Maintaining, upgrading or reactivating your organization security clearance
Find out how to maintain, upgrade or reactivate your organization's security clearance with the Public Services and Procurement Canada's Contract Security Program (CSP).
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How to maintain
To maintain your organization's security clearance, you must inform the CSP by email at tpsgc.ssiinscription-issregistration.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca of any changes to your organization's information and key people.
The company security officer (CSO) must keep their organization’s information up to date with the CSP. Failure to do so could impact the personnel security screening of the CSO as well as the security status or clearance of their organization.
When reporting changes to your organization’s information and key people, you must include documentation to support these changes. For example, if your organization has a new CSO you must submit a new Company security officer appointment, acknowledgement and undertaking form.
You may also report changes and send supporting documents to the CSP by mail or courier.
Learn more about the process of:
Renewals
The CSP will initiate the renewal process for an organization that:
- is bidding on a government solicitation with security requirements for a resulting contract
- a completed Application for registration form must have been included with your bid submission and provided to the CSP by procurement as a result of your submission
- will be awarded a contract by a foreign government or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and is co-ordinated through International Industrial Security Directorate
- is still under an active contact, subcontract or lease with security requirements
The CSP will review the submitted Application for registration form to ensure that your organization still meets the eligibility criteria and the minimum standards to remain cleared at the designated organization screening or the facility security clearance level.
The level of security clearance that is renewed will be based on active or resulting contract requirements. It is during the renewal process that the CSP will also validate the requirement for your organization to maintain any existing organization security safeguards.
Note
Organization security clearances will be terminated if the CSP cannot validate the requirement for a renewal. It is the CSO’s responsibility to provide evidence to the CSP when it is requested that there is a requirement to renew their organization security clearance. Learn more on the eligibility criteria for an organization security clearance.
How to upgrade
- Upgrading your organization security clearance
- Adding or upgrading a document safeguarding capability
Upgrading your organization security clearance
To upgrade your organization security clearance, your organization must be sponsored.
Learn more about the sponsorship process.
The upgrade process includes:
- screening your key senior officials (KSOs)
- providing information to the CSP about your organization's structure, ownership and legal status
- complying with requests by the CSP for additional information
Adding or upgrading a document safeguarding capability
You will need to add a document safeguarding capability (DSC) when the contract you are about to work on requires that your organization store and handle protected or classified information or assets at your business locations. Or you may need to upgrade your DSC to the level required for your organization to store and handle protected or classified information.
To add or upgrade a DSC, your organization must be sponsored.
Learn more about the sponsorship process.
The addition or upgrade process includes:
- screening your alternate company security officers
- completing a physical security inspection
- making required changes to your facility
- screening your parent company (for DSC Protected C or higher)
Note
If you already have a DSC at one business location and need to obtain a DSC at additional business locations, you must submit a request in writing to your procurement officer for approval and they will advise the CSP of the contract amendment identifying the locations and the contract requirement for the DSC.
For more information on the DSC approval process, visit work site security requirements.
How to reactivate
Once terminated, your organization's security clearance can be reactivated if :
- your organization meets the eligibility requirements for security screening
- there are no organizational changes
- the required personnel security screenings for that organization security clearance can be reactivated
Upon receipt of a valid screening request, the CSP will validate your organization's information and request additional screening documentation from you as needed.
The CSP will also request the Personnel screening, consent and authorization form (TBS/SCT 330-23E) for the CSO and if applicable, for the KSO, to reactivate their personnel security screening. Depending on the date their personnel security screening was closed-out, the CSO and KSO may need to undergo a new fingerprint check. If the timeframe of the personnel security screening reactivation has expired, the CSO and KSO will require a new personnel security screening.
For more information on personnel security screening reactivations and mandatory fingerprinting: