Communication and printing services

Introduction

The Department of Public Works and Government Services (PWGSC) Acquisitions Branch provides all mandatory and optional procurement services related to communications to federal departments and agencies.

Mandatory services

Optional services

Other services

Key contacts

Facsimile: 613-991-5870

Mandatory services

  • Advertising services (including planning and production of advertising campaigns and public notices, and media purchasing and placement).
  • Public opinion research (including quantitative and qualitative research, and syndicated studies).
  • Audio-visual services (including film, video, and audio-visual production services).

Optional services

  • Printing services (including custom printing and binding, printing of bonds, cheques, forms and other secure documents, print on demand, electronic document management, variable imaging, Braille and large print, warehousing, order fulfillment, logistics and distribution, and custom imprinting of promotional materials).
  • Communications services (including public relations and marketing management, writing, editing, language adaptation, program/project planning and development, research and analysis, and strategies).
  • Expositions and exhibits services (including design, fabrication, storage and shipping, installation, dismantling, removal, project management, exhibit space rental and related services).
  • Event management services (including conferences, trade shows and special events).
  • Graphic and web design services (including a full range of design services for print and electronic media (internet and intranet), training products, production art, and non-technical illustrations).
  • Audio-visual Services (including multimedia services distribution and duplication services, web casting, host broadcasting, and satellite transmission).
  • Media monitoring (including media monitoring of radio and television broadcasts, press clippings, newswire distribution and transcripts of scrums and live events).
  • Telephone Services / Contact Centre Services (for direct access to bilingual information centre specialists who direct callers to services, take orders for government publications and documents, and answer questions on Government of Canada (GC) programs, services and initiatives).
  • Services for Stakeholder and Citizen Engagement and Consultation Activities (involves directly engaging the public through active two-way dialogue whether in person or on-line. This activity enables the government to take into account the public's views, concerns, ideas and proposals in the development or assessment of government policies, programs, services and initiatives).
  • Promotional Items (the provision of a large variety of custom imprinted promotional items and custom imprinted giftware where the imprint relates to an organization or specific message but is not personalized to any individual).

Other services

Quality levels and Guides for printing. These documents are published as aids for establishing common standards between the Government of Canada and private sector suppliers for the quality assurance of printed products.

Copying licence. The licence allows employees of the Government of Canada to copy copyrighted material, covered by the licence, e.g. newspapers, professional journals, books, and magazines, within the limits set out in the licence, without fear of liability for copyright infringement.

Cost recovery

The Communication Procurement Directorate (CPD) offers federal departments and agencies extensive procurement knowledge and experience grounded in the skilful application of the federal government's legal and policy framework. CPD strives to be at the forefront of communication services procurement through ongoing industry and client consultations, spend analysis, analysis of historical and emerging procurement methodologies, and consideration for government objectives. In so doing, CPD's objective is to deliver high-quality, responsive and cost-effective procurement services for the commodities under its purview.

Unlike most other mainstream PWGSC procurement divisions, CPD operates on cost recovery and charges a fee for its procurement services in the areas of printing, communications services, audio-visual services, media monitoring services, event management, graphic design, expositions services, telephone services, consultation services and promotional items. The fee is based on the value of the contract award, and any amendments that increase the value of the contract. Authority to charge the fee is provided for in a 1995 Treasury Board decision.

In the spring of 2010, PWGSC also obtained authority from Treasury Board to charge a fee for advertising and public opinion research procurement services. Effective September 1, 2010, a fee is applied to all contracts, call-ups and work authorizations for advertising and public opinion research services, and on any amendments that increase the value of a contract, call-up or work authorization.