of Opportunity     — Agreement Type                Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) Tender Type                       Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) Estimated Value                  — Solicitation Method           — Notice Description BLR Aerospace Test and Evaluation Trade Agreement:  Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) Tendering Procedures:  Generally only one firm has been invited to bid Attachment:  None Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy:  Exclusive Rights Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement:  No Vendor Name and Address: BLR Aerospace, LLC 9730 29th Ave. W Hangar C-106 Everett Washington United States 98204 Nature of Requirements: Advance Contract Award Notice - (ACAN) Definition: An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than fifteen (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 competitive requirements of the government's contracting policy have been met. Following notification to suppliers not successful in demonstrating that their statement of capabilities meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contract may then be awarded using the Treasury Board's electronic bidding authorities. If other potential suppliers submit statements of capabilities during the fifteen calendar day posting period, and meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, the department or agency must proceed to a full tendering process on either the government's electronic tendering service or through traditional means, in order to award the contract. File Number W3996-080032 Davis, Daniel P. Telephone No. - (613) 545-8206 Fax No. - (613) 545-8067 Title BLR Aerospace Test and Evaluation Requirement 1 Wing proposes to award a contract to BLR Aerospace (BLR) for the conduct of a test and evaluation program designed to measure structural loads and validate per- formance improvement predictions on the Bell 412 (CH146 Griffon) resultant of the patented FastFin™ and Strakes installation. The contractor will be responsible to provide, to the satisfaction of the technical authority:   •  test plan development, direction and participation;   •  provision of test articles;   •  provision and installation of aircraft instrumentation;   •  data reduction and structural impact assessment of the FastFin™ and Strake       modification in a high density altitude environment; and,   •  program management. The flight test level of effort will be reduced where possible based on proprietary data previously captured for certification of FastFin™ and Strakes on other, similar aircraft. BLR Aerospace, LLC 9730 29th Ave. W. Hangar C-106 Everett, WA 98204 USA Ph: 800-257-4847 Fax: 425-355-3046 www.BLRaerospace.com You are hereby notified that the Government intends to negotiate a Sole Source Contract with the above mentioned supplier Suppliers right to submit a Statement of Capabilities Suppliers that feel they are capable of meeting this requirement may submit a written response showing that they are capable of meeting this requirement, it must be done not later than the specified closing date and time. The file number, Supply Officer's name, and the closing date of the ACAN must appear on the outside of the envelope in block letters or, in case of a facsimile transmission, on the covering page. As it is intended to proceed in a timely manner, responses received after the closing date will not be considered. Responses received on or before the closing date will be considered solely for the purpose of deciding whether or not to conduct a competitive procurement. Informa- tion provided will be used by the Crown for technical evaluation purposes only and is not to be construed as a competitive solicitation. Your written response must provide sufficient evidence (e.g. specifications, technical data, drawings, or any other proof) that clearly demonstrates that your product or service is capable of fulfilling this requirement. Suppliers that have submitted a response will be notified in writing of PWGSC's decision to continue with the noncompetitive procurement or to compete the requirement. Submit Statement of Capabilities and Inquiries to Davis, Daniel P. Supply Officer Public Works and Government Services Kingston Procurement 86 Clarance Street PO Bag 6400 Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 5J5 Telephone No. - (613) 545-8206 Fax No. - (613) 545-8067 dan.davis@pwgsc.gc.ca Closing Date and Time for Submission of Capabilities August 06, 2008 - 2:00 PM Standard Time Bid package is not available The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement. Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada. Delivery Date: Above-mentioned 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 officer identified above. An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than fifteen (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 con- tracting 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 con- tracting 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 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 PWGSC file number, the contracting officer's name and the closing date of the ACAN must appear on the outside of the envelope in block letters or, in the case of a facsimile transmission, on the covering page. The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement. Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada. Davis, Daniel P. Kingston Procurement Des Acquisitions Kingston 86 Clarance Street, 2nd floor Kingston Ontario K7L 1X3 Telephone No. - (613) 545-8206 ( ) Fax No. - (613) 545-8067 Contact Contracting Authority Name        Daniel P. Davis Address   Kingston Procurement  Des Acquisitions Kingston   86 Clarence Street, 2nd                   floor Telephone No.: (613) 545-8206 ( ) Facsimile No.: (613) 545-8067 City           Kingston State / Province  Ontario Country        Canada Postal Code K7L 1X3 Phone           (613) 545-8206 ( ) Fax                (613) 545-8067