Apply for contractor certification in the Joint Certification Program

Canadian and American contractors must be certified by the Joint Certification Program to bid and work on contracts and conduct research requiring access to military critical technical data.

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Why is certification required?

Unclassified military critical technical data is strictly controlled in Canada and the United States. How?

Are you already certified?

Before you apply, search the Joint Certification Program database to see if you were certified in the past.

Who is eligible for certification in Canada?

Canadian and American contractors who need access to military critical technical data must apply for certification through the Joint Certification Program.

A Canadian contractor is a:

Access by a foreign parent or foreign subsidiary

Participation in the Joint Certification Program is restricted to contractors who are located in Canada or the United States.

A non-Canadian or non-American parent or subsidiary must obtain written government approval before it is allowed to access controlled military critical technical data through a certified contractor.

Written approval may be provided in the form of an export licence. Contractors may request an export licence through an appropriate export control authority, either from Global Affairs Canada or the State Department in the United States.

How to apply for certification

Canadian contractors applying for certification by the Joint Certification Program must:

  1. demonstrate a legitimate need to access military critical technical data
  2. obtain a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code
  3. appoint a data custodian, which is a person who will:
    • be responsible for receiving and disseminating any technical data transferred to the certified contractor under the provisions of the Joint Certification Program
    • act as the main point of contact between your company and the program
  4. complete and submit a hard copy of the militarily critical technical data agreement—DD form 2345 (PDF version, 64KB - Alternative formats and plug-ins) with supporting documentation

Timelines for application process

The program aims to process certification applications within five business days. By completing the forms properly and meeting all requirements, you can help ensure your application is processed on time.

Application decisions

Based on a review of the militarily critical technical data agreement—DD form 2345, the Joint Certification Program will decide whether to:

Certification approval

The Joint Certification Program will send a return copy of the agreement form, signed by Canadian and American representatives, to your data custodian.

Note: The signed form constitutes an agreement between the contractor and the program that military critical technical data will not be distributed to unauthorized individuals.

Once certified, the contractor can request access to military critical technical data and work sites where that data may be accessed.

Certification is valid for five years. If the contractor is shown to have violated the terms of the agreement, the certification period may be reduced.

Certification number

The signed agreement will include a seven-digit certification number.

The certification number refers to the facility rather than an individual employee, but extends to employees who are both:

The certification number and a statement of intended use must accompany all requests for military critical technical data submitted to the Canadian Department of National Defence or the United States Department of Defense.

Certification rejection

The Joint Certification Program will notify the contractor if their certification is rejected. The original militarily critical technical data agreement will be returned to the contractor. With the agreement, the contractor will receive a letter stating the reasons for the rejection and how to appeal or reapply.

Certification revision

Certified contractors should submit a revised militarily critical technical data agreement if information previously provided becomes outdated.

When to submit a revised form

If approved, the revised certification begins a new five-year eligibility period for the certified contractor.

Certification renewal

Certification can be renewed every five years.

To renew, certified contractors must complete a new militarily critical technical data agreement—DD form 2345 (PDF version, 64KB - Alternative formats and plug-ins) with supporting documentation at least 120 calendar days before it expires.

Compliance

If a contractor violates the provisions of the agreement, their certification for access to military critical technical data may be revoked.

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