News

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN More from David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen It's going to take a while to do but the RCAF plans to extend the life of its Griffon helicopters out to the 2030s. “The project will replace obsolete cockpit instruments and avionics with components that are supportable to the mid-2030s,” the RACF noted. Adaptation and integration of existing avionics and electronic flight instruments in the aircraft will enable an extension of the life of the Griffon. Griffon flight simulators will be modified to conform to the fleet. Finally, the project will ensure integrated logistic support, supply of initial spares and training. The anticipated timeline is as follows: 2018 – Definition Approval (Definition is what should be done to meet the capability need, to determining how the preferred option will be implemented) 2020 – Implementation Approval, Request for Proposal Release, Contract Award 2024-2025 – Initial Operating Capability for Life-extended Griffons 2026 – Final Delivery It should be noted that this project has been delayed from its previous schedule. In 2015, the RCAF put definition approval for 2016. In addition, implementation, issuing of an RFP and awarding a contact were all to be done in 2018. Final delivery of the upgraded helicopters was to have taken place in 2024 under the old schedule. http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/determining-how-to-upgrade-the-griffon-helicopter-a-focus-for-rcaf-this-year

Justin Trudeau a annoncé jeudi que le chantier naval Davie, à Lévis, obtiendra «probablement» des contrats pour construire des brise-glaces du gouvernement fédéral. «On sait très bien que le travail qui se fait à Davie est de grande qualité», a-t-il soutenu sur les ondes de Radio-Canada. Présent toute la journée à Québec, le premier ministre du Canada a soutenu que des négociations commenceront vendredi entre la Garde côtière et la Davie au sujet d'un achat de brise-glaces. Selon lui, le chantier Davie ne souffre pas de préjugés défavorables auprès de son gouvernement, comme plusieurs l'ont affirmé ces dernières semaines. M. Trudeau a également affirmé qu'il sera présent le 29 janvier pour la vigile visant à commémorer la tuerie de la Grande Mosquée. Sur les ondes du FM93, le premier ministre du Canada a soutenu qu'il était important de se souvenir de ce triste événement. «Il faut reconnaître qu'il y a encore des actes haineux, il y a encore des propos intolérants.» M. Trudeau dit toutefois être encore «en réflexion» sur la possibilité ou non de créer une Journée nationale contre l'islamophobie à cette date, tel que demandé par la communauté musulmane de tout le Canada. Sur la légalisation du cannabis, le premier ministre a tenté de convaincre les auditeurs des deux stations de radio qu'il posait un geste pour protéger les jeunes et non pour encourager la consommation de cette drogue. Selon lui, il faut que le pays reconnaisse qu'il a un problème d'accessibilité actuellement à cette drogue. «Le système actuel, ça ne fonctionne pas, ça ne protège pas nos jeunes.» M. Trudeau sera omniprésent à Québec jeudi. Après ses entrevues radio, il rencontrera le maire de Québec Régis Labeaume vers 11h15 à l'hôtel de ville. Le maire a déjà indiqué cette semaine qu'il souhaitait parler du pont de Québec, du tramway et des artéfacts de Parcs Canada avec M. Trudeau. En soirée, M. Trudeau tiendra une soirée de rencontre informelle avec les citoyens, qui aura lieu à l'école secondaire De Rochebelle, à Sainte-Foy. Cette façon de faire, qui s'inspire des États-Unis, vise à rendre M. Trudeau plus «accessible», explique Filip Novakovic, attaché de presse du député fédéral de Louis-Hébert, Joël Lightbound. «Je peux vous dire qu'il y a énormément d'engouement», lance M. Novakovic, qui soutient que des centaines de citoyens ont déjà effectué leur préinscription. La salle peut contenir un maximum de 1000 personnes et il est toujours possible de s'inscrire sur place, à partir de 16h30. M. Novakovic assure qu'il n'y aura un filtrage des questions. Les gens n'auront qu'à lever la main et c'est M. Trudeau lui-même qui donnera les tours de parole. Plus de détails à venir... https://www.lesoleil.com/actualite/politique/davie-aura-probablement-des-contrats-de-brise-glaces-dit-trudeau-66016c8dd2d1281f382381dd0efd39bd

By Tim Naumetz. Published on Jan 11, 2018 4:49pm Canadians don't have to wring their hands over whether the country should sign on to the U.S. ballistic missile defence system, says a former top defence adviser to President Barack Obama. Washington is paying more attention to bigger Canadian defence issues such as the long-delayed acquisition of a fleet of new modern fighter jets, Lindsay Rodman, former director of defence policy and strategy for Obama's National Security Council, said in a Canadian interview streamed earlier this week. Rodman, a temporary U.S. expatriate who now is an international affairs fellow at the University of Ottawa, said in a podcast interview with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute that the missile defence question is not a major issue in U.S. military and security circles. “The question of ballistic missile defence has been really surprising to me since I came to Canada a little over a year ago now,” Rodman said in the interview with Global Affairs institute vice-president David Perry. “It is just not on the forefront of anyone's mind in the United States, but it is one of the first things that any Canadian wants to talk to you about the U.S. American alliance,” said Rodman, an attorney who also served in the Pentagon as Obama's senior adviser for international humanitarian policy. “The U.S. is much more concerned with just making sure that NORAD is healthy, that the NATO alliance is healthy, that our homeland defence is being well supported, and we know that we don't depend on Canada for ballistic missile defence. “We do depend on Canada's fighter capability in terms of how we've planned our North American defence, so making good on the promises that Canada has made is going to be more important than new promises that Canada could make in the future, which would be something like ballistic defence.” The Global Affairs Institute offered the podcast up earlier this week, but the interview was recorded on Dec. 18, the same day U.S. President Donald Trump released his administration's first national security strategy. It was only two years after President Obama released his second national security strategy, which Rodman said should have been in place for four years under the normal U.S. four-year cycle for renewing national security and military strategies. While explaining U.S. views on Canadian defence positions — particularly the first Canadian defence strategy released by the Trudeau government last June — Rodman told Perry that while Canada's overarching defence positions have rarely diverged after a change of government, Trudeau's new personal and political approaches to Canada's role in the world may have made a difference. “I would say that Justin Trudeau, just by nature of his international sort of celebrity status, brought a new cachet to Canada, and that's pretty useful,” she said. “Certainly, being in Canada now and learning the ins and outs about the political system a little bit more, I can appreciate the nuances in Canada's position much better.” Canada's new defence policy specifically ruled out Canadian involvement in U.S. ballistic missile defence, even after the topic had been raised multiple times in four months of cross-country consultations that preceded the defence review in 2016. Still, by last December, even Trudeau signalled that the government has not yet ruled the possibility out, and several military experts have advocated Canada's participation in a series of House of Commons and Senate committee hearings. “For a very close ally like Canada, the most important thing is interoperability,” said Rodman. “We not only depend on Canada to potentially help us out in the world, but in terms of our homeland defence there's no one we depend more on than Canada. We really need everything to be interoperable.” The most important question facing the government as it slowly moves toward a 2025 target for acquiring a fleet of 88 new fighter jets could be how the most sophisticated warplane in the world — the Lockheed Martin F-35 strike fighter — fares as it goes through a competition that will decide which aircraft Canada will buy. Interoperability with U.S. warplanes has been a central part of the argument favouring the F-35 acquisition for Canada. https://ipolitics.ca/2018/01/11/u-s-isnt-worrying-canada-missile-defence-says-obama-adviser/

A European report forecasting a surge in billions of dollars worth of missile and missile defence sales worldwide over the next 10 years could renew Canadian debate over signing on to the U.S. missile defence system, a defence analyst says. The forecasting agency based in Amsterdam is offering a market report on missile systems to global defence production companies that forecasts a rise in the value of sales to $93 billion for 2027 — compared to $55 billion in 2018 — for a total of $725 billion in sales over the decade. In the summary of its industry report, ASDMedia BV says the main driver for missile production, including all types of missiles from ballistic to short range and air-to-air missiles, is an increase in “territorial conflicts.” “The market for missile defence systems is anticipated to be the largest category primarily due to the ongoing procurement of missile systems by countries of the Asia Pacific, North American and European regions,” the report says. The report was published recently, during the escalation of tension over North Korean nuclear missile launches, but prior to the missile attack scare from a false alarm in Hawaii on Saturday. The missile spending forecast could also be of interest to participants in an international conference the Canadian government is hosting in Vancouver this week on the North Korean standoff. Senior analyst with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, David Perry, says the market forecast of missile sales reflects a concern the Department of National Defence included about missile proliferation in the Liberal government's first national defence policy earlier this year, which at the same time included no specific plans for a response to the problem. Although the Liberal strategy included references to ballistic missile defence and modernizing northern defence warnings systems along with the U.S., it did not take a position on the long-sensitive question of whether Canada should sign on to the U.S. ballistic missile defence system. “It was one of those strange bits of the policy where there was an identification of an increased concern and a threat, but then not really any specific itemization of what was going to be done about it,” said Perry. Perry, who took part in closed-door consultations with experts in the lead-up to the review, said the market forecasts, along with the ongoing North Korea crisis, indicate ballistic missile defence should be renewed in Canadian defence discussions, following a short-lived flirtation with the idea by the last Liberal government in 2005. This past August, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared to almost rule out any chance of discussions with the U.S. over ballistic missile defence, but in September said Canada was not considering the idea “for the time being.” “Based on the comments by the Prime Minister, I'm not expecting any urgent movement on ballistic missiles,” said Perry, who argued for Canadian involvement in missile defence during the policy consultations. “I'm curious in a strategic sense, international market observers are saying there's a growing market for this technology because the potential threat of missiles is proliferating, and you've got that (ambiguous) language reflected in the defence policy,” he told iPolitics. The head of Ottawa's Rideau Institute, founded as an advocate for the rule of international law and disarmament, said Perry's desire to renew ballistic missile defence discussions is a reflection of the defence industry's views. “In my view, there isn't actually a debate,” said Rideau Institute president Peggy Mason. “The defence industry lobby keeps raising it, but I think it's absolutely clear that this government, the Liberal government, the Justin Trudeau government, has no interest in reviewing this issue, so long as President Trump is President,” said Mason. “There are so many good reasons not to review it,”Mason told iPolitics, “but just the difficulty of trying to sell this, getting closer to the U.S. on a very controversial and very costly area while President Trump is in office...” https://ipolitics.ca/2018/01/16/report-renew-canadian-debate-u-s-missile-defence-system-defence-analyst/

Innovative Solutions Canada is a $100-million program to fuel innovation and create middle-class jobs December 14, 2017 – Ottawa As the single-largest purchaser of Canadian goods and services, the Government of Canada will use procurement to help Canadian small businesses innovate and create employment opportunities for Canadians. The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, together with the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism, today announced the $100-million Innovative Solutions Canada program that invites Canadian small businesses to develop novel solutions to challenges proposed by federal departments and agencies. Whether the challenge is developing a way to make armour more resistant to chemicals or improving wireless connectivity in connected vehicles, the federal department or agency will ask small businesses to innovate and propose a solution. The government will work with the winning business and act as its first customer, helping the companies take their idea to market and advance the next generation of solutions that can become viable commercial products. Twenty federal departments and agencies will participate in the new program and identify problems spanning the military, economic and environmental sectors. Innovative Solutions Canada is a key component of the Government of Canada's Innovation and Skills Plan, a multi-year strategy to create well-paying jobs for the middle class. Quotes “Our government's new Innovative Solutions Canada program is a big winner on several fronts. We're being proactive and transforming our challenges into opportunities—opportunities for innovation, economic growth and small business success that will result in a vibrant innovation economy and more middle-class jobs for Canadians.” – The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development “We believe innovative Canadian small businesses are well positioned to help the government solve some of its more persistent challenges. Through Innovative Solutions Canada, we are asking entrepreneurs to develop new products and services that will help to solve these challenges, while also enabling these entrepreneurs as they work to expand to new markets and sell to new customers around the world. The benefits from this program are clear: the Government of Canada will be able to acquire new products and services that will improve our work, while hard-working small business owners will be able to grow their businesses and create more well-paying middle-class jobs.” – The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism “Our community of early-stage investors, incubators and accelerators provides much-needed coaching, connections and capital to Canada's early-stage companies seeking to grow and scale up. Many times, their ‘first customer' serves as critical validation that allows these companies to penetrate their markets locally and globally. The Innovative Solutions Canada program announced today will help Canadian companies gain early customer traction while also allowing Canadians to benefit from the adoption of homegrown innovative solutions.” ‑ Sandi Gilbert, Chair of the Board, National Angel Capital Organization (NACO Canada) Quick Facts Program funding will come from the 20 departments and agencies participating in Innovative Solutions Canada. Each department will set aside 1 percent of its research and development expenditures for this initiative. Innovative Solutions Canada is modelled on the U.S. Small Business Innovation Research program and is an essential component of the Government of Canada's efforts to help small businesses. Innovative Solutions Canada will encourage submissions from businesses owned and led by women, Indigenous peoples, youth and other traditionally under-represented groups. https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2017/12/government_uses_procurementtohelpsmallbusinessesgrowandcreatejob.html

Canada will acquire 18 F/A-18 Hornets and associated spare parts from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to augment its fleet of CF-188 fighter jets until a replacement is selected and brought into service in 2025. Government ministers and senior officials confirmed the widely anticipated plan to buy 30-year-old F/A-18A/B legacy Hornets at a press conference on Dec. 12, putting to rest a previous proposal to acquire 18 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. The Liberal government had announced in November 2016 a plan to buy the Boeing-built Super Hornets as an interim measure to address an urgent capability gap in the fighter fleet. Although the possible sale was approved by the U.S. State Department in September, the government ceased all discussions with Boeing after the company issued a trade complaint against Montreal-based Bombardier over the sale of the C Series jetliner to Delta Air Lines. “We have received a formal offer for sale of F-18 aircraft from the government of Australia, which we intend to pursue. And we have received an offer of Super Hornets from the U.S. government, which we intend to let expire,” said Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement. At the same time, the government officially launched a $15 to $19 billion competition to procure 88 aircraft to replace the entire fleet of Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) legacy Hornets by inviting interested governments and manufacturers to join a suppliers list. Qualtrough said the list would allow the government to identify and “share sensitive information” with eligible governments, manufacturers and suppliers able to meet Canada's needs. “All suppliers are welcome to participate in the process. No firm is excluded,” she said. Engagement with industry, which has been ongoing since 2012, is expected to lead to a request for proposals by the spring of 2019, followed by a contract award in 2022. Delivery of the first aircraft would begin in 2025. While ministers and senior officials stressed an “open and transparent” competition, the government also introduced a new criterion in the evaluation of company's bid: Its impact on Canadian economic interests, a measure journalists quickly dubbed the “Boeing clause.” “This new assessment is an incentive for all bidders to contribute positively to Canada's economy,” said Qualtrough. “When bids are assessed this will mean that bidders responsible for harming Canada's economic interests will be at a distinct disadvantage compared to bidders who aren't engaged in detrimental behaviour.” A government official, speaking on background, acknowledged that “many of the suppliers we deal with on defence procurements have several business lines and global reach. We are seeking to leverage (these) procurements to incentivize favourable economic conduct towards Canada and discourage detrimental actions by commercial suppliers.” Qualtrough said the assessment, which will be used in future procurements, would be developed through consultations with industry. “All proposals will be subject to the same evaluation criteria. “The assessment of economic impact will be done at the time of the assessment of the bids,” she added, an indication that much could change between the government and Boeing by 2019. The eventual CF-188 replacement program will include aircraft, sustainment, infrastructure, and aircrew and maintenance training, and will generate billions for Canadian industry in industrial and technological benefits, said Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, noting that the industrial and technological benefits (ITB) policy has already generated over $40 billion in economic investment. “If you think that sounds impressive, the economic benefits of these new fighter jets will add significantly to those ITB numbers. This is an enormous investment in a very important sector for us. That's why our government feels it's important to do business with trusted partners.” MINDING THE GAP The Liberal government has faced pointed criticism on a number of fronts for claiming a capability gap. During Question Period on Tuesday, Conservative Member of Parliament Tony Clement suggested the capability gap does not exist. “It's a fairy tale created by Liberals to justify their political decisions,” he said. Gen Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff, countered that criticism during the press conference, claiming the RCAF cannot generate enough mission-ready aircraft to meet North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) commitments simultaneously. “The RCAF cannot concurrently meet those obligations now without some form of supplemental capability until a future fighter fleet is in place,” he said. “The acquisition of Australian F-18s is a logical choice.” Senior officials with the RCAF and Department of National Defence (DND) said the Australian Hornets would “integrate seamlessly” with the CF-188s. Both fleets have similar operating requirements and share comparable training systems, all of which can be supported by existing supply chains and frontline maintainers. Both countries have cooperated on fleet management and system upgrades, and shared test data, “so we know the jets well,” said the DND official. “We know the state of their aircraft and what modifications may be needed to operate them until the [new] fleet is in place.” Montreal-based L3 MAS, responsible for maintaining Canada's CF-188s since they first entered service in the 1980s, has also performed centre barrel replacements on a number of Australian jets as part of a fuselage life extension program. However, Canada recently began additional structural modifications to ensure the Hornets can operate through 2025, and the Australian F-18s will need to be modified to a similar standard. The government must still negotiate the final price tag for the 18 jets, modifications and spare parts, but a senior official estimated it would be about one-tenth the cost of 18 Super Hornets and associated mission and weapon systems and support, which the U.S. State Department estimated at US$5.23 billion. “Specific dollar amounts will be available once we have finalized an agreement with Australia,” he said. If an agreement is reached, the first Australian Hornets would begin arriving in 2019 and the capability gap would be closed by the end of 2021, two years faster than the planned delivery of the Super Hornets, officials said. The RCAF had planned to deploy the Super Hornets as a standalone squadron at 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alta. The senior Air Force official said the force structure had not yet been finalized, but would likely involve aircraft being placed across the operational and training squadrons at 4 Wing and 3 Wing Bagotville, Que. He also acknowledged that more aircraft would mean a need for more pilots and technicians, and that “retention and recruitment efforts were underway to meet this requirement.” https://www.skiesmag.com/news/government-launches-cf-188-replacement-program-interim-hornet-buy/

News Release From Public Services and Procurement Canada December 12, 2017 - Ottawa, Ontario - Government of Canada Acquiring the aircraft that Canada's military needs to help ensure the safety and security of Canadians, while ensuring economic benefits for Canada, is a top priority for the Government of Canada. The government is delivering on its promise to hold an open and transparent competition to permanently replace Canada's fighter fleet. As outlined in the Strong, Secure, Engaged defence policy, Canada will purchase 88 advanced fighter aircraft. This is the most significant investment in the Royal Canadian Air Force in more than 30 years, and is essential for protecting the safety and security of Canadians, and meeting international defence obligations. Through this competition, the Government of Canada will ensure it gets the right aircraft at the right price, and maximizes economic benefits for Canadians. The government will ensure that the Canadian aerospace and defence industries and manufacturers are consulted and engaged in this process. Proposals will be rigorously assessed on cost, technical requirements and industrial, technological and economic benefits. As it is important to do business with trusted partners, the evaluation of bids will also include an assessment of bidders' impact on Canada's economic interests. When bids are assessed, any bidder responsible for harm to Canada's economic interests will be at a distinct disadvantage. This new assessment, as well as guidelines for its application as an ongoing procurement tool, will be developed through appropriate consultations. In addition, the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy will apply to this procurement, requiring the winning supplier to make investments in Canada equal to the value of the contract. Until permanent replacement aircraft are in place and fully operational, Canada must ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces has the equipment it needs to continue to deliver its missions, and meet its international obligations. As such, the Government of Canada will pursue the purchase of 18 supplemental jets from the Australian Government. Quotes “As we promised, our government is launching an open and transparent competition to replace our fighter fleet with 88 advanced jets. We are also supplementing our CF-18 fleet by pursuing the purchase of jets from Australia while we complete this important and complex procurement. Today's announcement is about ensuring that our women and men in uniform continue to have the equipment they need to protect Canadians. At the same time, we will use this procurement to strengthen our aerospace and defence industries, create good middle-class jobs and support our economic interests.” The Honourable Carla Qualtrough Minister of Public Services and Procurement “Our women and men in uniform are entrusted with the enormous responsibility of ensuring the safety of Canadians every day. Today's announcement is a key step toward making sure that they have the equipment they need to fulfill this responsibility and meet our commitments to our partners and allies around the world.” The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan Minister of National Defence “This project represents a significant opportunity to support the long-term competitiveness of Canada's aerospace and defence industries, which together contribute more than 240,000 jobs to the Canadian economy. We are committed to leveraging the procurement of the future fleet to support innovation, promote the growth of Canadian suppliers, including small and medium-sized businesses, and create middle-class jobs for Canadians.” The Honourable Navdeep Bains Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Quick Facts Today's announcement marks the official launch of the open, competitive process to replace Canada's fighter jet fleet. The government will begin by establishing a list of suppliers, comprised of foreign governments and fighter aircraft manufacturers that have demonstrated their ability to meet Canada's needs, as defined in the Suppliers List invitation. All companies are welcome to participate in the process. Extensive planning and stakeholder engagement will take place throughout 2018 and 2019. A contract award is anticipated in 2022 and the first replacement aircraft delivered in 2025. The government will engage with foreign governments, fighter aircraft manufacturers and the Canadian aerospace and defence industries to ensure they are well-positioned to participate. The purchase of 88 aircraft represents an increase in fleet size of more than a third of what was planned prior to the Strong, Secure, Engaged defence policy (65 aircraft). Together, Canada's aerospace and defence industries contribute over 240,000 quality jobs. Aerospace is one of the most innovative and export-driven industries in Canada and adds $28 billion annually in gross domestic product to Canada's economy. The Canadian defence sector includes over 650 firms employing highly skilled workers in high-quality jobs. Associated Links Replacing and supplementing Canada's CF-18 fleet CF-18 replacement State of Canada's Aerospace Industry: 2017 Report https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/news/2017/12/government_launchesopenandtransparentcompetitiontoreplacecanadas.html

Canada's Strong, Secure, Engaged defence policy, announced in June 2017, reaffirmed the government's commitment to invest appropriately in Canada's military. On December 12, 2017, the Government of Canada launched an open and transparent competition to permanently replace Canada's fighter fleet with 88 advanced jets. This represents an increase in fleet size of more than a third from what was planned prior to the Strong, Secure, Engaged defence policy (65 aircraft). The Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy will be applied to this procurement. The objective of the policy is to maximize opportunities for Canadian companies, support innovation through research and development, and grow export opportunities from Canada. All companies are welcome to participate in the process. Engagement The government will take the time necessary to ensure that the Canadian aerospace and defence industries and commercial suppliers are consulted and engaged in this process, and that they are well-positioned to participate. Canada will hold a Future Fighter Industry Day on January 22, 2018 at Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington St., in Ottawa. The objective of this event is to present foreign governments and industry with the information required for them to make an informed decision about participating in the procurement. In addition, the event will provide an opportunity for Canadian industry to network with foreign governments and fighter aircraft manufacturers. Invitation to participate Canada will begin by establishing a list of suppliers as a first step in this procurement. The list will be comprised of foreign governments and fighter aircraft manufacturers that have demonstrated their ability to meet Canada's needs, as defined in the Suppliers List invitation. The invitation to participate on the Suppliers List is available on Buyandsell.gc.ca. All companies are welcome to participate in the process. Suppliers List responses are requested by February 9, 2018. Once the list is formalized, only suppliers on the Suppliers List will be invited to subsequent engagement activities and to submit proposals for this procurement. Consultation with Canadian Industry Stakeholders In parallel to the activities related to the Suppliers List, Canadian industry stakeholders will be engaged to gather and share general information related to this procurement. This will ensure the Canadian aerospace and defence industries are well-positioned to participate. Evaluation of proposals for the permanent capability Proposals will be rigorously assessed on elements of cost, technical requirements and economic benefits. Our government feels it is important to do business with trusted partners. As such, the evaluation of bids will also include an assessment of bidders' impact on Canada's economic interests. When bids are assessed, any bidder that is responsible for harm to Canada's economic interests will be at a distinct disadvantage. The new assessment, as well as guidelines for its application as an ongoing procurement tool, will be developed through appropriate consultations. In addition, the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy will apply to this procurement, requiring the winning supplier to make investments in Canada equal to the value of the contract. All Suppliers will be subject to the same evaluation criteria. Next Steps Engagement with suppliers will continue throughout 2018 and 2019 It is anticipated that the formal solicitation documents will be available in spring 2019 A contract award is anticipated in 2022, and the first replacement aircraft delivered in 2025 Frequently Asked Questions Competitive procurement process How long will the competition take and when will a contract be awarded? This competition requires extensive planning and stakeholder and industry engagement We need to get this right and we will take the time needed to ensure the Canadian aerospace and defence industries and commercial manufacturers are consulted and engaged in this process A contract award is anticipated in 2022 and the first replacement aircraft delivered in 2025 The current estimated schedule to complete this process is consistent with competitions led by allied and partner countries for replacing their fighter fleets Why are you using a Suppliers List? Fighter aircraft and their component systems are sensitive, heavily controlled goods, and discussing their potential sale requires the existence of defence material cooperation arrangements between Canada and its partners and allies The three criteria included in this invitation are aimed at ensuring Canada works with foreign governments that are operators of fighter aircraft that could meet Canada's needs for sharing defence information, and commercial manufacturers currently producing fighter aircraft This step will identify eligible manufacturers of fighter aircraft in partner and allied nations that demonstrate the potential to meet Canada's needs Their respective governments and/or defence organizations will also need to meet Canada's needs to be on the Suppliers List Who can participate in the Suppliers List? Foreign governments (or defence organizations made up of participating nations) and fighter aircraft manufacturers and other commercial entities that are able to meet the needs as defined in the Suppliers List invitation, are encouraged to submit a request to be added to the list in order to participate in the competition Canada's Suppliers List will be comprised of teams that will include at a minimum, a government (or defence organization made up of participating nations) and a fighter aircraft manufacturer These teams may also include other companies who are likely to be involved in supporting a future proposal, subject to approval by Canada Once the list is formalized, only suppliers on the Suppliers List will be invited to subsequent engagement activities, and submit proposals Can a government submit more than one response to the Suppliers List Invitation? Our goal through this open and transparent process is to maximize competition, and therefore governments are encouraged to submit responses for more than one fighter aircraft manufacturer, as defined in the Suppliers List invitation The decision to submit more than one response rests with the foreign government or defence organization How can Canadian industry participate in the Suppliers List? The Suppliers List will identify key suppliers that will be eligible to submit a proposal, namely a foreign government or defence organization and a fighter manufacturer These suppliers will be required to submit a Value Proposition in their bid outlining their economic commitments to Canada As a result, suppliers will be motivated to form partnerships with Canadian industry and post-secondary institutions over the coming months in order to develop a strong Value Proposition The government will engage with foreign governments, fighter aircraft manufacturers and the Canadian aerospace and defence sectors to ensure they are well-positioned to participate What are the criteria that suppliers will need to meet, to be accepted on the Suppliers List? Each team must identify a government or nation to act as Canada's main point of contact, and have a current defence material cooperation agreement with Canada The team's fighter aircraft manufacturer, must meet the criteria as defined in the Suppliers List invitation The foreign government or one of the participating nations must be an operator of a fighter aircraft produced by the proposed fighter manufacturer Canada will review response submissions to determine if they have met all the Suppliers List criteria and reserves the right to request clarification, if needed Following review of the responses, suppliers will receive email notification of Canada's decision Can Canada remove or add a supplier to the Suppliers List? Once a team has been added to the Suppliers List, it may withdraw at any time by written notification to Canada Similarly a foreign government or defence organization can add or remove a company from its team at any time by written notice to Canada, subject to Canada's approval Canada reserves the right to remove, at any time, any team or entity that is listed on the Suppliers List if it presents potential, perceived or real issues that may be injurious to Canada's national security Does this procurement include industry engagement and discussions related to Industrial and Technological Benefits for Canada? The Government's Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy will apply to this procurement, requiring contractors to make investments in Canada equal to the value of the contract The Government is engaging with fighter aircraft manufacturers and Canadian industry towards the development of a Value Proposition strategic objective that will support the long-term growth of Canada's aerospace and defence sectors This includes promoting growth and innovation of Canadian industry through investments in research and development, providing supplier development opportunities, especially for small and medium-sized businesses and providing export opportunities for Canadian firms The necessary time will be taken to engage with foreign governments, fighter aircraft manufacturers and the Canadian aerospace and defence industries to ensure they are well-positioned to participate How will Canada evaluate the proposals? Proposals will be rigorously assessed on cost, technical requirements and economic benefits Our government feels it is important to do business with trusted partners. As such, the evaluation of bids will also include an assessment of bidders' impact to Canada's economic interests When bids are assessed, any bidder that is responsible for harm to Canada's economic interests will be at a distinct disadvantage The new assessment, as well as guidelines for its application as an ongoing procurement tool, will be developed through appropriate consultations Why are you assessing impact on Canada's economic interests? We are continuously looking for ways to enhance our procurement processes and improve outcomes for Canadians Procurements are about forming effective and long-term partnerships and we want to ensure that we are doing business with suppliers whose activities align with Canada's economic interests This approach is consistent with direction in Minister Qualtrough's Mandate Letter, which outlines direction to modernize procurement practices to support our economic policy goals, among other objectives How will the government ensure that no aircraft supplier has an unfair advantage during the competition? The government is committed to conducting an open and transparent competition to replace Canada's fighter aircraft This process is overseen by an independent fairness monitor to ensure a level playing field for all suppliers Canada will also engage other stakeholders to review, gather and share general information related to the procurement throughout this competition Supplementing the Existing Fleet What is Canada doing to ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces has the equipment it needs while the competition is underway? Until permanent replacement aircraft are in place and fully operational, Canada must ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces has the equipment it needs to continue to deliver its missions, and meet its international obligations Canada has received a formal offer for sale of F-18 Hornets from the government of Australia, and intends to pursue it Will buying these F-18 aircraft require changes to Canada's existing infrastructure? The Department of National Defence is currently reviewing its existing infrastructure to evaluate if any changes are required How can you be confident these planes will be reliable, safe and effective? Ensuring the safety and security of our women and men in uniform is our top priority The Australian aircraft are similar in age to Canada's CF-18 fleet Australia and Canada have both made significant investments in the development of structural modifications that have allowed the structural life of their respective F-18s to be extended More recently, Canada invested in the development of additional structural modifications that Australia did not Canadian companies have the experience required, and are already performing most of the maintenance work on our existing fleet. Any supplemental aircraft would be maintained through these existing arrangements Just as we do with our current fleet, we will make necessary investments in these aircraft to ensure they meet all requirements of the Royal Canadian Air Force More information Fighter Jets Integrating Australian Jets into the Current Royal Canadian Air Force Fighter Fleet https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/amd-dp/air/snac-nfps/CF-18-eng.html

DANIEL LEBLANC OTTAWA PUBLISHED 2 DAYS AGOUPDATED 2 DAYS AGO The federal government is vowing to make it harder for companies that harm Canada's "economic interests" to win major contracts, starting with the $26-billion competition to provide 88 new fighter jets to the Canadian Armed Forces. The new requirement will be fleshed out in coming months, with Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough acknowledging that it will include a mix of "objective and subjective elements." Officially, the new "economic impact test" will apply to all bidders in major competitions, with Ms. Qualtrough and Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains insisting the requirement complies with Canadian and international law. Still, the new test was quickly dubbed the "Boeing clause" as it comes in response to U.S.-based Boeing Co.'s unresolved trade dispute with Canada's Bombardier Inc. Boeing said last April that the Canadian plane maker used unfair government subsidies to clinch an important contract for 75 CS 100 planes to Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines at "absurdly low" sale prices. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said the trade dispute will affect Boeing's future dealings with the government, which is now giving itself leverage to fight back in disputes with foreign companies. "Anyone can apply, but we've been very clear with this new policy: If there is economic harm to Canada, if there's an impact on Canadian jobs, if there's an impact to some of the key sectors in the Canadian economy, you will be at a distinct disadvantage," Mr. Bains said at a news conference. The new test was announced as the federal government confirmed it has cancelled plans to buy 18 new Super Hornet fighter jets from Boeing. The government is buying second-hand Australian fighter jets as an "interim" measure to help Canada's fleet of CF-18s to meet the country's international obligations. Defence analyst David Perry said the new economic impact test stands to create a new layer of complexity in military procurements that are already beset by delays. "If this is not a superficial, political assessment about whether or not the government of Canada likes this company or not, this will require bureaucratic time and effort to come up with a detailed assessment that will pass legal review," Mr. Perry said. Mr. Perry, a senior analyst at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, added that companies such as Boeing, which do billions of dollars of business and provide thousands of jobs in Canada, will be hard to box in specific categories. "Just coming down with some neat, clean assessment that says, on balance, this company is providing economic harm to Canada will be really difficult," Mr. Perry said. Boeing said that it is awaiting further details on the new economic impact test before deciding how to proceed on the upcoming competition for new jets. "We will review the Future Fighter Capability Project requirements for 88 jets, including the 'Boeing Clause,' and make a decision at the appropriate time," company spokesman Scott Day said. The federal government announced new details on the competition to replace Canada's fleet of CF-18s on Tuesday. A formal request for proposals is scheduled to be unveiled in spring, 2019, with a winning bidder announced in 2022. In addition to Boeing, other potential bidders include Lockheed Martin (F-35), Saab (Gripen), Dassault (Rafale) and Eurofighter (Typhoon). The opposition focused its attacks on the fact the government will be buying second-hand planes at an unspecified price instead of quickly launching a competition for new fighter jets. "We know these eighties-era jets are rusted out because a 2012 Australian report said corrosion was so bad that the number of active flying days had to be cut. This is not a bucket of bolts; this is a bucket of rusted-out bolts," Conservative MP Tony Clement said during Question Period. The government responded by blaming the Harper government for its failed attempt to buy F-35s without going to tenders. General Jonathan Vance, the Chief of the Defence Staff, said the requirements for the full fleet of new fighter jets have been redrawn since the days in which only the F-35 could qualify. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/federal-government-to-link-economic-interests-to-bids-for-fighter-jets/article37303772/