Following a Request for Qualifications, Innovate Energy and Rideau Energy Partners have successfully pre-qualified to compete for a contract with the Government of Canada to modernize five heating and cooling plants in the National Capital Region.
“The Energy Services Acquisition Program is part of the government’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Carla Qualtrough, minister of public services and procurement. “Modernizing the heating and cooling systems is a key part of the roadmap to a carbon-neutral future.”
Published on August 31, 2017, the Request for Qualifications aimed to evaluate interested companies and consortia on their experience in projects of similar size and complexity. The pre-qualified companies have now received a Request for Proposals that outlines the conditions and specifications of the project to inform the development of their technical and financial bids.
The members of the teams are:
Innovate Energy
- Black & McDonald Capital Limited
- Black & McDonald Limited
- ENGIE Services Inc.
- PCL Constructors Canada Inc.
- PCL Investments Canada Inc.
- WSP Canada Inc.
Rideau Energy Partners
- NRG DG Development LLC
- Pomerleau Inc.
- SNC-Lavalin Capital Inc.
- SNC-Lavalin Construction (Ontario) Inc.
- SNC-Lavalin Inc.
- SNC-Lavalin Operation & Maintenance Inc.
Once their proposals are submitted, Public Services and Procurement Canada will consider elements that extend beyond cost. For instance, the firms will have the opportunity to demonstrate that their technologies can reduce greenhouse gas emissions beyond targets set by Canada. They will also have to provide innovative design features for the Cliff Heating and Cooling Plant, which is located along the Ottawa River and bordered by parliamentary buildings.
The Request for Proposals was released to pre-qualified companies on February 5, 2018.
This procurement process will result in a public-private partnership, and a contract is expected to be finalized with a private sector partner in the spring of 2019.
This is a long-term project that will put the structure and process in place for managing the system for 30 years. The new technologies and modernized infrastructure will be installed between now and 2025.
The modernization will also save on costs. With the current system, it would cost almost $4 billion to heat and cool the buildings on the network over the next 40 years. Modernization will save more than $750 million over the same time period.
