CASR

Defence
Budget & 
Procurement
Practices 
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L O I  s 
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~   LOI s   —   Letters  of   Interest   ~

Science Vessels – Canadian Coast Guard – CCG Procurement – Sept 2009 Offshore Oceanographic & Offshore Fisheries Science Vessel  Following on from contract announcements  for new Mid-Shore Patrol Vessels, an SOIQ/  LOI has been issued for one larger Offshore  Oceanographic Science Vessel  as well as  3  Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels that will replace existing Canadian Coast Guard ships in 2011-2012 (OFSV) and 2014 (OOSV). Read CASR commentary on the OOSV/OFSV and text (as published on MERX)

Medium Support Vehicle  –  MERX  –  CF Procurement  –  January  2009 Revised – Medium Support Vehicle  Standard Military Pattern DND has revised the requirements for the new MLVW-replacement medium truck once again. This time, the changes are said  to spring from information submitted  by potential bidders in the earlier attempts at  LOIs. Apparently, there will be no Canadian truck makers submitting a bid for MSVS. Another new detail is that while transport by a Hercules remains a requirement, this does not apply to MSVS trucks fitted with Armour Protection Kits  –  so much for vehicles being ready to fight upon landing. Read CASR commentary on the MSVS LOI and the text (as published on MERX)

CF Artillery Systems  –  MERX  –  CF Procurement  –  December  2008 Long-Range Precision Rocket System  (LRPRS)  –  a  CF  MLRS The LOI calls for 17  LRPRS launchers,  missiles, associated equipment, as well as in-service support and training. The LOI lists no technical requirements but submissions are expected to meet High Level  Mandatory  Requirements  spelt out in a  non-public  "Annex A ".  Still, the object  of  this  LOI  is  pretty clear. Read CASR commentary on LRPRS rocket  LOI and original MERX text

LAV Recce Life Extension  –  MERX  –  CF Procurement  –  December  2008 LAV Reconnaissance and Surveillance System, Life Extension The LRSS LE  is a sensor and  systems upgrade for the Coyote (sometimes referred to as a 'LAV-Recce' platform). The LOI Notice for the LRSS LE identifies four integrated sub-systems: the sensor suite itself, the surveillance system  (vehicle mast- and  ground tripod-mounted, right), an Operator Control Station, and a 'silent watch' power supply (to allow sensor use without the engine running). Read CASR commentary on Coyote LRSS LE  LOI and original MERX text

Halifax Class Modernization  –  Sonar Suite Replacement  –  April 2008 Underwater Warfare Suite Upgrade: SQR-501 CANTASS Sonar This LOI seeks to replace existing shipboard elements of  the Halifax class  frigate's sonar system by adding commercial off-the-shelf hardware to a 'productionized' equivalent  to DRDC's Pleiades System Test Bed. This would  improve  underwater  target detection and  ease any future upgrade. However, it was the 'gag order' on potential  suppliers  that  caught  the public's attention. Read CASR commentary on CANTASS upgrade LOI and original MERX text

Griffon Escort Helicopters  –  MERX  –  CF Procurement  –  March  2008 INGRESS Griffon Reconnaissance Escort Surveillance System The  Interoperable Griffon  Reconnaissance Escort Surveillance System (INGRESS) will replace single- senor AN/AAQ-501  E/O turrets  with multi-sensor units incorporating  laser target-marking and  mag- nifying video. The LOI Notice is also a Pricing and Availability enquiry  that clarifies an earlier Notice. Read CASR commentary on the LOI for the INGRESS suite and the MERX text

Leopard 2 Main Battle Tanks  –  MERX  –  CF Procurement  –  March  2008 Tank Replacement Project: Leopard 2 Upgrade & Conversion The Tank Replacement Project  aims to replace  the CF's aging fleet of Leopard C2 tanks and associated support vehicles. Phase 1 involves the loaned  German Leopard 2A6M tanks now deployed to Kandahar. Phase 2 began with the purchase of  100  ex-KNL  ( Royal Dutch Army ) Leopard 2s. This LOI  Notice deals with  how those 100 tanks (which were stored for a time) will  be refurbished, "Canadianized" and,  in some cases, completely re-roled. Read CASR commentary on the LOI for Tank Upgrades and the MERX text

Artillery Radar System  –  MERX  –  CF Procurement  –  March  2008 Medium Range Radar (MRR)  —  New Weapon Locating Radar This LOI is for a vehicle-based weapon locating radar (WLR) designated Medium Range Radar (MRR). The CF's current WLR is ARTHUR, the ARTillery HUnting Radar by  Saab (formerly Ericsson). The CF ARTHUR is housed atop an unarmoured  Bv 206 vehicle. In the high-threat  environment  of   southern  Afghanistan, this arrangement  is  inadequate. An armoured carrier that is able  to keep up with  LAV IIIs  is now desired. Read CASR commentary on the LOI for this MRR WLR and the MERX text

Medium Support Vehicle  –  MERX  –  CF Procurement  –  March  2008 Medium Support Vehicle System — Standard Military Pattern  DND  has revised  the specification for the new medium truck  (MLVW replacement). Although listed as a Letter of  Interest,  this notice is really  asking  potential  bidders to acknowledge  that protection levels for the Standard Military Pattern (SMP)  type have been increased. In other words, this is not so much  an  LOI  as a late change of  course to address the inadequate  armour protection levels specified in the original requirement.  LOI Notice for MSVS SMP, MilCOTS & SEVs, March 2007 The MSVS Project Management Office's Appendix BH (to Annex B)  –  the Armour Protection System (APS) Requirement  –  has been reproduced on a separate page. Read CASR commentary on the MSVS LOI and the text (as published on MERX)

Afghanistan Mission  –  Leased UAVs  –  CF Procurement  –  February  2008 Project Noctua — Leased UAVs for Afghanistan — LOI Notice One of the strongest recommendations of the Manley Report was gaining access to more suitable UAVs as soon as possible. The shortcomings of the troubled CF Sperwer tactical UAVs are all too obvious. In any case, it seems that DND has lost interest in the TUAV for now. DND's attention had turned to larger UAVs as part of the JUSTAS project. Industry interest in encouraging but Project Noctua will still not  field a new UAV in Afghanistan this year. The project is scheduled to close in early July 2008. The winning bidder is expected to achieve "Initial Operating Capability  180 days after contract award". That puts new the UAV in Kandahar at the start of January 2009. Read CASR commentary on this LOI and the text (as published on MERX)

M777 155mm Howitzer  –  MERX  –  CF Procurement  –  January  2008 Light Weight Towed Howitzer  (LWTH)   155mm M777A1 An LOI  has been issued  for the planned procurement of  34  more 155mm howitzers.  Deliveries of  these new artillery pieces would not commence until 2012 –  after the current Afghan deployment. As expected, this LOI was written around  in-service 155mm  M777s.  Despite mentioning  the  in-service howitzer, this LOI  does not specifically  require that a winning bid be for that BAE Systems gun.  However, the LWTH must  match  M777 characteristics, portability, accept  its targeting system, and  be an "off-the-shelf " gun in current allied service. Read CASR commentary on this LOI and the text (as published on MERX)

Airlift Capability Project  –  MERX ACAN  –  CF Procurement  –  August  2006 Airlift Capability Project-Tactical:  'Letter of Interest' Notice On the same day that the Canadian government issued two ACANs (Advance Contract Award Notices) announcing its intention to place orders for 4  Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft and 16  CH-47 Chinook medium- to heavy- lift helicopters from Boeing, a third invitation was issued  to the aerospace industry.  Through  its  electronic - tendering service, the government  has requested LOIs from potential suppliers of  tactical  transport aircraft capable of  replacing the CF  fleet of  aged  CC-130E and older CC-130H Hercules. Read text of the Airlift Capability Project-Tactical LOI (as published on MERX)