Obtain security screening for your organization
Is your organization bidding on a Government of Canada or foreign government contract with security requirements? Whether a one-person consulting firm or a large corporation, your organization must be screened through the Contract Security Program. This must happen before you start work on the contract, and sometimes before you bid.
On this page
- Types of organization security clearances
- Eligible organizations
- Screening process
- Duration of the screening process
- Clearance validity period
- Maintain your organization security clearance
- More information
Types of organization security clearances
- Designated organization screening – required for your organization to access contract opportunities at the protected level
- Facility security clearance – required for your organization to access contract opportunities at the classified level
Eligible organizations
The Contract Security Program provides security screening services to organizations working on sensitive government contracts. These organizations must be:
- physically located in Canada
- eligible to do business in Canada
Eligible organizations include:
- Canadian organizations, including corporations, partnerships, joint ventures or public institutions
- Consultants or sole proprietors must be Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Canadian subsidiaries of a foreign company registered to do business in Canada
Screening process
1. Getting sponsored
To be registered and screened through the program, your organization must first be sponsored by a source approved by the Government of Canada.
An approved source may include:
- a federal government procurement officer
- a federal government security officer
- a federal government project officer
Your organization may reach out to an approved source directly. Consult the request for proposal to find the contact information for an approved source.
Approved source for international contracts
For international contracts, an approved source will be either:
- a designated security authority
- a foreign government national
The approved source will be acting on behalf of a foreign company or government that is contracting to your organization.
Approved source for subcontracts
For subcontracts, an approved source may be a private sector organization. Also called a prime contractor, this is an organization that is already registered in the Contract Security Program and working on active contracts.
Submitting a request for organization security screening
To request an organization security screening, the approved source must complete the following form for submission to the Contract Security Program:
The form:
- identifies organization information
- verifies the need for security screening
- identifies the level of security screening required
Prime contractors submitting a request for private sector organization screening form for a subcontractor must also complete and submit a security requirements check list (TBS/SCT 350-103) for the subcontract.
2. Getting registered
The program will review the private sector organization screening form once completed by the approved source. If approved, the program will start the registration process.
3. Getting screened
The program will contact your organization directly to initiate the screening process. You will be asked to:
- Complete an application for registration. In the application you will provide:
- information about your organization’s structure, ownership and legal status
- names of key senior officials:
- A key senior official is a senior member of your organization who influences your organization’s policies or practices in the performance of protected and classified contracts, and may be an owner, officer, director, executive, partner or board member
- If applying for a facility security clearance, you will need to determine which of your key senior officials will require clearance
- Appoint a company security officer and alternate company security officer. If you are a sole proprietor or a consultant you will act as both a company security officer and key senior official
- Complete the required personnel security screening forms
The program will assess the information provided before granting or denying a clearance. You will be contacted directly when the program has determined the results of your organization security screening.
Security agreement for organization clearance
During the registration process, you will complete a legal agreement between the organization and the federal government that requires your organization to abide by the requirements of the Industrial Security Manual.
Duration of the screening process
The screening process begins once the request for private sector organization screening form has been accepted.
The length of the screening process depends on many factors, including completeness of forms and the complexity of the screening required.
Estimated timelines for organization screenings
- Designated organization screening: up to six months
- Facility security clearance: six months or more
Additional physical security clearances will add to these timeframes.
Contact the Contract Security Program if you have questions about the screening process.
Clearance validity period
Your clearance will continue to be valid as long as it is required and renewed.
Maintain your organization security clearance
The information you supply to obtain your clearance must be kept up to date. If changes are not reported and not addressed, your organization clearance will no longer be in good standing, and this will impact your ability to bid on contracts. For example, you will be considered non-compliant if your company security officer leaves and you do not appoint a replacement.
More information
The program offers contract security training webinars.