Roles and responsibilities of contractors certified by the Joint Certification Program
Certified contractors are eligible to bid and work on contracts involving unclassified military critical technical data in Canada and the United States. Find out how certified contractors can request technical data and get approval for visits to work sites through the Joint Certification Program.
On this page
- Roles and responsibilities of certified contractors
- Requesting military critical technical data
- Unclassified visits—how to get approval
Roles and responsibilities of certified contractors
Contractors certified in the Joint Certification Program are eligible to:
- bid on contracts that require access to military critical technical data
- request military critical technical data that is controlled by the Canadian Department of National Defence and the United States Department of Defense
- attend restricted gatherings where technical data is presented
- for example: symposia, program briefings, industry days and conferences that provide information for bidding on defence contracts
- arrange unclassified visits directly with other certified defence contractors or military facilities in Canada and the United States
Requesting military critical technical data
Note:
For all requests, submit a copy of the approved militarily critical technical data agreement—DD form 2345.
Requests for United States Department of Defense controlled technical data
Certified Canadian and American contractors can obtain technical data for legitimate business purposes by:
- requesting it from the program manager
- consulting the Defense Technical Information Center database
Certified subcontractors can request technical data directly from the certified prime contractor.
Respond to United States request for proposals and quotes
To obtain unclassified technical data required to bid on Federal Business Opportunities and the Defence Logistics Agency Internet Bid Board System:
- follow the guidance procedures listed on each proposal to make requests
Requests for Canadian Department of National Defence controlled technical data
Certified Canadian and American contractors can obtain technical data controlled by the Department of National Defence.
To submit a request, contact the Director General of International and Industrial Programs division:
- Telephone:
- 613-992-6745
- Mailing address:
- Director General of International and Industrial Programs
Attention: Team Leader, Defence Continental Material Cooperation
Department of National Defence
National Defence Headquarters
Major-General George R. Pearkes Building
101 Colonel By Dr
Ottawa ON K1A 0K2
Canada
Respond to Canadian requests for proposals and quotes
To obtain technical data required to bid on Government of Canada contracts, certified contractors should follow the guidance provided on the request for proposal as listed on buyandsell.gc.ca.
Unclassified visits—how to get approval
Certified contractors can request approval for unclassified visits directly with other certified defence contractors or military facilities in Canada and the United States. These requests are called directly arranged visits.
A directly arranged visit is used for:
- preparing to bid on a contract, such as attending unclassified pre-solicitation conferences and collecting unclassified procurement documents
- working on a contract
- conducting scientific research, in a professional capacity, in support of unclassified American or Canadian national defence initiatives
- attending restricted meetings, conferences, symposia or program briefings where technical data governed by Directive 5230.25 of the United States Department of Defense or Technical Data Control Regulations of the Department of National Defence in Canada will be presented
- attending events in an unclassified access controlled area
The following contractors are eligible to apply for directly arranged visits:
- Canadian government officials and certified Canadian contractors who need to visit American military installations and American contractor facilities
- United States government officials and certified American contractors who need to visit Canadian military installations and Canadian contractor facilities
Uncertified American or Canadian contractors are not eligible to apply for directly arranged visits.
Conditions required for a directly arranged visit
Contractors must meet the following two conditions to get approval for a directly arranged visit related to the release of information controlled in Canada by the Technical Data Control Regulations of the Department of National Defence or in the United States by the Directive 5230.25 of the United States Department of Defense.
First condition—you must meet one of the following criteria:
- there is a valid licence covering the export of the data
- the export or release is permitted under the Canadian exemption in Part 126.5 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations
- the export or release is covered by the general exemptions in Part 125.4 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations
- the export or release qualifies for a general license under the Export Administration Regulations
Second condition—you must meet one of the following criteria:
- the distribution statement applied to the data pursuant to permits release of Directive 5230.25 of the United States Department of Defense
- the originator or government controlling office authorizes release
How to request a directly arranged visit
Your registration in the Joint Certification Program allows you to make arrangements directly with your point of contact at the industry or military facility you wish to visit.
To do so, send an email or letter to your point of contact. They will forward the request for the visit to the security official at the facility for review and approval. It the approval is granted, the security office will then advise the point of contact by email.
Your request must include:
- the purpose for the visit
- the date and time of the visit
- the location and point of contact at the facility
- the list of visiting personnel and their personal information
- a copy of the Joint Certification Program certificate
A request for a directly arranged visit may be submitted for a specific visit or for recurring visits related to a specific contract or project. Although the recurring visit may be approved, it is still the responsibility of the visitor to notify the location to be visited, in writing, at least 72 hours in advance of their arrival.
It is the responsibility of the host facility to notify potential visitors if a visit meets the conditions for a directly arranged visit as described above. If this visit does not meet these conditions, a formal unclassified request for visit may be submitted through other government channels.