Notice to Market
Request for Proposal (RFP) for
Charter Air Ambulance
ADVANCED CARE PARAMEDIC (“ACP”) FLIGHT SERVICES
1.ORNGE BACKGROUND
Ornge is a family of companies, some incorporated federally and others in the Province of Ontario. Ornge provides air and land ambulance services under an agreement with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (“MOHLTC”). Additional information about Ornge is available at: www.ornge.ca. Ornge is currently contracted to four vendors that provide services for Ornge’s need for charter air ambulance services across Ontario. Current bases include: Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Sioux Lookout, Moosonee, Barrie and Kitchener. The majority of charter air ambulance services are provided at the Primary Care Paramedic level of care. Advanced Care Flight Paramedic services are currently provided by one air carrier out of Sioux Lookout.
2. NOTICE TO MARKET
This is a Notice to Market that Ornge intends to issue a RFP to the market via www.MERX.com for the provision of Charter Air Ambulance ACP Flight Services for Sudbury (YSB) base location. The purpose of this RFP may be both to expand the number of contracted aircraft available for Ornge to dispatch, and/or to increase the level of care of those aircraft.
In March 2017 Ornge published a Notice to Market, which stated, among other things, that Ornge intended to issue multiple RFPs for the provision of Charter Air Ambulance Services. These RFPs related to base locations located in (1) Sioux Lookout, (2) Sudbury, (3) Thunder Bay, (4) Moosonee and (5) Supplemental Bases (Kitchener and Barrie), all these RFP have been concluded. This sixth RFP will be for ACP Flight. services out of Sudbury. It is Ornge’s intention to negotiate agreements with one vendor to provide these services across the Province of Ontario.
Ornge will include a form of Agreement with the ACP Flight RFP. The form of Agreement will form the basis for commencing negotiations with prospective vendors for the supply of services.
Pending the issuance of the ACP Flight RFP, vendors are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the following policies, standards and directives:
Ornge Base Hospital Requirements (attached as separate document);
Ornge Performance Agreement (https://www.ornge.ca/Media/Ornge/Documents/Governance/Amended_Performance_Agreement_MOHLTC_Ornge_March_2012.pdf and https://www.ornge.ca/Media/Ornge/Documents/Governance/2015-09-14-Amending-Agreement-No-1.pdf);
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (“OMNRF”) Standards for Government of Ontario Registered Air Operators (https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario- standards-and-requirements-registered-air-operators-revision-5); and
MOHLTC Air Ambulance certification requirements (attached as separate document).
As Ornge seeks to expand the fleet of contracted aircraft and to increase its level of care in Sudbury. Ornge expects to negotiate an Agreement under this RFP, and to commence services in Sudbury as soon as practicable.
3. PROCUREMENT PROCESS
Below is a draft timeline for the Charter Air Ambulance ACP Flight Services RFP currently being contemplated by Ornge. The following is subject to change:
RFP released - November 2018;
RFP negotiations/award - December 2018.
Interested vendors should register with MERX and familiarize themselves with the MERX system as responses must be submitted electronically through MERX via www.MERX.com. Vendors should contact MERX directly with regard to any questions or issues relating to MERX, including the vendor’s access to or use of MERX.
To ensure an open, fair and transparent process, Ornge has engaged an independent third party fairness advisor who will provide monitoring and reporting to Ornge in relation to the procurement process.
4.MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
The terms and conditions of the ACP Flight RFP will be set out in the RFP documents issued by Ornge. Without limiting the requirements that may be included in the RFP, and subject to the provisions of the RFP, it is currently anticipated that Ornge will be seeking vendors who have:
- such operating experience as a Transport Canada 703 (or higher) operator – (turbo prop IFR operations) as may be indicated in the relevant RFP;
- experience in remote airport (includes gravel) operations in northern Canada;
- can meet or exceed the OMNRF Standards for Government of Ontario Registered Air Operators;
- or can be reasonably expected to be able to obtain by the time identified in the Contract,
MOHLTC Air Ambulance Certification; and
- a functional Emergency Response Plan (“ERP”) to be activated in the event of an aviation accident, with such plan required within the period identified in the Contract.
5. CONTACT INFORMATION
Any and all questions relating to this procurement are to be made as follows:
Contact: Martin Skinner
Email: mskinner@ornge.ca
Interested vendors are requested to restrict their enquiries regarding this procurement to the contact person indicated above.
While Ornge may, at its option, notify vendors whom Ornge believes may be interested in responding to the Charter Air Ambulance ACP Flight Services RFP, Ornge will not necessarily do so. It is the responsibility of each vendor interested in this procurement to monitor www.MERX.com for notification of each RFP issuance. Ornge is not seeking unsolicited offers for the air ambulance services. Interested vendors are asked not to send or make any marketing material or solicitations outside of the procurement process.
This Notice to Market is neither a solicitation or call for bids nor an offer. This Notice to Market has been issued for information purposes only and will not form part of the above- mentioned RFP.
