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Notice  of
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Multi-Engine Utility Flight – Hangar Relocation – DCC Tender – Mar/June 2009 Tarps for Transports  –  Relocate Fabric Shelter to C17 Hangar, Building 522, 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario  –  MERX Tender for DCC Another Notice that's not really a Notice of  Proposed Procurement as issued through Public Works. Rather it is a tender for work on behalf of  Defence Contruction Canada (DCC). Note too that this is a past tender (Dec 2008) presented here for reference only. Correction: it's now been revealed that a small Multi-Engine Utility Flight does exist at CFB Trenton. Since the temporary fabric shelter was being relocated to "C17 Hangar", we assumed that MEUF was a malaprop euphemism for the CC-177 fleet.  Two months after the contract award, MND Peter MacKay announced  that  two contractor-owned King Air B200s had already formed a MEUF flying with CF pilots out of  CFB Trenton. So, why review a past tender for an inexpensive project which recycles an existing asset?  Mostly  because of  concerns  expressed elsewhere about the true cost and extent of infrastructure additions and improve- ments dictatated by the purchase of four big CC-177 Globemaster IIIs. In this case, the project involves the creation of  a new hangar pad (as well as an access road) for an existing fabric shelter for 8 Wing at CFB Trenton. This shelter's metal frame is to be dismantled, then relocated. Total cost is to be less than $300,000, a tiny portion of the $1B being spent on Trenton infrastructure. Not all of that $1B is to be spent on improvements for CC-177s. Some of that money will go towards new offices, baseball diamonds, and  the like.  Most will go to ramp improvements needed  to support  the weight or physical size of  the  CC-177s. Then there will be a new digs for the CC-130J which is too long for the existing hangar. A reader wondered whether all  four of the CF Globemasters would be hangared at once and noted the stark contrast with airlines. Usually, only a small percentage of  commerical aircraft can 'bedded down' (while the rest of their fleet is flying). If there's an 'open' answer about CC-177 bay totals, it is not readily available. That citizens can't easily divine what's being done on their behalf at Trenton speaks volumes. [1]  Costs for items like relocatable hangars are incidental  (by DND standards). Building new hangars at Trenton will cost $150M. Contrast with Australia (which also bought 4 C-17s). Hangars, apron extensions, and other work at five different RAAF bases is to cost $230 M. [2]  And all of that work was tabled publicly as their 'C-17 Heavy Air Lift Infrastructure Project'. [1] We had intitially assumed that MEUF tent hangars must also be for the C-17s. That a Multi-Engined Utility Flight existed  (consisting of  two dry-leased King Airs) wasn't actually made public until two months after the contract award  with the aircraft flying. [2] A cost of AUS $268.2M (before GST) was submitted to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works. The public have access to details of hangars, paving, etc. The text of  the DCC tender (as published on the MERX website) is reproduced below. ________________________________________ Construct Temporary Fabric Shelter for MEUF – CFB Trenton, Ontario – MERX  Tender for DCC ________________________________________ Reference Numbers              163578 Solicitation Numbers           TR860342 Organization Name               Defence Construction Canada / Construction de Défense                                                  Canada Source ID                               FD.CO.ON.6872.115726.C67278 Associated Components     Yes Dates Published     2008-11-21 Revised        – Closing         2008-12-09  02:00 PM  Eastern Standard Time  EST Details Category     Construction Services GSINS          5131A: CONSTRUCTION                       5139A: CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, N.E.S.                       5150AM: PAVING                       5154C: PAVING - PARKING AREAS                       516: Installation Work                       5164B: ELECTRICAL WORK                       5179FQ: GENERAL CONTRACTOR SERVICES, N.E.S.                       S31528: RELOCATION SERVICES Region of Delivery            Ontario Region of Opportunity     Canada Agreement Type                Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) Tender Type                       Tender Notice Estimated Value                  [ left blank but listed as  $287,407 in the text, below ] Solicitation Method           Open Notice Description Relocate Fabric Shelter to C17 Hangar, Building 522, 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario DEFENCE CONSTRUCTION CANADA (DCC) - #TR860342 - Relocate Fabric Shelter to C17 Hangar, Building 522, 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario The work includes, but is not necessarily limited to the supply of labour, material, supervision and equipment necessary for the construction of a paved lot and road. Removal/Relocation of existing fabric shelter. For DCC Tender Board Projects, Plans and Specifications (P&S) are picked up at the DCC Site Office located at the following address: Room 204, Building 155 14 Alert Boulevard 8 Wing Trenton P.O. Box 1000, Station Forces Astra, Ontario K0K 3W0 Telephone: (613) 392-2811 ext. 3897. Those wishing to obtain a set of Plans & Specifications for this project must place an order with MERX by logging on their website: www.merx.com or by calling 1 (800) 964-MERX (6379) to obtain a MERX order confirmation number. The MERX order confirm- ation number authorizing the order of Project #TR860342 must be presented to the DCC Site Office w hen picking up P & S. THE TENDER FORM AND ALL AMENDMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY ONLY THROUGH MERX DISTRIBUTION. Bids from bidders whose name does not appear on the official tender document takers list, may be declared invalid. A site visit will be held at the following date and location. This will be the only opport- unity to visit the site. Date: November 26, 2008 Time: 10:00 hours, local time Location: DCC Site Office, Room 204, 14 Alert Blvd, 8 Wing Trenton, Astra, Ontario The estimated cost for this opportunity is in the order of $ 287,407.00 Bidders are advised that bid security is required when the advertised project budget is greater than $100,000.00. Refer to the Instructions to Tenderers ( Form DCL193  ( R-07- 08 ) ), paragraph 4. This procurement follows tendering procedures in accordance with Chapter 5 of  the Agreement on Internal Trade. The tender closing date is December 9, 2008 The tender closing time is: 14:00 hours, local time Sealed tenders will be received at the following location: Public Works and Government Services Canada Chief Real Property Contracting Services Ontario Region, TENDERING OFFICE 12th Floor, 4900 Yonge Street Willowdale, Ontario M2N 6A6 Fax No.: (416) 512-5862. Tender documents can be viewed at the local Construction Association and the DCC Site Office in the project area. Please note that the tender results for this project are available from the Public Works and Government Services Bid Line and from the DCC Site at telephone: (613) 392-2811 ext. 3897. Inquiries relating to this solicitation are to be directed ONLY to the DCC Contracting Authority mentioned below. Bidders who contact the Department of National Defence (DND) to obtain clarifications during the solicitation period may, for that reason alone, be disqualified. The NEW STANDARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT DOCUMENTS - VERSION 2008, including the Instructions to Tenderers - (Form DCL 193) forms part of the Tender Package by reference. A hard copy of these documents can be ordered from MERX at telephone No.: 1 (800) 964-6379 (MERX Reference No. 153373). Bidders can obtain contract award results from the DCC Website at http://www.dcc-cdc.gc.ca/inform/ContractAwards.htm. Contact(s) Contracting Authority Name   Linda Wolfe Address   8 Wing Trenton 14 Alert Blvd. Room 204 City   Trenton State / Province   ON Country   Canada Postal Code   K0K 3W0 Phone   613-392-2811x4408 Fax   613-392-8630 Email   Linda.Wolfe@dcc-cdc.gc.ca