ACAN 26-58042 Microgrid Detailed Design Coordination and
System Integration Services
June 4, 2026.
1. Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
An ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.
This procurement has been set-aside under the federal government's Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB). Only Indigenous businesses as defined under PSIB are eligible to challenge the proposed procurement strategy to award the contract to the named Indigenous business.
2. Definition of the Requirement
The National Research Council Canada (NRC), through its Clean Energy Innovation Research Centre (CEI), requires specialized services to support the detailed design coordination and system integration of an application-specific microgrid system to be tested at NRC’s microgrid research facility in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The objective of this work is to support the development and evaluation of microgrid technologies intended for potential application in northern and remote Canadian communities that rely on diesel-based electricity generation. The project will integrate battery energy storage and microgrid control technologies in order to better understand their performance, operational requirements, and integration considerations for remote and isolated power systems.
The requirement involves the detailed engineering coordination and system integration of two key microgrid subsystems: the Microgrid Control Panel (MGCP) and the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). Fabrication and assembly of these subsystems will be conducted through a separate procurement process; however, the contractor will be responsible for coordinating the detailed engineering inputs, overseeing subsystem fabrication activities, and ensuring successful integration and commissioning of the overall system.
The scope of work includes technical coordination of the detailed electrical system design, oversight of subsystem fabrication, participation in Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), configuration and programming of the microgrid controller platform used in the system (ComAp), and integration, commissioning and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) of the completed system at NRC’s Vancouver facility.
In addition to coordinating specialized engineering and controls programming activities, the contractor will provide technical project management and system integration oversight to ensure the resulting microgrid configuration reflects operational considerations associated with remote and northern electricity systems. This includes consideration of the operational characteristics of isolated or diesel-based electricity systems commonly found in northern communities, including reliability requirements, integration with existing diesel generation assets, and logistical constraints associated with remote infrastructure.
3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)
Any interested Indigenous supplier must demonstrate by way of a Statement of Capabilities that they meet all of the following minimum essential requirements:
• Demonstrated experience of the supplier acting as the prime contractor responsible for coordinating multiple technical subcontractors delivering engineering design, controls programming, and system integration services for complex energy or infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated ownership interest in, and direct operational involvement of the supplier organization with, an electrical utility serving northern or remote communities in Canada.
• Demonstrated knowledge within the supplier organization of electrical generation and distribution systems used in northern or remote communities, including systems integrating diesel generation with renewable energy and battery energy storage technologies.
• Demonstrated experience of the supplier managing projects involving microgrid technologies, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and renewable energy integration in remote or off-grid environments.
• Demonstrated ability of the supplier to immediately engage and coordinate specialized engineering and controller programming expertise required for this project, including experience with the ComAp microgrid controller platform used in remote power system applications.
4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement
This procurement is set aside from the international trade agreements under the provision each has for measures with respect to Aboriginal peoples or for set-asides for small and minority businesses.
5. Set-aside under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business
Indigenous Business (PSIB). This procurement is set-aside for an Indigenous supplier in accordance with the government Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB). Therefore, only suppliers who meet the definition of an Indigenous business, as defined in the PSIB, may submit a statement of capabilities.
6. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
Denendeh Investments Incorporated (DII) is the only Indigenous supplier capable of performing the work, as it possesses the operational knowledge and experience related to remote electrical generation and distribution systems that are directly relevant to the objectives of this microgrid project.
7. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)
The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is (are) invoked for this procurement under subsection: 6(d) - "only one person is capable of performing the work".
8. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date
The work is to be performed from contract award to March 31st, 2027.
9. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
Denendeh Investments Incorporated,
Suite 401, 4504 – 49th Avenue
P.O. Box 2725 Yellowknife, NT
X1A 2R1 Canada
10. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities
Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN 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.
Only suppliers who meet the definition of an Indigenous business, as defined in the PSIB and who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN 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.
11. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is: 19 June 2026 at 2pm EDT.
12. Inquiries and submission of statement of capabilities
Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:
Katie Homuth | Senior Contracting Officer
Procurement and Contracting Services | Finance and Procurement Services Branch
National Research Council Canada | Government of Canada
Katie.Homuth@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca | 343-549-4539
