Real property projects

Real property projects include all real property asset acquisitions or improvements, including entering into a lease, fit-up of accommodation space, construction, renovation and remediation of a built-work (building, bridge, dam, road, etc.) or crown-owned land. They are deemed to include wharves, breakwaters, demolition, disposal and maintenance projects or any project activity related to real property assets or space.

All these project types have to be managed in accordance with the National Project Management System Directive for Real Property Projects.

Depending on the project size and/or complexity, project teams will choose to use either the National Project Management System (NPMS) "Full", "Lite" or "Ultra Lite" versions.

NPMS "Full" version applies to:

• a project that requires Treasury Board (TB) approvals
• an asset project, other government departments (OGD) or tenant service project with a cost greater than $5 million total value, including Goods and Services Tax (GST) or Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), and excluding client costs, if applicable
• a space project greater than 5,000 m² rentable

NPMS "Lite" version applies to:

• an asset project with a cost less than $5 million and greater than $1 million total value, including GST or HST, and excluding client costs, if applicable
• a space project less than 5,000 m² rentable and with a cost greater than $1 million total value, including GST or HST, and excluding client costs, if applicable

NPMS "Ultra Lite" version applies to:

• an asset, OGD or tenant service project with a cost less than $1 million and greater than $250K total value, including GST or HST, and excluding client costs, if applicable
• a space project less than 5,000 m² rentable and with a cost less than 1 million and greater than $250K total value, including GST or HST, and excluding client costs, if applicable 

Projects that do not meet any of the criteria above are to apply the Principles of the National Project Management System (accessible only on the Government of Canada network).

In the case of projects funded by OGDs or agencies, the Process for tenant service projects and for projects funded by other government departments shall apply.

NPMS does not apply to advisory services with the exception of environmental site assessments over $250,000 where the scope and nature of that work warrants the use of NPMS. It should be noted that advisory is a service where only data, information or advice is conveyed to another party. The advisory service may consist of studies, plans, reviews, recommendations, assessments, research and the provision of a position for example. In any event, the only possible products of advisory services are reports, discussions and presentations.

Advisory services do not include any work that might subsequently be undertaken or performed as a result of the plans, recommendations or advice provided to the other party. Therefore, normal NPMS rules will apply to the work subsequently undertaken.

NPMS also applies to non-repetitive activities over $250,000 conducted as property and facility management services. For example, replacing a chiller is an NPMS project but replacing filters on a number of chillers every year would not be an NPMS project.