Industrial Security Program rebranding and update to the duplication process for reliability statuses and security clearances

February 12, 2016

Contract Security Program rebranding

This communiqué is to inform you of a recent rebranding of the Industrial Security Program now called Contract Security Program.

This change is effective immediately and reflects the terminology found in the 2015 to 2016 Report on Plans and Priorities, Sub-Program 1.4.1: Contract Security, Planning Highlights.

Updates to our website, information/training materials, government policies and standards will be conducted on a transitional basis.

Duplication requests

The purpose of this communiqué is to also inform you of a recent update to the duplication process for reliability statuses and security clearances issued by the Contract Security Program.

Effective date

Effective immediately contractors with valid security statuses and clearances with the program will be eligible to start work while the duplication of their security status or clearance to another registered company is being processed.

Why is this change being made

This initiative will make it easier for contractors to start working on government contracts sooner while they move their security status or clearance from 1 company to another registered in the program. This will allow increased flexibility for government departments who in the past would have had to delay the start of work until the duplication process was completed.

What is the Contract Security Program expecting of you

Company security officers (CSOs) will continue to submit duplication requests to the program using the Personnel screening, consent and authorization form (TBS/SCT 330-23E). CSOs that are registered users of the Online industrial security services (OLISS) will continue to use that application to submit their duplication request. The form signed by both the CSO and applicant must be mailed, faxed, or scanned and emailed to the program.

Once the duplication request is received and verified by the program, the request will be entered into the program database with the status of "pending." Once the duplication request is noted as pending, and the original clearance is verified as active and in good standing, procurement officers verifying the clearance will be advised that the contractor is eligible to start working on contracts with security requirements for the new company.

How can I verify the status of a request

CSOs and other procurement/contracting officials may request, through the program's client service centre, a written verification of clearance which will confirm the original clearance held by the contractor and show the security status of the "pending" duplication under the new company. The verification of clearance will include the contractor's name, the type and level of security clearance or status they hold, the granting and renewal date of the original clearance and the date that the duplication request was initiated in our system. This verification is to be considered sufficient confirmation of the contractors' clearance, for the procurement official to allow the contractor to start work on a Government of Canada contract.

The program will then complete the processing of the duplication. A security screening certificate and briefing form will be sent to the CSO as confirmation of the completed duplication request. The CSO will document the contractor's security briefing and obtain the required signatures on the security screening certificate and briefing form.

If you have questions regarding the updated duplication process, please contact the client service centre at ssi-iss@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca or call our toll-free number at 1-866-368-4646.

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