Hydrology and Methylmercury and Water Quality

The contract seeks professional services to support the assessment of cumulative and interactive effects of potential development on hydrology and water quality across a regional area in Ontario, Canada, excluding the National Capital Region. The scope is divided into two streams: Stream 1 focuses on developing quantitative hydrology and ecohydrology models to understand water movement across lakes, rivers, groundwater, peatlands, and watersheds, while Stream 2 examines the potential for methylmercury accumulation and other water contaminants such as acid mine drainage, metal leaching, tailings seepage, nutrient loading, and greenhouse gas emissions. The work requires establishing baseline measurements for total mercury, methylmercury, sulphate, pH, redox potential, and organic carbon levels, mapping contamination extents under normal and worst-case scenarios, and integrating western science with Indigenous ways of knowing. Deliverables include methodologies, draft and final reports, community engagement plans co-developed with local stakeholders, gathered community input, geospatial data in plug-and-play formats, and a summary video for the Regional Assessment Working Group. All work must be completed under strict timelines, with a fixed delivery schedule running from July 2026 through January 2027, and time is of the essence. Payment is structured as a firm, all-inclusive lot price tied to milestone deliveries totaling 100% of the contract value, with payments released upon approval of each deliverable. The contract requires strict compliance with federal procurement regulations, including confidentiality obligations that survive termination, protections for sensitive information under the Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and mandatory certifications regarding eligibility, conflict of interest, and no association with suspended or ineligible entities. The Contractor must maintain robust accounting records for seven years after final payment and ensure all invoices are detailed with line items, labor rates, subcontractor costs, taxes, and supporting documentation including timesheets, expense receipts, monthly progress reports, and release documents. Personnel must be competent, properly credentialed, and exclusively use Canadian government facilities and equipment; substitutions are only allowed under circumstances beyond the Contractor’s control. Technical proposals are evaluated on a 70% merit and 30% price basis, with emphasis on methodology, team experience, and a sample of prior work. All deliverables are subject to inspection and acceptance by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, which retains the right to require corrections at no additional cost. The Contractor must ensure compliance with all applicable laws, maintain necessary licenses throughout the contract term, and adhere to the Code of Conduct for Procurement. No security