What's new

April 2020

• The National Project Management System real property projects thresholds matrix has been updated with the following changes:
  • An approval document is required in order to proceed into the implementation phase. Consult the March 2020 Owner-Investor newsletter to know more about the specific format of approval document required. The link to this newsletter is provided on the Real Property National Project Management System related documents page (available on Government of Canada network only)
  • The Project Complexity and Risk Assessment (PCRA) is now only required when total project cost exceeds $2.5M (inclusive of taxes)

January 2020

• The National Project Management System Directive for Real Property Projects has been updated to align it with the NPMS thresholds approved in February 2019. The new directive is in effect as of November 2019

August 2019

• The National Project Management System Directive on Cost Management for Real Property Projects has been updated, and the new directive is in effect as of May 2019
• Also in May, the National Project Management System Directive on Document Management for Real Property Projects was changed according to version 3.3 of the Electronic project filing structure (EPFS)
• The Financial Management page has been updated as well following the approval of the National Project Management System Directive for Billing Project Identification Services in April 2019. This directive can be obtained by contacting tpsgc.sngp-npms.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca
• Following the new NPMS thresholds (approved February 2019), reviewed versions of the Identification close out document and Close out document were issued

May 2019

For real property projects users:

• New NPMS thresholds were approved in February 2019 and the National Project Management System real property projects thresholds matrix was updated accordingly. NPMS full now applies to asset projects over $5M, while NPMS lite applies to projects from $1M to $5M. As for space projects, the threshold for NPMS full has increased from 3,000 m² to 5,000 m² for all regions. Space projects of more than $1M and less than 5,000 m² have to follow NPMS lite
• New names for the investment analysis reports (IAR) have also been adopted. The long-form IAR is now called full IAR. Also, the short-form IAR is now called intermediate IAR, and is to be used for all NPMS lite and ultra-lite projects. In addition, a new streamlined template called simplified IAR was created to be used for all projects below $250K. It can be found on the Real Property National Project Management System related documents page, available on Government of Canada network only
• The medium project management plan (M-PMP) also has a new name and will now be referred to as intermediate project management plan (I-PMP). It is to be used for NPMS lite projects
• A note has been added in the project charter page explaining that a signed specific service agreement making reference to a dated project charter can be accepted as the project charter sign-off
• The Directive on the Monitoring of Real Property Projects’ Conformance to the National Project Management System has been updated, and the new directive is in effect since February 2019

May 2018

For real property project users:

• The Identification close out documents for asset and space projects, as well as the Close out documents for space projects and for asset, other government department and tenant service projects were updated to align with the NPMS thresholds approved in July 2017

January 2018

For real property projects users:

• A new statement of requirement for space project has been published and is now the template to be used for all space projects over $250K; with this new form, there is no need to complete a tenant requirements package
• The guideline for the preparation of project plan have been updated and now includes instructions regarding the medium project management plan, an update of the environmental management section, and a new section on the people side of change

December 2017

For real property projects users:

• The glossary and acronyms for real property projects have been updated; links and definitions have been added to this page
• A new knowledge area has been added to the current NPMS knowledge areas: stakeholder management

November 2017

For real property projects users:

• The link to the updated Project Manager’s Guide for Procurement and Contracts (November 2017) can be found on the procurement management knowledge area page
• The National Project Management System Directive on Real Property Project Reviews has been updated to give instructions on how to request a national project review advisory committee meeting
• The National Project Management System model has been updated with the new terminology for approval of project, i.e. project approval (EA) and expenditure authority (PA) instead of preliminary project approval (PPA) and effective project approval (EPA)
• New NPMS thresholds were approved in July 2017 and the National Project Management System real property projects thresholds matrix was updated accordingly. NPMS Ultra Lite now applies to projects from $250K to $1M

September 2017

For real property projects users:

• The risk management page has been updated to include links to:
  • the National Project Management System Directive on Risk Management for Real Property Projects, updated in July 2017
  • risk management forms and related links (Risk Management Plan templates and Risk Management Plan Guide)

August 2017

For real property projects users:

• A new commissioning assessment form has been published. It can be found in the Forms and related links—Quality management page
• The Simplified project plan template (simplified preliminary project plan and simplified project management plan) has been updated

April 2017

For real property projects users:

• For projects >$1M that need to go onto the departmental Integrated Investment Plan, the new executive summary guideline has been added to the investment analysis report templates below:
  • Investment analysis report for space projects
  • Investment analysis report for asset projects at project approval and initial expenditure authority
  • Investment analysis report for asset projects at expenditure authority

February 2017

For real property projects users:

• The Close out document for space projects and the Close out document for asset, other government department and tenant service projects were updated to align with the National Project Management System real property thresholds matrix, and to indicate the location of the NPMS deliverables documents in the Electronic project filing structure v3.0
• The terms of reference for the Real property project Management Improvement Steering Committee were updated
• A new Prime consultant start-up meeting agenda was published

November 2016

For real property projects users:

• The National Project Management System Directive for real property projects was updated in June 2016 to change the terminology "preliminary project approval/effective project approval" to "project approval/expenditure authority"

  Other changes were brought to align Annex A—project approval bodies for National Project Management System full, lite, and ultra lite control points (asset and space projects) and Annex B—Process for tenant service projects and for projects funded by other government departments with the National Project Management System real property thresholds matrix

• Three directives under the Quality management knowledge area were updated:
  • Directive on the Monitoring of real property projects’ Conformance to the National Project Management System
  • Directive on Lessons Learned for real property projects
  • Directive on Document Management for real property projects, featuring the Electronic project filing structure v3.0
• The Identification close out documents for asset projects and for space projects were updated to align with the National Project Management System real property thresholds matrix, and to indicate the location of the NPMS deliverables documents in the Electronic project filing structure v3.0
• A new Construction Start-Up Meeting Checklist ^{Footnote 1} was published, as part of the Procurement Management Manual ^{Footnote 1}

November 2015

For real property projects users:

• Two new templates for Short Form investment analysis report are now available:
  • Short Form investment analysis report (for Asset Projects at project approval and initial expenditure authority)
  • Short Form investment analysis report (for Asset Projects at expenditure authority for Project Implementation)
• The National Project Management System Directive on lessons learned for real property projects was updated to clarify the responsibilities of the National Gate Keeper and Regional Gate Keeper, and to explain how the lessons learned reports should be stored

September 2015

For real property projects users:

• The Close out document for space projects and the Close out document for asset, other government department and tenant service projects were updated
• The National Project Management System real property projects thresholds matrix is now divided into a matrix for asset, other government department and tenant service projects, and a matrix for space projects
• The Lease projects roadmap—Delivery stage was updated

June 2015

For real property projects users:

• A new Short Form investment analysis report template is now available for space projects following NPMS Lite
• A Simplified statement of requirements template has been developed for asset projects following NPMS Lite, and for Tenant Service Projects

March 2015

For real property projects users:

• The Annex 1—National Project Management System Compliance Review Form and Annex 2—National Project Management System Compliance Review Report Template of the Procedure for the Monitoring of National Project Management System Compliance were updated (change in project category)
• The Introduction section of the Project charter Template—Space Based Projects with Fit-Up template was modified to eliminate the reference to the preliminary project plan
• The Mechanical and Maintenance Engineering technical guide was updated to include the reference to new publications

January 2015

For real property projects users:

• Annexes of the National Project Management System Directive for real property projects were updated to specify that approval of revised deliverables is required at the same level of authority as the one needed for the original document
• The Cost Management diagram, along with the definitions of construction cost estimate were updated to highlight the importance of obtaining a Class B (substantive) cost estimate to obtain expenditure authority (EA)

December 2014

For real property projects users:

• A new page on Project Reporting has been added, including the definitions of the key performance indicator (KPI): on time, on scope and on budget (OTOBOS)
• The Guidelines for the Preparation of Project Plans have been updated (Quality Management section and addition of a revision history table)
• The Identification close out documents (ICOD) for Space Projects and for Asset Projects have been updated to identify the new NPMS Deliverables requirements for NPMS Lite, and also to add the Preliminary Workplace 2.0 Accreditation Evaluation Grid
• The Other Government Department Design-Bid-Build Projects Roadmap has been updated to include the assessment of the duty to consult with Aboriginal groups
• The Asset Projects Roadmap and the Space Projects Roadmap have been updated with the assessment of the duty to consult with Aboriginal groups, the designation of project as Capital or Repair, and the requirements for Workplace 2.0 accreditation

September 2014

For real property projects users:

• A new section on Specialized Areas was added to include the matters of interest for the Public Services and Procurement Canada Real Property context that are not covered in the standard Project Management Institute (PMI) knowledge areas for construction projects. This section includes the National Project Management System Procedure on Managing Projects for Heritage Properties, and the Aboriginal Consultation and Accommodation (duty to consult)
• The Product turn-over (PTO) page and Close out document (COD) have been updated to reflect that:
  • For Asset Project funded by PSPC in crown-owned building: PTO is the Certificate of Substantial Performance (Interim)
  • For OGD Asset Project: PTO is the Certificate of Substantial Performance + Other Government Department Client Acceptance Letter
  • For Space Project: PTO is the Interim Certificate of Completion of Lessee's Improvements
    • For Lease Projects, the client acceptance is the Occupancy Instrument (OI)
    • For Crown Projects, the OI is tenant acceptance and the sign off on the COD by the Project Leader is the client acceptance that the project is complete

July 2014

For real property projects users:

• The National Project Management System Directive for real property projects was updated to introduce a new threshold to minimize the overhead tied to small projects. The National Project Management System Real Property Project Thresholds Matrix was also posted to summarize the required NPMS deliverables for NPMS Full, Lite, Ultra Lite and OGD projects
• A new Design-Build Projects Delivery Stage Roadmap was published. Also, the Design-Bid-Build Projects Roadmap was updated to incorporate road construction activities, and new requirements for Workplace 2.0 accreditation
• The Scope Management Knowledge Area has been updated to include the new National Project Management System Real Property Procedure on Scope Management

June 2014

For real property projects users:

• The new National Project Management System Procedure on project approval and expenditure authority for real property projects has been approved

April 2014

For real property projects users:

• The following NPMS deliverables templates have been updated to promote cohesiveness amongst all of the documents:
  • The Statement of requirements templates
  • The Feasibility report templates
  • The Investment analysis report templates
• The Quality Management Knowledge Area has been updated to include two new procedures:
  • The National Project Management System Real Property Procedure for the Monitoring of National Project Management System Compliance
  • The National Project Management System Real Property Procedure on Document Management, featuring the Electronic Project Filing Structure

April 2013

For real property projects users:

• The Time Management Knowledge Area has been updated to include the new National Project Management System Real Property Procedure on Time Management

January 2013

For real property projects users:

• The Identification close out document (ICOD) and Close out document (COD) have been updated in order to be used as NPMS Compliance checklists
• The Contaminated Site Remediation Projects Roadmap has been updated
• The other roadmaps have also been updated to include Geomatic expertise through the NPMS phases

December 2012

For real property projects users:

• The Project approval bodies listed in Annex A and B of the National Project Management System Directive for real property projects has been updated to better reflect the current organization
• The National Project Management System Model for real property projects was modified to include project complexity and risk assessment (PCRA) and project charter in the diagram
• An updated version of the Project complexity and risk assessment Manual is now available
• The Cost Management Knowledge Area has been updated to include the new Real Property Procedure on Cost Management as well as a new Cost Management diagram

August 2012

For real property projects users:

• The Quality management Knowledge Area has been updated in order to include new procedures such as:
  • The Procedure for Applying the Real Property Branch Commissioning Policy
  • The National Project Management System Real Property Procedure on Project Reviews
  • The National Project Management System Real Property Procedure on Lessons Learned including the Lessons Learned Report Templates
• The Project charter Template - Space Based Projects with Fit-Up has been updated and also includes a link to the revised Roles and Responsibilities for Project Teams

April 2012

For real property projects users:

• A new Other Government Department Design-Bid-Build Roadmap is now available
• The Guidelines for the Preparation of Project Plans have been updated (Quality Management section, Signatures section, Annexes, etc.)
• The NPMS Technical Guides on the National Master Specification (NMS) and Commissioning have been updated to reflect new Real Property Branch Policies

December 2011

• The Continual Improvement Framework has been updated to encompass both the Real Property and Business Projects IT-Enabled streams
• For real property project users:
  • The updated Client Accommodation Requirements Questionnaire (CARQ) is now available

March 2011

• Introducing two NPMS sub-sites: real property projects and Information Technology-Enabled Projects
• For IT-Enabled Business Project users:
  • The choice of either National Project Management System "Full" version or National Project Management System "Lite" version depending on project value, complexity and risk
  • Project Management deliverables, templates, step-by-step processes, and tools
  • Guidance documents including a Project Management Handbook, Knowledge Area best practices and a National Project Management System Roadmap
• For real property project users:
  • A Procurement Management Manual, a Project Cost Plan, and a Client Accommodation Requirements Questionnaire
• NPMS Continual Improvement: A Real Property Continual Improvement Framework as well as feedback for IT-Enabled Business Projects ensures we continually evolve and improve the NPMS for users

December 2010

• Introducing PSPC's new National Project Management System Policy (accessible to government of Canada employees only), National Project Management System Directive for Business Projects - Information Technology-Enabled and Procedure for Business Projects Information Technology-Enabled Funded by Other Government Departments and Agencies
• Update of National Project Management System Directive for real property projects and Procedure for real property projects Funded by Other Government Departments
• New and updated model, templates and guidelines have been added to NPMS:
  • The National Project Management System Model, including a new control point to mark the completion of the project: the close out document approval
  • The Treasury Board Project complexity and risk assessment Tool and a departmental Project complexity and risk assessment Manual
  • The Guide for the Preparation of investment analysis report, including a Base Case scenario
  • New templates for the Identification close out document (ICOD) which replaces the Identification Stage Final Records Project Plan (FRPP), and for the new Close out document (COD) which replaces the Delivery Stage FRPP
  • Updated guidelines and templates for the Statement of requirements, the Project Plans, and the Feasibility report