LONGUEUIL, QC, May 1, 2024 /CNW/ - The Canadian Space Agency (CSA), in close collaboration with Public Services and Procurement Canada, is launching a Request for Information (RFI) to gauge the interest of industry in potentially leasing the David Florida Laboratory (DFL), with the aim of preserving unique testing services within Canada and supporting Canada's thriving space sector. The DFL is an assembly, integration, and testing (AIT) laboratory for the space industry.

In March 2024, the CSA announced its plans to close the DFL following a strategic review of its operations as part of the Refocusing Government Spending exercise. A careful review of alternative business models was undertaken to explore how best to address the ongoing assembly and testing needs of the Canadian space sector. The termination of the federal government's operations of the DFL creates a potential opportunity for industry to maintain its operations and manage the continued use of this world-class testing facility.

Detailed information with respect to the DFL's current mandate and activities, as well as the facility's technical characteristics, are available on the CSA website at: https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/laboratories-and-warehouse/david-florida

This RFI seeks to determine whether there is industry interest in leasing the DFL, commencing on or about April 1, 2025. Interested parties are to respond to this RFI prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 28, 2024.

• The DFL is an assembly, integration, and testing (AIT) laboratory located on Shirleys Bay Campus in the Ottawa area. AIT is one of the last steps required for space hardware to demonstrate it can survive a launch and the space environment.
• As part of the Refocusing Government Spending exercise, it was announced in March 2024 that operations at the DFL would be terminated as of March 31, 2025.
• The CSA remains focused on capacity building, supporting research and technology development and supporting Canada's space sector for the future.

 "We must leverage resources as efficiently as possible and find opportunities to better utilize them. This will be an opportunity for industry to maintain a world-class testing facility to support our objective to grow Canada's industrial capacity and high-quality research and technology for space."

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

Website: www.asc-csa.gc.ca
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SOURCE Canadian Space Agency