APN - CYBERSECURITY ASSESSMENT SOURCE LIST

This is not a bid solicitation nor a request for proposals.
In the context of the major investments announced by the Government and to foster a proactive partnership with industry, DCC is issuing this Advance Procurement Notice (APN) to inform consultants of an upcoming contract opportunity at various locations across Canada (excluding Nunavut).
The purpose of this APN is to allow consultants to assess their capacity and interest in participating, and to prepare adequately for the potential solicitation process, notably by initiating any necessary steps.
This is a preliminary notice regarding a potential contract, which includes security requirements. The purpose of this APN is to allow interested consultants to initiate, if required, the sponsorship process to obtain the necessary clearances or security clearances (if applicable).
Please note that there is no guarantee that this contract will proceed or that security clearances will be granted within the anticipated timelines or at all as part of the sponsorship process.

Description of the Project and Services

Directorate of Architecture and Engineering Services (DAES) current portfolio requires a national wide Source List (SL) for cybersecurity assessments of OT systems and their integration with IT at various DND facilities within Canada. The studies will adopt a holistic approach when evaluating cyber resiliency, including providing recommendations based on the consultant’s expertise and industry’s best practices.

Services may include:
Building Automation Systems (BAS) with DCC and/or LMS, physical Security and Safety Systems, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Industrial Control Systems (ICS), and Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA) of essential systems or buildings, Inventorying all existing IT/OT within a base’s infrastructure, evaluate existing IT/OT’s current resiliency to cyber threats, asses different options to improve existing OT and IT/OT integration. Assessment should result in a recommended option being selected, network architecture planning and design.

Services will not require mechanical/electrical/building design or installation services.

The SL is anticipated to be established with three (3) firms for an estimated value of $2,000,000 and an initial period of three (3) years from the date of establishment.
The SL may be extended for up to two (2) additional two-year periods and increase in value twice by $1,000,000 each time.
For better clarity, total potential duration of the SL is seven (7) years, and the maximum potential value is $4,000,000.

It is anticipated that the following solicitation will proceed as noted in the table below. This is conditional on the contract receiving approval to proceed from DND.

Contract Number: MPDAES39
Title: Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) Cybersecurity Assessment

Anticipated Posting: August 2026

Contract Award and Anticipated Security Requirements
To be eligible for contract award, a proponent will be required to, among other things, actively hold or obtain all required security clearance(s) prior to the date of the award, as further detailed in the solicitation documents.
The anticipated security clearance level for this contract is Reliability clearance.

Industrial Security Program Sponsorship
Defence Construction Canada (DCC) is providing consultants early access to the security clearance application process through sponsorship under its Industrial Security Program (ISP). Accordingly, consultants that intend to submit a proposal for this project and that do not actively hold the above identified security clearance(s) should begin forthwith the security clearance application process by applying through DCC’s ISP.
Under this program, DCC may, at its entire discretion, provide preliminary assistance to all the potential proponents with their respective security clearance sponsorship process.
To begin the security clearance sponsorship process, please submit a sponsorship request application to DCC by following the steps identified on DCC’s website at: https://www.dcc-cdc.gc.ca/industry/security-requirements.
In their sponsorship request application to DCC, consultants are asked to quote the following information, among other things:

• Advance Procurement Notice (APN) number (Project number on the MERX notice);
• Contract number MPDAES39; and
• Level of clearance requested to be sponsored for.

Sponsorship Process
Upon receipt, DCC will review the sponsorship request application and will communicate directly with the consultants to provide assistance for the completion of the sponsorship request packages.
Once DCC has determined, at its entire discretion, that a consultant:

1. has started the sponsorship process prior to the solicitation (Contract number listed on their request for sponsorship) being advertised on MERX,
2. has  met all the material requirements of the sponsorship request package, and
3. has submitted a proposal or a bid

DCC will  send the documents to the Public Services and Procurement Canada’s (PSPC) Contract Security Program (CSP).
Following receipt of the sponsorship request package, the CSP will communicate directly with the proponent or bidder regarding any further steps or actions to be undertaken or the status of the sponsorship request package processing. At such time, the proponent or bidder will need to promptly cooperate with CSP  to ensure that the process is completed as soon as possible.

Questions
Any questions pertaining to the sponsoring process through the ISP can be addressed to:
Telephone Number: (613) 998-8974; or
Email address: ISP.Sponsorship@dcc-cdc.gc.ca

Any questions relating to this Advance Procurement Notice can be addressed to:
Andrew Webster
Leader, Contract Services
Defence Construction Canada
343-553-9546
andrew.webster@dcc-cdc.gc.ca

Disclaimer
DCC is only providing assistance, at its entire discretion, for the above stated sponsorship process  and does not provide any representations  or guarantees that a sponsorship request package or a security clearance application forwarded by DCC to the CSP will be successful or result in the granting of the requested security clearance(s) by the CSP. At all times, the processing of a sponsorship request package or a security clearance application is subject to the respective terms, conditions, and timelines of DCC’s ISP sponsorship process and the CSP security clearance granting process. By applying to either of the aforementioned processes, the proponent or bidder agrees to bear any fees and risks associated with: (i) the completeness or accuracy, or lack thereof, of its application or related documents submitted under or in connection with either said processes, and (ii) the timeliness, or lack thereof, of any processing or granting of security clearance(s) under or in connection with either said processes. Notwithstanding anything else stated above, DCC shall in no event be liable to the bidder or proponent for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive or exemplary damages arising out or in connection with the above stated  sponsorship process.
 

Bidding and Documents are available on http://www.merx.com. Fees may apply; See https://www.merx.com/public/pricing for more information.