Status Report on Transformational and Major Crown Projects
Expanding Biometric Screening in Canada’s Immigration System (Biometrics Expansion Project)
General information
Project name
Expanding Biometric Screening in Canada’s Immigration System (Biometrics Expansion Project)
Description
Budget 2015 provided funding to expand biometrics collection, screening and verification to all temporary resident visa, work permit, study permit and temporary resident permit applicants (excluding U.S. nationals) and all permanent resident applicants. This includes systematic verification of fingerprints of these travellers through self-service kiosks upon arrival at major airports, in-Canada enrolment services, and expanded biometric-based information sharing with Canada’s Migration Five (M5) partners (the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand) to strengthen the decision-making process.
The costs of expanding biometric screening are expected to be fully recovered through the existing biometrics fee.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the lead department in managing this project in collaboration with its primary delivery partners, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Shared Services Canada (SSC).
Project outcomes
Building on the Temporary Resident Biometrics Project and the Beyond the Border Action Plan, the project supports the government’s international engagement and security priorities as biometrics and information sharing help make Canada and the world safer and more secure. The project also supports the government’s service delivery priorities given the expansion of service delivery channels and the facilitated movement of admissible individuals.
The use of biometrics as an identity management tool helps supplement existing biographic checks and significantly reduces the chance that one individual could pose as or be mistaken for another individual. Immigration and border services officers will know with greater certainty if an immigration applicant undergoing biometric screening has a Canadian criminal record, made an asylum claim in Canada, was previously deported from Canada, submitted an immigration application in the past or has used a different biographic identity.
Biometrics will also provide border services officers with greater certainty that an individual who was granted authorization to enter Canada is the one actually seeking entry. Over time, biometrics will also facilitate legitimate travel by:
- Strengthening identity management for informed admissibility decision making: The expanded collection and screening of biometric information will add a more secure and reliable identity element to a wider range of applicants. Immigration information sharing with M5 partners will further enhance identity management by providing officers with more information to confirm an applicant’s identity and detect cases of identity fraud or inadmissibility.
- Denying inadmissible individuals entry into, or permission to remain in, Canada: Broader fingerprint collection at the application stage will allow for more applicants to be screened against records of known criminals, past refugee claimants, persons previously deported and previous immigration applicants. This will assist officers in the admissibility decision-making process at the application stage. Immigration information sharing will also contribute further to admissibility screening by providing officers with access to a wider range of immigration data including valuable identity and admissibility information held by the immigration authorities of M5 partner countries.
- Facilitating movement of admissible individuals into Canada: The expanded collection, screening, verification and sharing of biometrics will simplify confirmation of a traveller’s identity, reduce the need for more in-depth questioning at the application and arrival stages and facilitate the processing of low-risk returning applicants both overseas and upon arrival in Canada.
Industrial benefits
The Biometrics Expansion Project will contribute to improving the safety and security of Canadian citizens by facilitating entry to legitimate travellers who contribute to Canada’s economic growth and support Canadian industry while deterring and detecting individuals who pose a risk to Canada’s security and economic and social prosperity.
Sponsoring department
IRCC
Contracting authority
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
Participating departments
- CBSA;
- RCMP;
- SSC;
- PSPC; and
- Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Service Canada (as a service provider)
Prime contractor
- Fujitsu Consulting (Canada) Inc., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada – Technical Solution;
- VF Worldwide Holdings Ltd, Port Louis, Mauritius – Service Delivery;
- Gemalto, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. – Technical Solution; and
- Safran Identity and Security, Oakville, Ontario, Canada – Technical Solution
Major subcontractors
- Aware Inc., Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.A. – Technical Solution;
- International Organization for Migration (IOM), Geneva, Switzerland – Service Delivery; and
- CSRA LLC – Falls Church, Virginia, U.S.A. – Service Delivery
Project phase
The Biometrics Expansion is currently completing Phase 3 (Deployment) activities, which began in 2017.
Major milestones
The project will be implemented in three phases before transitioning to steady state operations. Project close was initially planned for November 2019 but was extended to be closed out in March 2020.
- Phase 1 (Planning), completed in March 2017: In this phase, the project developed preliminary strategies and plans for defining, building and deploying the expanded biometric solution and enhanced information sharing.
- Phase 2 (Development), was completed in July 2019. In this phase, requirements for the project were detailed, and plans for defining, building and deploying the expanded biometric solution and information sharing were finalized. The implementation of the in-Canada service channel is also part of Phase 2 and the completion date was extended to December 2019. Implementation of the enabling technology for in-Canada collection (the only IRCC-led deliverable remaining) has begun, as have business change activities, such as human resource planning, accommodation fitting, Memorandum of Understanding negotiations with ESDC, etc. The major milestones for this phase includes the publication of regulations around both systematic information sharing with M5 partners and regulations expanding the biometrics requirement for applications to Canada, enabling technology and enabling policy documents and business processes for biometrics enrolment expansion and information sharing.
- Phase 3 (Deployment), started in 2017 with the launch of systematic information sharing with Australia. Deployment is expected to be completed by March 2020, with the exception of systematic fingerprint verification capability at two airports (Toronto Pearson and Montréal). In this phase, the biometric solution and supporting infrastructure will be finalized. The communications plan has prepared clients, partners and other stakeholders for the expansion of biometric screening and information sharing.
Major milestones include:
- April 2017: biometric-based information sharing commenced with Australia;
- March 2018: biometric-based information sharing commenced with New Zealand;
- July 2018: regulatory changes for expanded authority to collect biometric information from additional nationalities and business lines were completed and published;
- July 2018: increased biometric-based information sharing with the United States coincided with the first coming-into-force date;
- July 31, 2018: first coming-into-force of the expanded biometrics regulations, which affected foreign nationals from Europe, Africa and the Middle East;
- November 2018: biometric enrolment at new overseas visa application centres commenced;
- December 31, 2018: second coming-into-force of the expanded biometrics regulations, which affected foreign nationals from Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas;
- March 2019: systematic fingerprint verification at major airports commenced;
- November 2019: opening of visa application centres in Europe, Africa and Middle East under the new contract; and
- December 2019: in-Canada biometrics collection solution expected to be in place at Service Canada and Passport Canada locations across the country.
Ongoing operations: As the Biometrics Expansion Project becomes operational, ongoing support will be required to ensure successful implementation, as well as service delivery. It was anticipated that the initiative would be fully operational by 2020–21 but with the delays in systematic fingerprint verification, the fully operational steady state is forestalled.
Progress report and explanation of variances
- Initial funding for the Biometrics Expansion Project was announced in Budget 2015. In June 2015, new funding of $312.6 million over five years was approved, with $103.2 million ongoing (excluding HST).
- Planning objectives set out in Phase 1 were achieved in March 2017. Phase 2 Development objectives have been completed as of July 2019.
- The start of Phase 3 was delayed from March to May 2017 and was planned to be completed by March 2020. However, systematic fingerprint verification through self-service kiosks has been delayed in two major airports; the dates have not yet been determined.
- The regulatory changes for information sharing with M5 partners were finalized and published in April 2017. Systematic information sharing with Australia was launched in April 2017 and with New Zealand in March 2018.
- Regulatory changes for expanded authority to collect biometric information from additional nationalities and business lines were published in July 2018.
- The “in-Canada” service, originally planned for April 2017, experienced challenges as Service Canada required mandate authority—through legislative amendments to the Department of Employment and Social Development Act—in order to collect biometric information from IRCC clients. The service is now expected to be in place by December 2019.
- Challenges related to Visa Application Centre (VAC) procurement have delayed full deployment of the VACs and completion of the project to November 2019, eight months later than the originally planned project end date of March 2019.
- Automated information sharing with the United Kingdom (U.K.), via the Secure Real-Time Platform (SRTP), has been delayed as the U.K. works through several issues including the effects of Brexit and the development of a new immigration processing system. Because of this delay, this work is in the process of being de-scoped from the project.
- Despite the aforementioned delays, the project has achieved the majority of its deliverables including M5 information sharing with Australia and New Zealand, expanded information sharing with the United States, expanded biometric enrolments for all foreign nationals applying to Canada for a visa or permit, collection service points in place around the world. The implementation for in-Canada biometrics collection service is on track for December 2019. Consequently, the project is expected to meet anticipated business outcomes.
- In March 2016, May and December 2017 and June 2018, additional authorities were granted as a result of revised assumptions and further substantiation of costs. The total funding required over five years rose from $330.5 million to $351.7 million (excluding HST) and project authority increased from $146.7 million to $176.1 million (including HST). The increased project costs are mainly attributable to the inclusion of scope and associated funding from the Immigration Information Sharing project, an increase in projected volumes which resulted in the increase of biometric equipment requirements and the need for a more robust deployment strategy. The project cost increase is also resulting from adjustments to accommodate information sharing changes with Australia and New Zealand, the VAC Network Management project as well as delays in establishing “in-Canada” and overseas biometric enrolment services as outlined above.
- Ongoing costs increased by $10.3 million, from $110.1 million to $120.4 million, mostly due to an increase in projected volumes.
Passport Program Modernization Initiative
General information
Project name
Passport Program Modernization Initiative (PPMI)
Description
PPMI is a multi-year project focused on modernizing the Passport Program’s current issuance system. PPMI involves two departments: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is accountable for the Passport Program and responsible for policy, financial management, integrity and the program’s information technology; Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is responsible for passport services delivered in Canada through its Service Canada network.
The modernization of the Passport Program stems from the need to manage significant volume fluctuations as a result of the new 10 year business cycle; increasing client expectations around service delivery; and evolving security requirements, including improved identity management capabilities. The Program’s current passport issuance system, service delivery model and operational business processes limit the ability to respond effectively to these drivers while maintaining service levels in a cost-effective manner for Canadians.
As a result, PPMI was created to support the transition of the Passport Program to IRCC and ESDC, as well as to deliver its three objectives:
- Increase the efficiency of the Passport Program;
- Strengthen integrity and security; and
- Increase access to passport services for Canadians.
Following approval of the project in February 2019, PPMI is proceeding with a revised scope to implement a new passport issuance platform that will provide a solid foundation on which the program can build future business and service improvements. This revised scope will see IRCC and ESDC working together to deploy the platform for domestic passport services. A separate project, the Passport Modernization Abroad Project, has been initiated to determine the deployment approach for passport services delivered overseas. IRCC and Global Affairs Canada will work closely together on planning and deployment of the passport issuance system abroad.
Project outcomes
In designing, testing and implementing a new passport issuance platform, PPMI aims to achieve the following three outcomes:
Increase the efficiency of the Passport Program by ensuring that application processing is streamlined, use of resources is optimized, and all aspects of Passport Program operations have the automation and scalability necessary to respond effectively to volume fluctuations as a result of the 10 year business cycle.
Key outcome measurements:
- Percentage of applications passing through end-to-end automated decision making (for low-complexity/low-risk files only)
- Average number of days taken to send an application from intake to the print queue
Strengthen the integrity and security of the Passport Program to keep pace with evolving international passport issuance and identity management best practices, maintain the reputation of the Canadian Passport Program, and facilitate Canadians’ travel.
Key outcome measurements:
- Percentage of applications undergoing automated validation against trusted sources
- Number of passport application referrals to IRCC (per reason)
Increase access to passport services for Canadians by providing the platform required for consistent in-person services at more locations in Canada, and by laying the foundation for future passport business and service improvements such as online passport services.
Key outcome measurements:
- Number of Service Canada centres offering consistent in-person services
- Percentage of Canadians with access to a Service Canada point of service within 50 km of where they live
Industrial benefits
N/A
Sponsoring department
IRCC
Contracting authority
IRCC
Participating departments
- ESDC
- Shared Services Canada
Prime contractor
N/A
Major subcontractors
N/A
Project phase
PPMI is currently in Phase 3, Implementation, which overlaps with Phase 2 activities, and is expected to run from January 2019 to 2022. Activities in this phase include:
- Identifying and addressing technical issues;
- Conducting a series of field tests with clients in domestic Service Canada locations;
- Conducting training for users in various Service Canada offices;
- Executing a number of communication and engagement activities across the IRCC and Service Canada networks; and
- Phased and careful deployment of the new issuance system.
Major milestones
- December 2013: PPMI received project authority to replace the passport issuance system and modernize business processes.
- May 2015: New Passport System Module developed and initial testing performed.
- October 2016: Controlled environment testing of passport issuance system for mail-in passport applications established.
- June 2017: Approval received with conditions to extend PPMI to December 2018. A new business case and more rigorous business transformation planning were identified as required to achieve modernization objectives.
- November 2017: Approval received to proceed to develop the PPMI’s final business case.
- January 2018: Third-party review of the PPMI’s business case and indicative total project and operational costs initiated.
- June 2018: Approval received to proceed with a revised scope (a minimum viable product (MVP)).
- February 2019: Approval received for the final business case, deployment plan and final costing for implementation of the MVP.
Progress report and explanation of variances
- Initially in 2013, PPMI was approved with an estimated cost of $101.3 million (including HST).
- In May 2015, approval received to amend project estimated costs to $176.0 million (including HST), representing an increase of $74.7 million.
- In June 2017, additional authorities were granted to PPMI in order to undertake business transformation planning activities and additional information technology design and development work for the new passport issuance platform.
- In February 2019, the project received amended project approval of $199.5 million (including HST).
- The project approval increase of $23.5 million (including HST) is due to new business transformation activities; extended project length; privacy considerations; a new IT deliverable; a refined deployment plan; the creation of a Controlled Passport Processing Unit; and a review of contingency rates.
- PPMI is scheduled for completion by 2022.
ePassport Next Generation
General information
Project name
ePassport Next Generation
Description
The ePassport Next Generation Project will establish a contract to design the next generation of Canada’s travel documents, including enhanced security features aligned with international standards; manufacture blank travel documents; provide a personalization solution to personalize blank travel documents; and complete a phased deployment, domestically and in designated missions abroad.
Project outcomes
Three outcomes have been identified for the ePassport Next Generation Project:
- Confidence of Canadians in the Passport Program: Maintain the percentage of respondents to the Passport Program Client Satisfaction Survey who feel confident travelling abroad with the Canadian passport.
- Contribution to national and international security interests: Keep pace with the security benefits of Canada’s Five Nations partners, and improved overall security as compared to the current passport; and
- Canadian travel documents are internationally respected and recognized: Maintain compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Doc 9303 on Machine Readable Travel Documents, and the ICAO Roadmap for the Implementation of New Specifications.
Together, these outcomes will support the ultimate goals of managed migration and facilitated travel that promote Canadian interests and protect the health, safety and security of Canadians.
Industrial benefits
The project has provided the Passport Program with an opportunity to re-evaluate key aspects of the ePassport Next Generation solution, including more secure personalization technology, advanced travel document security features, and a five-year document design cycle synchronized with the contract lifecycle. Furthermore, it was stipulated in the Request for Proposal that the supplier is required to manufacture the suite of travel documents in Canada and must provide a robust maintenance and support plan.
Sponsoring department
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Contracting authority
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
Participating departments
- Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC);
- Global Affairs Canada (GAC);
- PSPC; and
- Shared Services Canada
Prime contractor
Contract awarded to Canadian Bank Note on May 24, 2019
Major subcontractors
N/A
Project phase
The project is currently at the beginning of Phase 3: Implementation
- Phase 1 (Planning and Identification) aimed to determine the procurement strategy for the project. Phase 1 was launched with the posting of a Request for Information to broaden IRCC’s understanding of potential solutions and inform the study of available options to form a comprehensive business case, which laid the foundation for the ePassport Next Generation Project. It was completed in May 2017.
- Phase 2 (Definition) aimed to detail requirements, solidify strategies and plans to establish a contract to provide the ePassport Next Generation Solution following a competitive procurement process. Phase 2 included the Invitation to Qualify aimed at pre-qualifying suppliers, and the development and posting of the Request for Proposal. Project Authority and Expenditure Authority for Phase Three: Implementation Phase activities were received on May 9, 2019.
- Phase 3 (Implementation), began in fiscal year 2019–20 following the contract award on May 24, 2019. Implementation will include solution development and integration, the development of the travel document design and the commencement of phased deployment.
Major milestones
Phase 1:
- Request for Information (October 2016)
- Granted Project Authority and Expenditure Authority for Phase Two: Definition Phase activities (June 2017)
- Project Charter and Scope (May, June 2017)
Phase 2:
- Invitation to Qualify (October 2017)
- Draft Request for Proposal (December 2017)
- Final Request for Proposals sent to Pre-Qualified Suppliers (April 2018)
- Request for Proposal – Evaluation Process (summer 2018)
- Expenditure authority obtained (May 2019)
- Contract Award (May 24, 2019)
Phase 3:
- Solution development and integration
- Deployment of test lab (August 2020)
- Production solution ready (November 2020)
- Development of book design
- Travel document (TD) design (April 2020)
- Public unveiling of TD design (November 2020)
- Deployment in Canada and abroad
- Deployment commencement (December 2020)
- Deployment completion (October 2021)
Progress report and explanation of variances
- The ePassport Next Generation Project was initially approved in June 2017 at an estimated cost of $115 million (including HST), which includes an expenditure authority for Phase 2 (Definition Phase of $17.9 million, including HST). This project is funded by the $500 million Passport Investment Fund.
- At the end of 2018–19, a total of $6.0 million (including HST) had been spent under Phase 2 over the previous two fiscal years, resulting in a surplus of $11.9 million (including HST). Efficiencies were gained due to experience from other projects and the previous procurement enabled the Passport Program to reduce the expected resources for supporting the project during Phase 2 and in developing the Request for Proposal (RFP).
- Due to a delay in the contract award (Phase 3), no funding has been spent under the Phase 3 project expenditure authority.
- In 2018–19, the Program sought expenditure authority to be able to move to Phase 3 of the project.
- Over the past year, IRCC chaired the working group tasked with developing the statement of requirements in partnership with key stakeholders from ESDC, GAC, PSPC, the Canada Border Services Agency, Public Safety Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Communications Security Establishment Canada.
- The ePassport Next Generation Project is achieving defined performance objectives due to efforts of the project team and key stakeholders, resulting in strengthened relationships and efficient collaboration.
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