Customer Information System

A. Introduction

1. The Customer Information System (CIS) contains the names and addresses of customers who obtain goods and services through Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC). Each name and address is linked to a five-character Customer Address Code (CAC).
2. Customer addresses are required by PWGSC to conduct daily procurement business with other government departments and agencies. The customer addresses are used to ship and distribute goods as well as invoice these customers.
3. CIS is updated daily using information received from organizations in departments and agencies authorized to request new codes, changes or cancellations to existing CAC data.
4. Automated output from the CIS is provided to PWGSC database systems that include departmental addresses.

B. Definitions

The following definitions pertain to customer addresses:

1. Customer - Any federal, or territorial government department, or agency, listed under the Financial Administration Act that is authorized to use the services of PWGSC.
2. Customer Code (CC) - A two-character code assigned to a customer that uses PWGSC's services. If the first character of the CC is numeric, the first 2 characters identify the Customer Code (CC). If the first character of the CC is alphabetic, the first character identifies the CC. For example, for CAC 01550 and H1111, codes '01' and 'H' identify the customer respectively.
3. Customer Address Code (CAC) - A code assigned to a customer registered in the CIS containing the applicable address to which deliveries may be made. The code may be used as a consignee code, ordering office code, accounting office code.
4. Accounting Code (AC) - A customer department unit to which PWGSC can refer for financial transactions. Active Customer Address Codes (CAD) must either be designated as the relevant accounting code or another active Customer Address Code must be so designated.
5. Approving Authority Officer (AAO) - Designated office, and/or individual, within each customer organization, authorized to submit requests to the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises and Strategic Engagement Sector (OSMESE), Acquisitions Branch, PWGSC, for new codes, changes or cancellations to existing codes.
6. Cross-reference code - An active CAC to which an inactive or cancelled CAC is cross-referenced. All future business dealings must refer to the active CAC.

C. Procedures – Customers

Each customer obtaining goods and services through PWGSC is required to have one or more Customer Address Codes (CAC) listed in the CIS. To be registered, customers must either be listed in the Financial Administration Act, or have negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding with the Director General, OSMESE, Acquisitions Branch. Once approved, each customer is assigned a "Customer Code". Within each Customer Code (CC), a range of Customer Address Codes (CAC) is reserved for organizations within that specific department. OSMESE assigns a CAC for each delivery or accounting address. Departments designate a responsible officer as the "Approving Authority Officer" (AAO). In some instances, more than one officer may be designated.

D. Procedures - Customer Address Code (CAC)

Requests for registrations, changes or cancellations will only be accepted from the Approving Authority Officer (AAO) for the CAC, or range of CACs, for which the AAO is responsible. Forward your request to your AAO for authorization. The AAO will then send it to the Customer Information System, PWGSC (see Enquiries below). Requests received by OSMESE without proper authorization will be sent to the AAO for approval. OSMESE will confirm with the AAO, that the action has been taken on the specified address code.

E. Customer Information

1. Updated lists of active Customer Address Codes (CAC), addresses and the Accounting Code may be provided in Excel, Lotus or ASCII to the AAO, upon their request.
2. A CAC cancelled by the customer does not appear in any electronic listing (unless requested) but is retained in the Customer Information System.

F. Customers' Responsible Offices

Your departmental materiel manager can identify the Approving Authority Officer(s) (AAO). Note that, in some departments, approval for a Customer Address Code (CAC) is required from the regional offices, before AAO approval and submission to the OSMESE Sector in PWGSC is done.

G. Enquiries

1. Direct enquiries concerning Customer Address Codes to your Approving Authority Officer (AAO).
2. Direct enquiries regarding use of the Customer Information System (CIS) data to the user manager, as follows:

   Customer Information System
   Procurement Operational Support Division
   Business Management Sector
   Acquisitions Branch
   Public Works and Government Services Canada
   Place du Portage, Phase III, 4C1
   Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0S5
   E-mail: DGAPrioritesdedefense.ACQBDefencePriorities@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca