Canada is asking for bids on 802 standard military pattern light utility vehicles for use by field units, and plans to buy 861 commercial off-the-shelf vehicles for use by reserve units. The Standard Military Pattern vehicle is required to have four seats, a 24v electrical system, a diesel engine, four doors and a hard top. It must have a payload of 750kg (including the four troops) and must be able to tow an 850kg trailer. It must be able to sustain a road speed of 100km/hour and to travel 400km before refueling. There must be an appliqu armor kit available which can protect the vehicle from 7.62mm bullets, artillery fragments, and 1kg mines. The Canadian Army wants three types of vehicles, the basic patrol version, a command/recon version with a roof-mounted weapons ring, and a military police variant with a pintel-mounted weapon. Those likely to bid include the US Humvee, the Daimler-Benz Gelaendewagen, the General Motors Bucher Duro, and 130 Land Rover, and the Western Star M1044. The lowest bid will be determined by the estimated life cycle cost.--Stephen V Cole