Tories face de facto sole-source deal in second coast guard chopper contract

OTTAWA – Only one aerospace company has decided to bid on the second instalment of the Harper government’s plan to replace the coast guard’s fleet of aging medium-lift helicopters.

The Canadian subsidiary of U.S. defence contractor Bell Helicopters, which this week won the first round in a $127-million deal to furnish 15 light helicopters to the federal agency, is expected to be the lone contender in a new contract to supply eight choppers for operations along both coasts and in the Far North.

The request for proposals closes on May 27, but rivals AgustaWestland, Airbus Helicopters Canada and Sikorsky have all signalled they won’t be submitting bids, leaving Bell and its model 412 chopper as the only contender.

Sebastien Bois, a spokesman for Public Works, said the department would not comment because the procurement is still underway.

Bell ended up being the only bidder in the light helicopter contract in a process that’s being challenged in Federal Court by Airbus, which claims the winner was given an unfair advantage.

The crux of the allegation is that Transport Canada gave Bell a leg up by granting a weight exemption for its model 429 helicopter, allowing it to enter a slightly heavier aircraft than the category permits.