We are seeking pre-commercial innovative prototypes that can be tested in real life settings and address a variety of priorities within the Government of Canada.
Funding opportunity sponsor:
Defence Research and Development Canada
Funding mechanism:
Contract
Opening date:
January 21, 2025
Closing date:
February 11, 2025, 14:00 Eastern Time
Overview
The Testing Stream aims to procure, test and evaluate innovative late stage pre-commercial prototypes.
The purpose of these calls for prototypes (CFPs) is to create pools of conditionally qualified innovations that Canada may select from to address a broad range of the Government of Canada organizations' requirements.
Each call includes a Standard Component and Military Component:
Military component: $2,300,000 CAD
If you meet the eligibility criteria and have a prototype that can respond to one of the problems below, apply now!
Problem statements
Autonomy
The Government of Canada is interested in advancing the state of the art of autonomous technologies to expand the range of operational capabilities and improve the efficacy of autonomous operations.
The Government is interested in testing technologies that advance the navigation, communication, perception, and cooperation between and among robotics, payloads, and control centres.
Definitions:
GNSS: Global Navigation Satellite System.
Pan-domain robotics: Robots and robotic systems that are designed to operate across multiple domains or environments, including space, aerial, ground-based, underground or underwater. The term "pan-domain" indicates that these robots are not limited to a single type of environment or application; instead, they are capable of functioning effectively in a variety of environments.
Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS: RTK GPS provides centimeter-level accuracy by using carrier-phase measurements of GPS signals. It relies on a base station that transmits real-time correction data to the drone's GPS receiver
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) IMUs with Enhanced Fusion: Development of next-generation MEMS IMUs that combine multiple sensing modalities (accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, gravimeters) with advanced fusion algorithms. These improvements aim to enhance accuracy, reduce drift, and improve performance in dynamic conditions.
Long Range 4K Video Streaming: Solutions capable of streaming data across distances of 10 kilometers or more.
Observed Feature: Distinct and discrete features in the environment identified through sensor observation and the fusion of sensor data, these include but are not limited to vehicles, persons, robots, structures, electro-magnetic fields, and chemical plumes.
Outcomes:
Innovations must meet at least ONE of the following outcomes to meet the requirements of the SC4 Call for Proposals Evaluation Grid. Identify in your proposal which Outcome(s) you have selected:
Navigation: Solutions to enable the navigation of pan-domain systems in their environment, leveraging one or more the following technologies:
- A1 - High precision inertial navigation solutions (INS);
- A2 - Differential GPS (DGPS) fixed ground-based reference stations;
- A3 - Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS);
- A4 - Internal Measurement Units (IMUs) with Enhanced Fusion;
- A5 - Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS to support the position and navigation of pan-domain robotics.; or
- A6 - Navigation solutions for GPS denied, jammed, complex indoor or underwater navigation, including solutions leveraging Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms.
Perception: Support Air, Land, Sea or Underwater systems within operational environments:
- A7 - Solutions capable of integrating data from multiple sensors (e.g., cameras, LiDAR, radar, sonar) to generate a detailed, accurate representation of environments.
- A8 - Solutions to generate human and machine-readable maps for pan-domain systems that improve navigation, targeting, and decision-making capabilities within contested or low bandwidth environments.
- Solutions that permit uncrewed vehicles to generate plans, operate, and manoeuver safely without operator intervention within at least one of the following complex environments:
- A9 - Across and over snow/ice-covered complex terrain;
- A10 - Through and within complex urban terrain including partially destroyed structures, or;
- A11 - Through and within complex subsea structures including harbours and reefs.
- Solutions that can identify one of the following observed features within an environment to avoid detection through radar evasion, radio and audio silent operations, or other novel detection avoidance technologies:
- A12 - Electro-magnetic source locations and field intensity maps, or;
- A13 - Structures, vehicles, people, and military objects.
- Solutions to facilitate real-time data exchange between robot, payload, and control stations that can perform one of the following:
- A14 - Establish and secure pan-domain robotics communication networks (including 5G) that can also detect and prevent network intrusions;
- A15 - Establish resilient communication within human-robot teams to relay information, improve connectivity and support operational reliability in areas with weak or intermittent coverage;
- A16 - Establish 4K video streaming and similar large data uploads over long range.
- A17 - Innovative solutions for antenna or similar designs to enhance robustness and functionality, to include omnidirectional, light weight, low power and compact solutions for air, land, or underwater systems.
Cooperation: Solutions that enable human and robot teams to operate efficiently and intuitively in Air, Land, Sea, or Underwater environments:
- A18 - Solutions to enable operators to issue system wide mission commands, capable of performing mission analysis and tasking;
- A19 - Solutions that permit multi-vehicle teams to operate collectively, performing coordinated tasks such as area surveillance, reconnaissance, search and rescue operations, target or projectile interception, military search (detect and identify threats), target effects, or large-scale environmental monitoring;
- A20 - Solutions to enable individual and decentralized control of multi-vehicle teams, enabling individual units to both operate independently and as part of a larger fleet; or,
- A21 - Solutions capable of generating deployment scenarios and mission plans for multi-vehicle teams.
Quantum technologies
Quantum technologies are of particular interest to the Government of Canada (GoC) in a range of theatres from military and secure communications, to communications related to Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS), to quantum information distribution and management, to satellite communications. More information on how the Government of Canada plans to prepare for emerging quantum technologies can be found in the National Quantum Strategy, the DND/CAF Quantum S&T Strategy, and Quantum 2030: the DND/CAF Quantum S&T Strategy Implementation Plan.
The Government is soliciting proposals seeking a variety of quantum solutions that can assist the GoC in the development and eventual application of quantum technologies across the fields of sensing and communication.
Definitions:
Quantum sensors: A quantum-enabled technology used to measure a physical quantity, relying on either:
- quantum-level measurement (e.g. single-photon detection)
- quantized systems, (e.g. as atomic systems)
- quantum coherence (e.g. quantum interference) or
- quantum entanglement (non-local or strong correlations)
Quantum-enhanced radar: Technologies that leverage quantum effects to provide advantages in imaging over traditional radar in high noise or stealth environments. The Government is setting the definition for an effective quantum radar range from 1km to 10km to detect a variety of objects. If proposing a quantum-enhanced radar technology or component, it is not necessary for suppliers to propose a complete quantum radar system.
Quantum-enhanced lidar: Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) is a remote sensing method used to examine the surface of the Earth. Quantum-enhanced lidar operates at the single photon level over a broad frequency range. The Government is setting the definition for an effective range from 100m to 1km to detect a variety of hidden objects. If proposing a quantum-enhanced lidar technology or component, it is not necessary for suppliers to propose a complete quantum lidar system.
Quantum magnetometers: An instrument for measuring the intensity, vector, and/or full tensor information of magnetic fields, by utilizing quantum phenomena. Quantum magnetometers are used primarily to measure the intensity and/or direction of weak magnetic fields, particularly the earth's magnetic field and its anomalies, both on the surface and at great altitudes, and also to measure the magnetic fields of planets within our solar system and in outer space. They are also used in prospecting for minerals, for magnetic core sampling, and in searching for sunken vessels.
Quantum repeater: Quantum repeaters overcome the photon loss inherent to any optical communications channel and the no-cloning theorem which says that quantum information cannot be copied. A quantum repeater allows for the end-to-end transmission of qubits and entanglement.
QKD: Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a protocol for creating a shared secret between two parties known only to them, which can be used for encryption and secure messaging. The communication method uses properties found in quantum physics to exchange cryptographic keys in such a way that is provable and theoretically secure.
aPNT: Alternative position, navigation and timing (aPNT) refers to a suite of solutions that includes environmental sensors (external fields like magnetic and gravitational fields), inertial sensors and gyroscopes, and accompanying data fusion algorithms that enable navigation without reliance on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) such as the Global Positioning System (GPS).
Outcomes:
Innovations must meet at least ONE of the following outcomes to meet the requirements of the SC4 criterion of the solicitation's Evaluation Grid. Identify in your offer which Outcome(s) you have selected:
Quantum Sensing and Quantum Enabling Technologies:
- B1 - Quantum sensing technologies with potential for application in any one or all of the following fields: defence, public safety, navigation, or weather forecasting and environmental management.
- B2 - Quantum sensing hardware, software or supporting equipment that is in the prototype stage and ready for operational testing using commercially available infrastructure.
- B3 - Quantum hardware solutions including but not limited to quantum sensors; superconducting quantum circuits and CQED solutions.
- B4 - Quantum magnetometers to detect underwater objects from the air or underwater, and to map surface magnetic fields. This includes technologies for submarine detection, underwater warfare using magnetic sensing.
- B5 - Quantum-enabled aPNT using quantum magnetometry or quantum gravimetry, to lower the cost, size, weight and power and increase performance.
- B6 - Quantum enabling technologies such as cryogenic refrigeration technology and single-photon spectrometers, laser cooling technologies, quantum clocks.
- B7 - Individual or collections of quantum network sensors to perform distributed quantum sensing.
Quantum-enhanced sensing technologies:
- B8 - Quantum-enhanced active or passive radar hardware components or systems including, but not limited to, quantum radio-frequency (RF) receivers, entangled RF photon sources
- B9 - Quantum-enhanced light detection or ranging (LiDAR) including, but not limited to, quantum-enhanced range finding and 2D and 3D photon imaging
ISC will not accept (out of scope) for Quantum Sensing and Quantum Enabling Technologies:
- Post-quantum cryptography or quantum-safe communication solutions.
- Quantum key distribution (QKD) solutions.
Quantum Communication Technologies:
- B10 – Quantum communications technologies or components with the potential for eventual application in any of the following fields: defence, telecom, aviation, or advanced manufacturing.
- B11 - Quantum communications hardware, software or supporting equipment that is in the prototype stage and ready for testing, using commercially available infrastructure.
- B12 - Quantum communications hardware with high-rate quantum light sources such as weak coherent pulsed sources, entangled photon sources, or single photon sources.
- B13 - Hardware solutions including quantum transducers (frequency converters that preserve quantum coherence).
- B14 - QKD solutions or quantum encryptions solutions (EXCLUDING post-quantum cryptography solutions).
- B15 - Quantum repeaters or quantum memory solutions.
- B16 - Error correction solutions that account for both loss and operational errors in quantum communications.
- B17 - Quantum enhanced clocks, timing (time distribution).
ISC will not accept (out of scope) for Quantum Communication Technologies:
- Post-quantum cryptography components or solutions.
Eligibility and evaluation
Mandatory Criteria (MC)
MC1: Canadian Offeror
The Offeror must meet the definition of a Canadian Offeror. A Canadian Offeror is defined as a Canadian person or entity submitting an Offer on its own behalf and having a place of business in Canada where the person or entity conducts activities on a permanent basis that is clearly identified by name and accessible during normal working hours.
MC2: Canadian Content
At least 80% of the financial Proposal costs, the total Proposal price to Canada stated in "Section –G Financial Proposal", must be Canadian goods or Canadian services. For the complete definition of 'Canadian goods' and 'Canadian services' please refer to Annex Solicitation of Offers Definitions of the solicitation number EN578-25ISC1 on the Canada Buys Website.
MC3: Ownership
The Offeror must be the owner of the Intellectual Property (IP) for the proposed innovation or have a licence to the IP rights from a Canadian licensor for the proposed innovation and not be infringing on any IP rights.
MC4: Pre-Commercial Status
The proposed innovation must not be openly available in the marketplace and must not have been previously sold on a commercial basis as of the date of the submission of the offer. Refer to the definitions of Pre-Commercial Innovation and Commercial Sales at Annex Contract Definitions of the solicitation number EN578-25ISC1 on the Canada Buys Website.
MC5: Previously Conditionally qualified Innovation
The proposed innovation or any other versions of the proposed innovation must not have been previously awarded a contract in the Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP) or its predecessor, the Canadian Innovation Commercialization Program (CICP), nor under the Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) Testing Stream.
The proposed innovation or any other versions of the proposed innovation must not currently be active in a pool of conditionally qualified innovations. A proposed innovation that is currently active in a pool will be considered only if the offer validity period for that Offer has expired or the Offeror has withdrawn their innovation from the relevant pool, prior to the solicitation closing date and time.
Offerors can only submit one offer, and one offer only under this solicitation. If the proposed innovation is similar or identical to an innovation previously submitted by the Offeror that is currently active in a pool and has not been withdrawn prior to solicitation closing, the following assessment will be used to determine sufficient difference to proceed.
| Pass | Sufficiently Different
|
| Fail | Not Sufficiently Different
|
MC6 : Program Eligibility
The Offeror's submission must be aligned with the mandate of the ISC Testing Stream where Canada procures, through a Contract, the Offeror's Innovation with the purpose of testing it in an operational environment. This takes into account assurance that the innovation is ready to test in an operational environment, at the time of the submission of the offer.
MC7: Offeror Presence in Canada
The Offeror must meet the following minimum requirements: 50% or more of the Offeror's Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) employees have Canada as their ordinary place of work; 50% or more of the Offeror's annual wages, salaries and fees must be paid to employees and contractors who spend the majority of their time working in Canada; and 50% or more of the Offeror's senior executives (Vice President and above) have Canada as their principal residence. These calculations must take into account and include affiliated businesses, such as parent companies and subsidiaries that are either in or outside of Canada.
Stage 1 Technical Evaluation – Screening Criteria (SC)
SC1: Innovation
The proposed innovation must meet one or more of the ISC definitions of innovation below:
- An invention*, new technology or new process that is not currently available in the marketplace.
- Significant modifications to the application of existing technologies/components/processes that are applied in a setting or condition for which current applications are not possible or feasible.
- An improvement in functionality, cost or performance over an existing technology/process that is considered state-of-the-art or the current industry best practice.
* An "invention" is defined for the purposes of the ISC Program, as: "A manufacturing design or any other new and useful improvement that is new or novel, that is, not commonly known or not an obvious derivative of an existing way of doing things."
| Pass | The proposed innovation meets one or more of the ISC definitions of innovation. |
| Fail |
|
SC2: Operational Readiness Validation
The Offeror must demonstrate that at the time of the Offer submission, the proposed innovation is ready for testing in an operational environment, i.e. at minimum TRL 7 in accordance with Annex Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Scale.
| Pass |
|
| Fail |
|
SC3: Risks Considerations
The Offeror must demonstrate that they have obtained or possess, at the time of Offer submission, the certifications, the licences, and approvals required to safely deploy the proposed innovation, and that it poses no risks to the potential test partner involved in an operational test.
This is to ensure that the potential test partner is not exposed to safety or privacy risks during the conduct of the operational test.
| Pass | At the time of Offer submission:
|
|
Fail |
At the time of Offer submission:
|
SC4: Scope – Outcomes
The Offeror must demonstrate that the proposed innovation provides a solution to the Problem Statement and meets one or more of the Outcomes selected by the Offeror.
|
Pass |
|
|
Fail |
|
Stage 2 Technical Evaluation – Point-Rated Screening Criteria (PS)
PS1: Advance on State of the Art
The Offeror must demonstrate that the proposed innovation improves upon current approaches and state of the art, or current practices relevant to its purpose or application, in a manner that yields competitive advantages.
|
2 points |
|
|
12 points |
|
|
24 points Minimum |
|
|
40 points |
|
PS2: Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy
The Offeror must demonstrate a suitable Intellectual Property (IP) strategy, relevant to protect IP generated by the proposed innovation and to protect the Offeror. This criteria also assesses the degree to which the strategy is appropriate to support successful commercialization.
|
0 points |
The Intellectual Property (IP) strategy is insufficiently rationalized or substantiated and is poorly suited for background IP or generated IP as they pertain to the proposed innovation. |
|
8 points Minimum |
|
|
12 points |
|
Stage 3 Technical Evaluation – Point Rated Criteria (PR)
PR1: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Benefits
This criterion is intended to assess the degree to which the Offeror has sufficient measures to effectively achieve and maintain diversity, inclusivity and gender equity within; their business, supply chain, or business ecosystem.
Score levels reflect the number of the following elements the Offeror addressed in their answer:
- Anti-discrimination policies;
- Recruitment strategy and hiring process;
- Training available to educate the Offeror's workforce on diversity and inclusion;
- How diversity and inclusion are factored into Offeror's supplier selection methods.
|
0 points |
Policies regarding diversity, inclusivity and gender equity are not identified, or are insufficient. |
|
4 points |
Information provided clearly demonstrates that the Offeror is currently implementing or will implement two (2) EDI elements to achieve and maintain diversity, inclusivity and gender equity. |
|
8 points |
Information provided clearly demonstrates that the Offeror is implementing or will implement three (3) EDI elements to achieve and maintain diversity, inclusivity and gender equity. |
|
12 points |
Information provided clearly demonstrates that the Offeror is implementing or will implement all four (4) EDI elements to achieve and maintain diversity, inclusivity and gender equity. |
PR2: Commercialization Strategy
This criterion is intended for the Offeror to demonstrate that they have a credible strategy to commercialize the proposed innovation.
|
0 points |
|
|
8 points |
|
|
24 points |
|
|
32 points |
|
Maximum available points from Stage 2 & Stage 3 : 96 points
Minimum Total Score* from Stage 2 & Stage 3 to conditionally-qualify: 60 points
Pathway to commercialization (PTC)
Enabling the Government of Canada to buy what it tries – a Pathway to Commercialization for eligible Canadian SMEs
Our new pilot project gives small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) the opportunity to sell your innovation directly to the Government of Canada.
Through the PTC under ISC's Testing Stream, eligible SMEs can receive commercial contracts based on the successful testing and market-readiness of your pre-commercial prototype. It is important to note that this pathway will only be available to eligible Canadian SMEs, which represent over 97% of all businesses in Canada, a percentage that mirrors past participation in the program.
How will it work?
- Once your initial ISC testing contract is completed, you may be eligible for the Pathway to Commercialization if your innovation is market-ready above technology readiness level (TRL) 9
- You will have up to 12 months following the end of your initial ISC Testing Stream contract to apply to the Pathway to Commercialization, at which time you will be assessed against the PTC entry criteria to determine if your innovation will be placed on a PTC source list where government departments can browse and purchase your successfully-tested innovations for up to three years
Important considerations
- You must be selling the same innovation from your initial Testing Stream contract
- If you participate in the PTC, you will no longer be eligible for additional testing through the Testing Stream. Unlike PTC contracts, additional testing contracts are still considered R&D contracts, similar to the initial Testing Stream contract. Additional testing opportunities are open to all program participants, SMEs and non-SMEs.
- The requirements for commercial contracts will reflect the operational needs of client departments, the nature of the innovation, as well as input from Public Services and Procurement Canada, the program's Contracting Authority.
How will SMEs be assessed?
A number of criteria will be used as part of the assessment process, including:
- Financial capacity
- Technology readiness
- Certifications
- IP strategy
- Company size
- Scalability
- Innovation test performance
Please read the call for proposals (CFP) for more information on the Pathway to Commercialization.
Questions
All incoming questions regarding this specific call for proposals should be addressed to TPSGC.PASICVoletessai-APISCTestingStream.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.
A glossary is also available.