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Canadian
American
Strategic
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Small UAV for Afghanistan  –  Government News Release  –  April 2009 Small  Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System (SUAV) for use by the CF  in Afghanistan — 'Turnkey' Lease Contract and Background As expected the NPP/RFP for SUAV (Small UAV) services in Afghanistan has resulted in a lease of Boeing-Insitu ScanEagles –  the 'air vehicle' type already  in theatre as  interim SUAVs. Neither the Government Backgrounder on the SUAV service contract nor the News Release give details of the ScanEagle system. The Insitu approach  to UAV operation is highly creative. That is of no interest to our Federal Ministers, however. Their concern seems to be cut-and-pasting claims of  "fair, open and  transparent competition", while cloaking themselves in the Manley Report, and  trumpeting  100% "high quality" IRBs. A few details stand out.  Urgent Operational Requirements for the Afghan mission are quoted. Yet Public Works Minister Paradis says that the "Canadian Forces will be able to use in Afghanistan and beyond" (emphasis added).  In other words, despite having committed troops to Afghanistan until 2011, the Harper government is already playing past that deployment. That in turn makes meeting the recommendations of the Manley Report little more than a formality. How individual readers view Industrial and Region- al Benefits will determine whether they assign any lasting value to IRB-generated jobs. BACKGROUNDER   [ ScanEagle Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle  Contract ] The Government of  Canada is actively procuring equipment needed to support urgent operational requirements [ UORs] in Afghanistan. On April 3, 2009, on behalf of  DND, PWGSC awarded a contract to Insitu Inc. of Bingen, Washington, USA, to provide the Canadian Forces with services for Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (SUAVs). This contract, awarded for one year, with two one-year options, provides for SUAV turnkey services that include: training [ of  Canadian ] Forces personnel; maintenance personnel; repair, technical and engineering support; and integrated logistics support. The services also include launching the SUAVs and performing post takeoff checks before providing them to CF personnel for operational missions. Once the missions are complete, the contractor will recover the SUAVs to prepare them for their next mission. This contract, with an estimated value of US $30 million [$37M] for the initial one-year period, is in addition to two other separate earlier procurements announced in August 2008. These procurements were undertaken to ensure that the Canadian Forces depl- oyed in Afghanistan would have the equipment they needed, well in advance of the February 2009 deadline to meet recommendations of the ... Manley Report. First,  the Government awarded a contract to  The Boeing Company  to provide SUAV services on an interim basis.  This contract  provided  for a  turnkey  service spanning less than one year. This [ ScanEagle ] equipment has been in the field since July 2008. Second, PWGSC worked [ ... ] with DND on a competitive procurement called  Project Noctua to lease Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) services for a two-year period, with an additional one-year option. The contract was awarded to MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates [ for CU-170s ] as a result of an open, transparent and competitive process. This allowed for the approach resulting in today's contract. The government obtained the equipment it needed as quickly as possible to protect Canadian troops, while this new competitive process was undertaken to ensure best value for Canadian taxpayers and ensure continued capability with the new contract being awarded today. The Industrial and Regional Benefits (IRB) Policy is an important component of the Government of  Canada's overall procurement process for major Crown purchases. The IRB Policy enables the Government of  Canada  to leverage major government procurements to create long-term industrial development and to generate significant economic activity in Canada.  The Policy ensures  that successful  prime contractors undertake high-quality, high-technology work in Canada, equivalent to 100 percent of  the contract value, with lasting economic benefit. New contract  for  small  unmanned aerial vehicles  ( SUAV )  will  boost economy For immediate release GATINEAU, Quebec, April 6, 2009 –  The Minister of  Public Works and Government Services, the Honourable Christian Paradis, and the Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway,  the Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay,  as well as the Minister of  Industry,  the  Honourable Tony Clement, today announced  that  the Government of  Canada has awarded a contract to Insitu Inc. of  Bingen, Washington, USA, [ Bingen is a small town on the Columbia River, east of Portland, OR ] to provide small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) services to support the Canadian Forces. "As a result of a  fair,  open and  transparent competition,  we now have a contract  to provide SUAV services that our  Canadian Forces will  be able to use in Afghanistan and beyond," said Minister Paradis. "We moved quickly last summer to meet our short term needs," he added. "This procurement will not only add to the [CF] SUAV fleet ..., but will provide best value for Canadian taxpayers while stimulating our economy." "The Canadian Forces' UAV capability directly contributes to the safety and protect- ion of our troops deployed on operations," added Minister MacKay. "The awarding of  this contract will help ensure that the men and women of the Canadian Forces are provided with the necessary support to sustain this important capability in current operations in Afghanistan, and into the future." As part of  the  Request for Proposal  [ see: Notice of  Proposed Procurement ],  Insitu Inc. must provide 100 percent industrial and  regional  benefits. This means that Insitu Inc. will boost the Canadian economy by generating one dollar of economic activity in Canada for every dollar it receives from the contract. Canada's Industrial and Regional Benefits Policy applies to this procurement. As such, Insitu Inc. is required  to undertake  high quality  and  advanced-technology  business activities in Canada in an amount equal  to 100 percent of  the contract value. This means that the company will invest one dollar of economic activity in Canada for every dollar it receives from the contract. "The Government of  Canada  remains committed  to generate  the greatest amount of economic benefit  to Canadian industry and  the economy at large through its major defence procurements," said Minister Clement. "Canada's Industrial Regional Benefits Policy is in place to ensure that prime contractors encourage long-term industrial development and generate significant economic activity in Canada."