Contract Security Program (CSP)

The Contract Security Program (CSP) is the Government of Canada program, administered by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), that provides security screening for organizations and their personnel involved in government or foreign contracts with security requirements. It is described in PSPC's guidance on security screening for government contracts.

The objective of the CSP is to make sure government information and assets are safeguarded during the contracting process. It sits within PSPC's Industrial Security function and has both domestic and international responsibilities, as set out in the PSPC evaluation summary of the program. In Canadian procurement, the acronym CSP refers to this PSPC program.

What the Contract Security Program does

The CSP carries out a defined set of activities on behalf of federal buyers and the suppliers who work for them:

• Organization and personnel security screening
• Company registration
• Inspections and investigations
• Issuing valid security clauses for inclusion in contracts
• Providing international security assurances

PSPC supplies the security clauses and conducts the associated screening and oversight, according to the 2018-2019 evaluation summary. The program covers sensitive contracts involving protected or classified information, assets, worksites, information technology, visits, or international exchanges.

When a solicitation or contract triggers CSP screening

Organization screening applies when a solicitation, contract, subcontract, or lease carries security requirements. According to PSPC's page on organization security screening, an organization is eligible if it:

• Responds to a solicitation that will lead to a federal contract with security requirements
• Receives a federal contract or subcontract with security requirements
• Signs a lease with security requirements

Size does not matter. The same page states that a single-person consulting firm or a large corporation may need to be security screened through the CSP.

Information technology and worksite safeguarding

Security screening is only one part of the program. Organizations that electronically access, store, process, transmit, view, or back up protected or classified information for a government contract may require IT security approval and inspection through the CSP. PSPC explains this in its information technology security requirements.

A contractor required to store sensitive government information or assets at a worksite may need a Document Safeguarding Capability (DSC) obtained through the CSP. The conditions are described in the work site security requirements.

International contracts and foreign security assurances

The CSP also safeguards information and assets that are transferred or exchanged under a sensitive government contract, whether in Canada or abroad. Canadian organizations that contract or subcontract with foreign governments or organizations may need CSP help with security clearances, foreign security assurances, and visit approvals. PSPC outlines these steps in its international contract security requirements.

For classified foreign contracts, the CSP provides foreign security assurances to foreign governments. The process is explained on the page for requesting foreign security assurances.

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

Read the security requirements in a solicitation before you commit to bid. They determine which CSP obligations apply to your organization. Depending on the requirements, you may need to:

• Register with, or be sponsored for, CSP screening
• Appoint a Company Security Officer
• Obtain personnel security clearances for staff
• Meet document safeguarding or IT safeguarding requirements
• Comply with the security clauses written into the contract

PSPC publishes an information toolkit for suppliers that gathers guidance on these steps. Bid teams should check early whether they already hold the required screening, because the requirements apply to subcontractors as well as prime contractors.