July 1, 2009

Federal Government Contracts

Understanding security clearances for Federal Government Contracts

Richard Gilbert

staff writer

Defence Construction Canada is holding a series of seminars across B.C. to help contractors and consulting engineers understand the process of gaining security clearance for work on federal government contracts.

“The Canadian Industrial Security Directorate has come to us and said they would like to hold some information sessions because more projects require security clearance and there will be more projects due to stimulus spending,” said Jeff Morrison, president of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Canada (ACEC).

“They want to speed up the process and to do this they will make people available from PWGSC (Public Works and Government Services Canada), who are experts. They will come down and explain the process step by step.”

To achieve this, PWGSC is holding a series of two hour seminars to talk about accelerated infrastructure spending and the new process of doing business with the federal government.

“We are trying to make it easier for businesses to do work with the federal government,” said Ravinder Rakhra, acting regional director, office of small and medium sized enterprises with PWGSC.

“The government stimulus program has changed the way business is done. We want to pre-clear companies, who want to get involved in the bidding process and select pre-qualified suppliers.”

The Security Clearance Seminar is entitled How to Procure Work for the Federal Government and Get Security Clearances.

Seminars topics will include:

• Security clearance – designated organization screening required for both prime and subcontractors. A walk through the application process in order for the Canadian Industrial Security Directorate (CISD) to pre-clear firms for federal work;

• Overview of the Accelerated Infrastructure Program, PWGSC;

• What the federal government buys;

• Registering your company and searching for opportunities;

• Use of SELECT Database for architectural, engineering and construction services;

• Access to project opportunities using MERX;

• Listing of PWGSC buildings in B.C.;

• Role of SNC Lavalin ProFac – prequalification process using vendor management;

• Contacts for projects tendered by Defence Construction Canada;

The sessions are in Vancouver, the Southern Interior and Vancouver Island on the following days: Courtney July 6, Kamloops and Nanaimo on July 7, Victoria and Kelowna on July 8, Castlegar, Vancouver and Burnaby July 9.

“PWGSC, which is the procurement arm of the federal government, is moving from a 60 day approval period to a ten day approval,” said Rakhra.

“We will be talking to companies about the process and completing the forms.”

The consulting engineers and several regional construction associations in B.C. are getting the word out about the seminars.

“We have notified members on behalf of PWGSC and found out we have a substantial level of interest,” said Glenn Martin, executive director of the Consulting Engineers of B.C.

Morrison said the current process of bidding on federal government contracts is cumbersome and duplicative.

This is because different projects require security clearances from four or five federal government departments.

“We are calling on the federal government to streamline and reduce red tape by centralizing the process and making clearance universal,” said Morrison.

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