CanadaBuys #25-58288

NRC autonomous submarine research model and support package

The National Research Council of Canada is seeking an integrated autonomous submarine research platform and its supporting equipment and services. - Government buyer: National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering Research Centre (NRC-OCRE); Procurement and Contracting Services, Finance and Procurement Services Branch. - Primary procurement: One approximately 7 m, 1:10-scale Free Running Submarine Model (FRSM/MSNL), based on NRC’s Albert model and a simplified Victoria-class configuration. No OEM, supplier, or product part numbers are named; Albert is a design reference, not a manufacturer. - Equipment and included capabilities: Modified ISO workspace/storage container; trailer-style launch and recovery system (LARS); wheeled maintenance cradle; operator and remote-control consoles; Back-Seat Driver (BSD) development computer; battery charging equipment; tools, consumables, fasteners, and spare parts. The platform includes electric propulsion, navigation, communications, ballast and trim, software, data acquisition, and scientific instrumentation. - Specified payloads: One conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) sensor; two acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs), one upward-looking and one downward-looking; one upward-looking sonar; and one upward camera and lighting system. - Performance and acceptance: At least 300 m operating depth; autonomous and reconfigurable operation; under-ice research and emergency recovery capability. Sea Acceptance Testing must demonstrate a four-hour submerged mission at 50 m and 2 m/s without faults. Delivery follows successful SAT and NRC acceptance and is due within the contract period. - Optional items: Alternative aft dive-plane configuration, adjustable dive-plane mounting angle, additional navigation/instrumentation, directional radio antenna, scientific-payload interfaces, laser range-finding, station-keeping/dynamic positioning, interchangeable batteries, and high-value spares. Optional extended warranty and maintenance/support are offered for contract years 3–7. - Services and notable requirements: Project management, engineering and integration, design reviews, factory and sea acceptance testing, documentation, and approximately five days of on-site training with materials in English and French. A minimum two-year warranty and at least seven years of spare-parts availability are required. Canadian supplier eligibility, environmentally preferable packaging, and research-data access provisions apply.

Description

The National Research Council of Canada requires the fabrication and delivery of one Free Running Submarine Model (FRSM) to St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. The model will support research into submarine hydrodynamics, propulsion, autonomy, control systems, operational safety, and under-ice operations. It must include a 1:10 scale hull geometry based on the NRC-provided Albert model and support future reconfiguration to alternative submarine geometries. The solicitation seeks an integrated design meeting the operational, performance, and research objectives in the Statement of Requirement.

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