SWIFT CURRENT CREEK IN SASKATCHEWAN - COLLECTION OF SURFACE WATER SAMPLES FOR PESTICIDES ANALYSIS

Health Canada is contracting for the collection of surface water samples from Swift Current Creek in Saskatchewan to support its Canadian Water Monitoring Program for Pesticides, aimed at enhancing the public availability of real-world pesticide concentration data for risk assessments. The contractor will conduct up to 40 site visits during the initial contract period from April 1 to October 31, 2026, with an increase to 60 visits annually under two optional one-year extensions through March 2029. Sampling must occur twice weekly during the peak period from June 15 to October 31, following strict protocols that include frozen sample collection on the day of gathering, submission in batches of eleven to federal laboratories, and the use of Health Canada–provided bottles and field blanks. The contractor is responsible for supplying all field equipment and ensuring compliance with Health Canada’s internal standard operating procedures for labeling, chain-of-custody documentation, and photographic recording of sampling conditions. Each shipment must include printed and electronic laboratory submission forms, and one replicate sample must be collected every twentieth visit, along with one field blank per site annually. All data generated, including sample metadata and images, must be submitted to Health Canada upon contract completion and will be publicly disseminated through the Government of Canada Open Data portal under Crown ownership. The contract, valued at a fixed total of $36,160 covering base and options, was awarded non-competitively under the sole-source exception due to the unique capability required, with the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds identified as the selected offeror. No U.S. FAR clauses apply, as the procurement follows Canadian government procedures, and responsibilities for return shipping of coolers rest with federal laboratories. Minimal qualifications include at least one year of experience in water quality sampling and familiarity with appropriate equipment, with no formal evaluation weighting, risk ratings, or subcontracting requirements applied.