Effective May 2, 2022, the Government of Canada's Contract
Security Program (CSP) is narrowing its eligibility criteria to
obtain, renew or upgrade organization security clearances to focus
on organizations that require security clearances as part of an
active federal procurement process or contract.
Specifically, CSP will screen new organizations and renew or
upgrade existing security clearances for organizations that have
responded to a government solicitation with security requirements,
will be awarded a contract or subcontract with security
requirements, or are involved in a multinational program.
CSP will also introduce a new, provisional security clearance for
organizations requiring access to sensitive government information
or assets during a pre-solicitation phase of a procurement process
(for example, to access classified requests for proposal). Only
Canadian organizations are eligible for provisional security
clearances, and provisional clearances will remain valid for the
duration of the bid solicitation stage only. Where access to
sensitive information or assets is only required to execute a
contract, and not before, organizations will have until the date a
contract is awarded to obtain a security clearance.
As of May 2, 2022, all organizations bidding on a solicitation or
being awarded a contract with security requirements will be
required to complete and submit an Application for Registration
form PSPC 471.
Organizations currently in the CSP will be reassessed at the time
their security clearance renews to determine their continued
eligibility for the program based on the new criteria. Screening
requests that are currently in process will also be reviewed
against the new eligibility criteria. Additionally, security
clearances will terminate at the end of their validity period (two
years for designated organization screenings and one year for
facility security clearances) if the organization is not
participating in another procurement process or executing a
contract or subcontract with security requirements at that
time.
These changes are in response to CSP findings that the overwhelming
majority of organizations and personnel screened for security
clearance do not require clearance in connection with a contract or
subcontract containing security requirements. CSP anticipates
reduced processing times for security clearances as a result of
these changes.
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