Temperature-controlled (“cold”) storage, transport, and distribution of vaccines

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is seeking industry input through a Request for Information to assess the capability of private sector providers to support the newly established Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank by offering reliable, temperature-controlled cold storage, transportation, and distribution of livestock vaccines across Canada. The operational requirements specify that contractors must maintain infrastructure near at least one international Canadian airport, with the capacity to handle up to 22 pallets measuring 60” x 47” x 62”, adhering to strict spatial guidelines that prevent stacking packages directly on top of each other or against walls to ensure proper airflow and uniform cooling. Vaccines must be maintained and transported at a precise temperature range of 2°C to 7°C, as dictated by Section 130.1 of the Health of Animals Regulations, with damaged, expired, or invalid vaccines requiring immediate identification and segregation. Inspections by the Canadian Centre for Veterinary Biologics or the CFIA are mandatory and must be accommodated with short notice, requiring contractors to maintain full operational transparency and documentation integrity throughout storage and handling processes. The location of performance remains flexible and will be determined only at the time of an outbreak, necessitating rapid scalability and national reach. The agency is exploring preferred contract models such as “Stand-By” or “Just-in-Time” and is soliciting feedback on appropriate remuneration structures, though no pricing, line items, or award terms are currently defined—this is strictly an information-gathering exercise and not a formal solicitation for bids. Participation is voluntary, non-binding, and carries no guarantee of future contract consideration nor any reimbursement for response-related costs. Respondents are required to provide comments, concerns, and alternative proposals, with full clarity on assumptions, and must include contact details in either English or French, submitted electronically via email by the deadline. The Government of Canada emphasizes the importance of quality assurance and biosafety standards in all vaccine handling, while also acknowledging the legal obligation under the Access to Information Act to potentially disclose proprietary or commercially sensitive information submitted in response. Additionally, the government maintains a policy requiring that at least five percent of federal contract value be directed to Indigenous businesses, a target that may inform future procurement decisions.