Security screening for government contracts
The Contract Security Program helps private sector organizations participate in Government of Canada and foreign government contracts. The program provides security screening of organizations and their personnel for contracts with security requirements. It works with Canadian organizations and foreign governments to protect national and international security, as well as the private information of Canadians.
About security requirements
Security requirements specify the levels of security required to safeguard sensitive information, assets and work sites. Clauses containing security requirements are written into federal government contracts with private sector organizations.
More information about security requirements
- Policy on Government Security—federal government policy governing security across departments
- Industrial Security Manual—a guide for organizations on federal government security standards and procedures
Why security screening is important
Security screening ensures that only trusted individuals and organizations with a valid need to know may gain access to:
- sensitive government information such as military plans
- personal information such as financial records of Canadians
When an organization needs security screening
If your organization is bidding on a contract:
- consult the security requirements listed in the request for proposal
- consult the security requirements checklist (TBS/SCT 350-103)
- the contracting department must complete this checklist
To find more information about the security requirements of the contract, contact the department’s contract authority or procurement officer assigned to the contract in question.
Types of security screenings
There are two types of security screenings:
- organization security screening—this determines if the organization bidding or working on government contracts can meet the security requirements of that contract
- personnel security screening—this determines if an employee can be trusted to gain access to protected or classified information
In addition, your organization may need to obtain security for subcontractors and for international contracts. Learn about:
Cost for security screening
The program does not charge for its screening services. However, your organization must cover any costs needed to comply with the security requirements of a government contract. For example, these costs might include the purchase of file cabinets to safely store Secret documents. They might also include the fees charged by third-party service providers to take and submit fingerprints electronically.
Getting security clearance when applying for a government job
If you are an individual applying for a job with the federal government, you will be screened through the hiring department. You can contact the human resources officer of the hiring department for more information.