Purpose
The purpose of Policy Notification (PN-135U1) is to inform Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) Acquisitions Program (AP) contracting officers of the changes made to the Standing Offers and Supply Arrangements Application (SOSA App) regarding document safeguarding.
This PN should be read in conjunction with Policy Notification 135 – Publishing Standing Offers and Supply Arrangements on the SOSA App.
Effective date
PN-135U1 is effective immediately.
Background
The SOSA App is a secure, web based application that allows authorized federal, provincial and territorial users to use and view federal standing offers and supply arrangements. Increased security measures, including technological and process enhancements, have been added to the SOSA App to reinforce document security.
Process enhancements to the SOSA App include the requirement for contracting officers to ensure relevant documents have the appropriate security marking prior to uploading to the SOSA App.
Contracting officers are reminded to safeguard documents containing sensitive information. Sensitive information, including third party information such as supplier price lists, must not be made available to the public and are designated as Protected B information. In addition, contracting officers are reminded that in instances where a document includes information that contains different levels of security, the highest category of security level found in the document must be applied to the entire document (High-Water Mark Approach). Consult the departmental guide on levels of security
for the security definition and categorization of sensitive information.
For additional examples of sensitive, third-party information, please refer to section 20 (1) of the Access to Information Act.
Revisions to the Supply Manual
The Supply Manual has been revised in support of this PN. For more details, refer to the Affected Supply Manual sections listed below.
Revisions to the Standard Acquisition Clauses and Conditions (SACC) Manual
There are no changes to the SACC Manual.
Revisions to the Standard Procurement Templates
There are no changes to the Standard Procurement Templates.
Contact information
For questions regarding the requirements outlined in this PN, email Buyandsell.gc.ca at the following address: achatsetventes.buyingandselling@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.
Questions regarding the Supply Manual can be sent to the following email: tpsgc.paspspublications-apspspublications.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.