For immediate release
GATINEAU, Quebec, July 9, 2008 – The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) and Secretary of State (Agriculture), and the Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, today announced that the Government of Canada has awarded a $374 million contract to General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS-C) to provide a full range of services to the Canadian Forces Wheeled Light Armoured Vehicles fleet.
"As the sole manufacturer of the Wheeled Light Armoured Vehicles, General Dynamics Land Systems Canada is the only company capable of providing the full range of services needed to maintain these state-of-the-art vehicles well into the future," said Minister Paradis, adding, "The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that the Canadian Forces are equipped with the services they need to support their operations."
"Canada's fleet of LAV III vehicles form the backbone of operations in Afghanistan," said Minister MacKay. "They continue to prove their worth in the exceptionally demanding Afghanistan environment. This contract will ensure that these vehicles receive the maintenance support needed to perform in challenging operations for years to come."
The services provided for in the contract include fleet management, publication and technical data management, program management, spare parts, repair and overhaul services, training support, technical services and field service representation. The contract was awarded on a sole-source basis as GDLS-C is the designer of the Wheeled Light Armoured Vehicles and, together with its prime suppliers, owns most of the intellectual property rights or has exclusive access to all of the proprietary technical data related to this equipment. The contract period is from June 1, 2008, to March 31, 2013.
GDLS-C has agreed to provide direct and indirect industrial and regional benefits equivalent to 100 percent of the value of the contract. "Through the industrial and regional benefits policy, we are ensuring that every contract dollar awarded is invested back into the Canadian economy," said Minister Paradis.
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For further information, please contact:
Mark Quinlan
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Paradis
819-997-5421
Jay Paxton
Press Secretary
Office of Minister MacKay
613-996-3100
Media Relations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
819-956-2315
Media Liaison Office
Department of National Defence
613-996-2353/2354
PWGSC news releases are also available on our Internet site at: www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/medias-media/index-eng.html.
