Provisional security clearance
Public Services and Procurement Canada's Contract Security Program (CSP) can help your organization access sensitive information and assets in the course of a pre-solicitation or bid preparation. Learn about provisional security clearances and how to obtain this type of organization security clearance.
On this page
- About provisional security clearances
- Process to obtain a provisional security clearance
- Validity of provisional security clearances
- Foreign organizations eligibility for a provisional security clearance
- The use of online industrial security services for provisional security clearances
- Related links
About provisional security clearances
A provisional security clearance is a type of organization security clearance granted by the CSP to organizations that are not yet screened into the Program.
This clearance type allows those organizations to obtain security screenings for members of their bid preparation teams. This is so they can access protected or classified information, assets or work sites at the pre-solicitation stage of a procurement process.
Organization security screening
Process to obtain a provisional security clearance
When the CSP receives a valid request from a procurement officer, they conduct an organization assessment, and request the following documentation from the organization:
- a company security officer (CSO) appointment and acknowledgment and undertaking form to appoint a CSO
- personnel security screening forms for the CSO and for the individuals that have been identified for the bidding team
- signed security agreement
- personnel security screening form for 1 key senior official (KSO) (for classified level screenings only)
If the requirement is at the protected level, the CSO and individuals of the bidding team are required to:
- complete the Personnel screening, consent and authorization form (TBS/SCT 330-23E)
- subject themselves to a mandatory fingerprint check
- subject themselves to a credit check
- undergo a reliability status screening
If the requirement is at the classified level, the CSO, the KSO and the individuals of the bidding team are required to:
- complete the Personnel screening, consent and authorization form (TBS/SCT 330-23E)
- complete the Security clearance form (TBS/SCT 330-60E)
- subject themselves to a mandatory fingerprint check
- subject themselves to a credit check
- undergo a security screening at the Secret/NATO Secret or Top Secret/COSMIC Top Secret level depending on the requirement
For all levels of provisional security clearances, the organization must justify the security screening requirement.
In section A of the personnel screening, consent and authorization form for the CSO, and if applicable, for the KSO, the organization must indicate:
- “domestic requirement” as the type
- “security screening request for a KSO, CSO, or ACSO” as the sub-type
In section A of the personnel screening, consent and authorization form for the individuals of the bidding team, depending on the type of pre-solicitation they are participating in. Based on this, the organization must reference 1 of the following provisional security clearance justification sub-types:
- potential bidders requiring individuals cleared prior to bid submission
- a letter of interest requires a reliability status or security clearance
- industry engagement where officials share protected or classified information
- a classified meeting/industry engagement in the context of establishing a procurement process, such as a bidders' conference
- an invitation to qualify with protected or classified information shared
- a request for proposal requirement to access bid documents at the Canada protected or classified level
For more information on the reliability status and security clearance process for personnel, visit personnel security screening processes.
Validity of provisional security clearances
A provisional security clearance is valid for the duration of the bid solicitation stage only.
The reliability status or security clearances of the CSO, KSO (as applicable) and members of the bidding teams are also only valid for the duration of the solicitation stage. The duration of the screening process, is dependent on the timelines to screen the CSO and, when applicable, the KSO. Once the CSO and KSO are cleared and the organization provisional clearance is granted, the rest of the bidding team would still need to be cleared.
Learn more about the processing times for personnel security screenings.
However, if the organization submits a bid response and is sponsored for a designated organization screening or facility security clearance (FSC), the CSP allows the organization to retain the CSO's, and if applicable, the KSO's personnel screening. If applicable, the CSP also allows the organization screening to retain the KSO’s personnel screening as part of the organization screening process. All other personnel security screenings should get closed-out by the CSO if they are no longer required.
Find out how to reactivate these personnel security screenings if they are required at a later date.
Foreign organizations eligibility for a provisional security clearance
Foreign organizations are not eligible for a provisional security clearance. Foreign organizations requiring access to Canadian classified information at the pre-solicitation and/or bid preparation phase(s) continue to require a FSC granted by their respective national designated security authority and confirmed by the CSP with their foreign counterparts.
If a foreign organization requires access to Canadian protected information at the pre-solicitation and/or bid preparation phase(s), the CSP continues to assess their eligibility for an alternative solution. If eligible, the CSP requests documentation (for example, criminal record checks, credit checks) from the foreign organization. These documents are required to assess the risk associated to the handling, processing and safeguarding of the Canadian protected information.
The use of online industrial security services for provisional security clearances
Organizations that require a provisional security clearance may, once approved, be given temporary access to the online industrial security services (OLISS). This access allows them to request personnel security screening for their bid preparation team, if more than 2 individuals are required. Access to OLISS is removed after these submissions.