Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC)

The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) is a Crown corporation of the Government of Canada and serves as Canada's international contracting and procurement agency. It helps develop trade between Canada and other countries through government-to-government contracts. CanadaBuys describes it as a specialized procurement option for strategic purchases.

In these arrangements the CCC can act in one of two roles. As a prime contractor, it sells Canadian goods and services to a foreign government. As a procurement agent, it sources goods and services from Canadian suppliers on behalf of a foreign government. In both cases the contract is between governments, with the CCC standing in the middle.

Legal status and accountability of the CCC

The CCC is listed in Schedule III, Part I of the Financial Administration Act. It reports to Parliament through the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development. Its Crown corporation status distinguishes it from a federal department such as Public Services and Procurement Canada, and it is the reason some federal procurement policies are applied to it differently. The CanadaBuys CCC page sets out this status and reporting line.

Sectors and situations where the CCC is used

The CCC's work focuses on sensitive sectors, on defence and other areas outside World Trade Organization disciplines, and on complex procurements in which a foreign government needs additional procurement capacity. Defence is the most visible of these areas. Government contract disclosure records identify the CCC as the organization associated with awards to Canadian defence suppliers, including General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada Corporation.

Because the CCC contracts government to government, a foreign buyer can deal with one Canadian public body rather than negotiating separately with each Canadian company. The Canadian supplier delivers under terms set within the CCC contracting structure.

Special procurements with the Department of National Defence

CanadaBuys states that a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Department of National Defence and the CCC. The memorandum specifies procedures for certain special procurements involving the CCC. The reference appears in the CanadaBuys description of procurement roles and responsibilities. Suppliers working on defence-related opportunities should know that these procedures sit alongside the usual federal procurement rules.

Exclusion from the Federal Contractors Program

Procurements made on behalf of the CCC are excluded from the Federal Contractors Program for Employment Equity. The program guidance gives the reason: the CCC is listed in Schedule III of the Financial Administration Act. The exclusion is set out in the Federal Contractors Program application guidance. A supplier that normally checks its Federal Contractors Program obligations before bidding should note that this program does not apply to CCC procurements.

What the CCC means for a supplier bidding on Canadian public contracts

• A supplier may be asked to provide goods or services directly to the CCC under a CCC solicitation.
• A supplier may instead supply a Canadian prime contractor that is fulfilling a CCC government-to-government contract.
• In either case, follow the stated submission, technical, security, commercial and contractual requirements of the solicitation, since each one sets its own terms.
• Do not assume that rules for departmental tenders carry over. The Federal Contractors Program, for example, does not apply to procurements made for the CCC.
• Read the CCC role carefully. A prime contractor role and a procurement agent role lead to different contract relationships.

Bid teams that track defence and export-oriented opportunities should include CCC-linked solicitations and awards in their monitoring alongside departmental notices.