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.
On this page
- Why is certification required?
- Who is eligible for certification in Canada?
- How to apply for certification
- Timelines for application process
- Application decisions
- Certification revision
- Certification renewal
- Compliance
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:
- person who is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident located in Canada
- corporation or university that is incorporated under federal or provincial laws in Canada
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:
- demonstrate a legitimate need to access military critical technical data
- obtain a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code
- The NCAGE code is an unique five-digit identifier for Canadian contractors doing business with governments in Canada and the United States—this code must be obtained before you apply for contractor certification
- To obtain an NCAGE code, complete the request for assignment of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization Commercial and Government Entity Code form (PDF version, 112KB - Alternative formats and plug-ins)
- The NCAGE code is an unique five-digit identifier for Canadian contractors doing business with governments in Canada and the United States—this code must be obtained before you apply for contractor certification
- 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
- 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:
- approve the certification
- contractors are considered certified on the date that the Joint Certification Program approves their application
- reject the certification
- occurs when a contractor does not meet the criteria for certification or because of insufficient information
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:
- working directly at the facility
- a Canadian citizen, a United States citizen or a person admitted lawfully for permanent residence into Canada or the United States
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
- Change of ownership
- Change of business purpose
- Change of company name
- Selection of a new data custodian
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.
As well:
- each corporate subsidiary or division that will receive technical data must be certified separately
- Since certification is site specific, technical data transferred to a certified contractor is only provided to the certified location shown on the militarily critical technical data agreement
- the prime contractor must not provide military critical technical data to non-certified contractors
- This violation may result in revocation of a contractor's certification and potential legal action against the company