General Conditions - Expert Witness Contract - Part I

01 Interpretation

In the Contract, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Articles of Agreement"
means the clauses and conditions incorporated in full text or incorporated by reference from the Standard Acquisition Clauses and Conditions Manual to form the body of the Contract; it does not include these general conditions, any supplemental general conditions, annexes, the Contractor's bid or any other document;
"Canada", "Crown", "Her Majesty" or "the Government"
means Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Justice and any other person duly authorized to act on behalf of that minister;
"Contract"
means the Articles of Agreement, these general conditions, any supplemental general conditions, annexes and any other document specified or referred to as forming part of the Contract, all as amended by agreement of the Parties from time to time;
"Contracting Authority"
means the person designated by that title in the Contract, or by notice to the Contractor, to act as Canada's representative to manage the Contract;
"Contractor"
means the person, entity or entities named in the Contract to supply goods, services or both to Canada;
"Contract Price"
means the amount stated in the Contract to be payable to the Contractor for the Work, exclusive of Goods and Services Tax and Harmonized Sales Tax;
"Cost"
means cost determined according to Contract Cost Principles 1031-2 as revised to the date of the bid solicitation or, if there was no bid solicitation, the date of the Contract;
"Government Property"
means anything supplied to the Contractor by or on behalf of Canada for the purposes of performing the Contract and anything acquired by the Contractor in any manner in connection with the Work, the cost of which is paid by Canada under the Contract;
"Party"
means Canada, the Contractor, or any other signatory to the Contract and
"Parties"
means all of them;
"Specifications"
means the description of the essential, functional or technical requirements of the Work in the Contract, including the procedures for determining whether the requirements have been met;
"Work"
means all the activities, services, goods, equipment, matters and things required to be done, delivered or performed by the Contractor under the Contract.

02 Powers of Canada

All rights, remedies, powers and discretions granted or acquired by Canada under the Contract or by law are cumulative, not exclusive.

03 Status of the Contractor

The Contractor is an independent contractor engaged by Canada to perform the Work. Nothing in the Contract is intended to create a partnership, a joint venture or an agency between Canada and the other Party or Parties. The Contractor must not represent itself as an agent or representative of Canada to anyone. Neither the Contractor nor any of its personnel is engaged as an employee or agent of Canada. The Contractor is responsible for all deductions and remittances required by law in relation to its employees.

04 Incapacity to Contract with Government

It is a term of this contract that the Contractor and any of the Contractor's employee assigned to the performance of the contract are in compliance with Section 748 of the Criminal Code of Canada which prohibits anyone who has been convicted of an offence under :

From holding a public office, contracting with the government or receiving a benefit from a government contract, unless the Governor in Council has restored (in whole or in part) these capacities to the individual or the individual has received a pardon.

05 Conduct of the Work

  1. The Contractor represents and warrants that:
    1. it is competent to perform the Work;
    2. it has everything necessary to perform the Work, including the resources, facilities, labour, technology, equipment, and materials; and
    3. it has the necessary qualifications, including knowledge, skill, know-how and experience, and the ability to use them effectively to perform the Work.
  2. The Contractor must:
    1. perform the Work diligently and efficiently;
    2. except for Government Property, supply everything necessary to perform the Work;
    3. use, as a minimum, quality assurance procedures, inspections and controls generally used and recognized by the industry to ensure the degree of quality required by the Contract;
    4. select and employ on the Work a sufficient number of qualified people;
    5. perform the Work in accordance with standards of quality acceptable to Canada and in full conformity with the Specifications and all the requirements of the Contract;
    6. provide effective and efficient supervision to ensure that the quality of workmanship meets the requirements of the Contract.
  3. The Work must not be performed by any person who, in the opinion of Canada, is incompetent, unsuitable or has been conducting himself/ herself improperly.
  4. All services performed under the Contract must, at the time of acceptance, be free from defects in workmanship and conform to the requirements of the Contract. If the Contractor is required to correct or replace the Work or any part of the Work, it will be at no cost to Canada.
  5. Canada's facilities, equipment and personnel are not available to the Contractor to perform the Work unless the Contract specifically provides for it. The Contractor is responsible for advising the Contracting Authority in advance if it requires access to Canada's facilities, equipment or personnel to perform the Work. The Contractor must comply and ensure that its employees and subcontractors comply with all security measures, standing orders, policies or other rules in force at the site where the Work is performed.
  6. Unless the Contracting Authority orders the Contractor to suspend the Work or part of the Work pursuant to section 27, the Contractor must not stop or suspend the Work or part of the Work pending the settlement of any dispute between the Parties about the Contract.
  7. The Contractor must provide all reports that are required by the Contract and any other information that Canada may reasonably require from time to time.
  8. The Contractor is fully responsible for performing the Work. Canada will not be responsible for any negative consequences or extra costs if the Contractor follows any advice given by Canada unless the Contracting Authority provides the advice to the Contractor in writing and includes a statement specifically relieving the Contractor of any responsibility for negative consequences or extra costs that might result from following the advice.

06 Indemnification

  1. The Contractor shall indemnify and save harmless the Minister and the Department of Justice from and against all claims, losses, damages, costs, expenses, actions and other proceedings, made, sustained, brought, prosecuted, threatened to be brought or prosecuted, in any manner based upon, occasioned by or attributable to any injury to or death of a person or damage to or loss of property arising from any wilful or negligent act, omission or delay on the part of the Contractor, the Contractor's servants or agents in performing the work or as a result of the work.
  2. The Contractor shall indemnify the Minister and the Department of Justice for all costs, charges and expenses whatsoever that the Minister of the invention claimed in a patent, or infringement or alleged infringement of any patent or any registered industrial design or an copyright resulting from the performance of the Contractor's obligations under the contract, and in respect of the use of or disposal by the Minister of anything furnished pursuant to the contract.
  3. The Contractor's liability to indemnify or reimburse the Minister under the contract shall not affect or prejudice the Minister from exercising any other rights under law.

07 Subcontracts

  1. Except as provided in subsection 2, the Contractor must obtain the Contracting Authority's written consent before subcontracting or permitting the subcontracting of any part of the Work. A subcontract includes a contract entered into by any subcontractor at any tier to perform any part of the Work.
  2. The Contractor is not required to obtain consent for subcontracts specifically authorized in the Contract. The Contractor may also without the consent of the Contracting Authority:
    1. purchase "off-the-shelf" items and any standard articles and materials that are ordinarily produced by manufacturers in the normal course of business;
    2. subcontract any incidental services that would ordinarily be subcontracted in performing the Work;
    3. in addition to purchases and services referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b), subcontract any part or parts of the Work to one or more subcontractors up to a total value of 10 percent of the Contract Price; and
    4. permit its subcontractors at any tier to make purchases or subcontract as permitted in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c).
  3. In any subcontract other than a subcontract referred to in paragraph 2.(a), the Contractor must, unless the Contracting Authority agrees in writing, ensure that the subcontractor is bound by conditions compatible with and, in the opinion of the Contracting Authority, not less favourable to Canada than the conditions of the Contract.
  4. Even if Canada consents to a subcontract, the Contractor is responsible for performing the Contract and Canada is not responsible to any subcontractor. The Contractor is responsible for any matters or things done or provided by any subcontractor under the Contract and for paying any subcontractors for any part of the Work they perform.

08 Specifications

  1. All Specifications provided by Canada or on behalf of Canada to the Contractor in connection with the Contract belong to Canada and must be used by the Contractor only for the purpose of performing the Work.
  2. If the Contract provides that Specifications furnished by the Contractor must be approved by Canada, that approval will not relieve the Contractor of its responsibility to meet all requirements of the Contract.

09 Replacement of Specific Individuals

  1. If specific individuals are identified in the Contract to perform the Work, the Contractor must provide the services of those individuals unless the Contractor is unable to do so for reasons beyond its control.
  2. If the Contractor is unable to provide the services of any specific individual identified in the Contract, it must provide a replacement with similar qualifications and experience. The replacement must meet the criteria used in the selection of the Contractor and be acceptable to Canada. The Contractor must, as soon as possible, give notice to the Contracting Authority of the reason for replacing the individual and provide:
    1. the name, qualifications and experience of the proposed replacement; and
    2. proof that the proposed replacement has the required security clearance granted by Canada, if applicable.
  3. The Contractor must not, in any event, allow performance of the Work by unauthorized replacement persons. The Contracting Authority may order that a replacement stop performing the Work. In such a case, the Contractor must immediately comply with the order and secure a further replacement in accordance with subsection 2. The fact that the Contracting Authority does not order that a replacement stop performing the Work does not relieve the Contractor from its responsibility to meet the requirements of the Contract.

10 Time of the Essence

It is essential that the Work be performed within or at the time stated in the Contract.

11 Excusable Delay

  1. A delay in the performance by the Contractor of any obligation under the Contract that is caused by an event that
    1. is beyond the reasonable control of the Contractor,
    2. could not reasonably have been foreseen,
    3. could not reasonably have been prevented by means reasonably available to the Contractor, and
    4. occurred without the fault or neglect of the Contractor,
    will be considered an "Excusable Delay" if the Contractor advises the Contracting Authority of the occurrence of the delay or of the likelihood of the delay as soon as the Contractor becomes aware of it. The Contractor must also advise the Contracting Authority, within fifteen (15) working days, of all the circumstances relating to the delay and provide to the Contracting Authority for approval a clear work around plan explaining in detail the steps that the Contractor proposes to take in order to minimize the impact of the event causing the delay.
  2. Any delivery date or other date that is directly affected by an Excusable Delay will be postponed for a reasonable time that will not exceed the duration of the Excusable Delay.
  3. However, if an Excusable Delay has continued for thirty (30) days or more, the Contracting Authority may, by giving notice in writing to the Contractor, terminate the Contract. In such a case, the Parties agree that neither will make any claim against the other for damages, costs, expected profits or any other loss arising out of the termination or the event that contributed to the Excusable Delay. The Contractor agrees to repay immediately to Canada the portion of any advance payment that is unliquidated at the date of the termination.
  4. Unless Canada has caused the delay by failing to meet an obligation under the Contract, Canada will not be responsible for any costs incurred by the Contractor or any of its subcontractors or agents as a result of an Excusable Delay.
  5. If the Contract is terminated under this Section, the Contracting Authority may require the Contractor to deliver to Canada, in the manner and to the extent directed by the Contracting Authority, any completed parts of the Work not delivered and accepted before the termination and anything that the Contractor has acquired or produced specifically to perform the Contract. Canada will pay the Contractor:
    1. the value, of all completed parts of the Work delivered to and accepted by Canada, based on the Contract Price, including the proportionate part of the Contractor's profit or fee included in the Contract Price; and
    2. the Cost to the Contractor that Canada considers reasonable in respect of anything else delivered to and accepted by Canada.
    The total amount paid by Canada under the Contract to the date of termination and any amounts payable under this subsection must not exceed the Contract Price.

12 Inspection and Acceptance of the Work

  1. All the Work is subject to inspection and acceptance by Canada. Inspection and acceptance of the Work by Canada do not relieve the Contractor of its responsibility for defects or other failures to meet the requirements of the Contract. Canada will have the right to reject any Work that is not in accordance with the requirements of the Contract and require its correction or replacement at the Contractor's expense.

13 Security and Protection of the Work

  1. Notwithstanding the Validity Date of the contract, it is a precondition of the contract that the Contractor have a Security Clearance at the level designated for work assignment. The Contractor shall take all reasonable steps necessary to ensure that its performance of the work, in accordance with the provisions of the contract, adheres to all requirements of this Security Clearance level. The Minister may, at any time, conduct an examination of the Contractor's premises, documents and records to verify whether the Contractor is complying with the security requirements of the contract.

14 Invoice Submission

  1. Invoices must be submitted in the Contractor's name. The Contractor must submit invoices for each delivery or shipment; invoices must only apply to the Contract. Each invoice must indicate whether it covers partial or final delivery.
  2. Invoices must show:
    1. the date, the name and address of the client department, item or reference numbers, deliverable and/or description of the Work, contract number, Client Reference Number (CRN), Procurement Business Number (PBN), and financial code(s);
    2. details of expenditures in accordance with the Basis of Payment, exclusive of Goods and Services Tax (GST) or Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) (such as item, quantity, unit of issue, unit price, fixed time labour rates and level of effort, subcontracts, as applicable);
    3. deduction for holdback, if applicable;
    4. the extension of the totals, if applicable; and
    5. if applicable, the method of shipment together with date, case numbers and part or reference numbers, shipment charges and any other additional charges.
  3. If applicable, the GST or HST must be specified on all invoices as a separate item. All items that are zero-rated, exempt or to which the GST or HST does not apply, must be identified as such on all invoices.
  4. By submitting an invoice, the Contractor certifies that the invoice is consistent with the Work delivered and is in accordance with the Contract.

15 End of Fiscal Year Invoice

Notwithstanding the Payment Schedule, each year on or about March 31, the Contractor will, at the request of the Project Authority, submit an end-of-the-year invoice corresponding to the value of the total work performed during the year preceding that date less any amounts previously paid or invoiced during such year.

All subsequent payment(s) payable pursuant to the Payment Schedule contained in the contract will be reduced by any amount which could have been paid pursuant to this clause.

16 Taxes

  1. Municipal Taxes

    Municipal Taxes do not apply.

  2. Provincial Taxes
    1. Excluding legislated exceptions, federal government departments and agencies are not required to pay any sales tax payable to the province in which the taxable goods or services are delivered. This exemption has been provided to federal government departments and agencies under the authority of one of the following:

      1. Provincial Sales Tax (PST) Exemption Licence Numbers, for the provinces of:

        • Prince Edward Island OP-10000-250
        • Ontario 11708174G
        • Manitoba 390-516-0
        • British Columbia R005521
      2. for Quebec, Saskatchewan, the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, an Exemption Certification, which certifies that the goods or services purchased are not subject to the provincial/ territorial sales and consumption taxes because they are purchased by the federal government with Canada funds for the use of the federal government.
    2. Currently, in Alberta, the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, there is no general PST. However, if a PST is introduced in Alberta, the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, the sales tax exemption certificate would be required on the purchasing document.
    3. Federal departments are required to pay the HST in the participating provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
    4. The Contractor is not exempt from paying PST under the above Exemption Licence Numbers or Exemption Certification. The Contractor must pay the PST on taxable goods or services used or consumed in the performance of the Contract (in accordance with applicable provincial legislation), including material incorporated into real property.

  3. Changes to Taxes and Duties

    If there is any change to any tax or duty payable to any level of government in Canada after the bid submission date that affects the costs of the Work to the Contractor, the Contract Price will be adjusted to reflect the increase or decrease in the cost to the Contractor. However, there will be no adjustment for any change that increases the cost of the Work to the Contractor if public notice of the change was given before bid submission date in sufficient detail to have permitted the Contractor to calculate the effect of the change on its cost. There will be no adjustment if the change takes effect after the date required by the Contract for delivery of the Work.

  4. GST or HST

    The estimated GST or HST, if applicable, is included in the total estimated cost on page 1 of the Contract. The GST or HST is not included in the Contract Price but will be paid by Canada as provided in the Invoice Submission section above. The Contractor agrees to remit to Canada Revenue Agency any amounts of GST and HST paid or due.

  5. Tax Withholding of 15 Percent

    Pursuant to the Income Tax Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 1 (5th Supp.), Canada must withhold an amount of 15 percent of the price to be paid to the Contractor in respect of services provided in Canada if the Contractor is a non- resident. This amount will be held on account with respect to any liability which may be owed to Canada.

17 Transportation Charges

If transportation charges are payable by Canada under the Contract and the Contractor makes the transportation arrangements, shipments must be made by the most direct and economical means consistent with normal shipping practice. The charges must be shown as a separate item on the invoice. The federal government's policy of underwriting its own risks precludes payment of insurance or valuation charges for transportation beyond the point at which ownership of goods passes to the federal government (determined by the FOB point or Incoterms). Where increased carrier liability is available without charge, the Contractor must obtain the increased liability for shipment.

18 Payment Period

  1. Canada's standard payment period is thirty (30) days. The payment period is measured from the date an invoice in acceptable form and content is received in accordance with the Contract or the date the Work is delivered in acceptable condition as required in the Contract, whichever is later. A payment is considered overdue on the 31st day following that date and interest will be paid automatically in accordance with the section 16.
  2. If the content of the invoice and its substantiating documentation are not in accordance with the Contract or the Work is not in acceptable condition, Canada will notify the Contractor within fifteen (15) days of receipt. The 30-day payment period begins upon receipt of the revised invoice or the replacement or corrected Work. Failure by Canada to notify the Contractor within fifteen (15) days will only result in the date specified in subsection 1 to apply for the sole purpose of calculating interest on overdue accounts.

19 Interest on Overdue Accounts

  1. For the purpose of this section:
    "Average Rate"
    means the simple arithmetic mean of the Bank Rates in effect at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time each day during the calendar month immediately before the calendar month in which payment is made;
    "Bank Rate"
    means the rate of interest established from time to time by the Bank of Canada as the minimum rate at which the Bank of Canada makes short term advances to members of the Canadian Payments Association;
    "date of payment"
    means the date of the negotiable instrument drawn by the Receiver General for Canada to pay any amount under the Contract;
    an amount becomes "overdue"
    when it is unpaid on the first day following the day on which it is due and payable according to the Contract.
  2. Canada will pay to the Contractor simple interest at the Average Rate plus 3 percent per year on any amount that is overdue, from the date that amount becomes overdue until the day before the date of payment, inclusive. The Contractor is not required to provide notice to Canada for interest to be payable.
  3. Canada will pay interest in accordance with this section only if Canada is responsible for the delay in paying the Contractor. Canada will not pay interest on overdue advance payments.

20 Compliance with Applicable Laws

  1. The Contractor must comply with all laws applicable to the performance of the Contract. The Contractor must provide evidence of compliance with such laws to Canada at such times as Canada may reasonably request.
  2. The Contractor must obtain and maintain at its own cost all permits, licenses, regulatory approvals and certificates required to perform the Work. If requested by the Contracting Authority, the Contractor must provide a copy of any required permit, license, regulatory approvals or certificate to Canada.

21 Ownership

  1. Unless provided otherwise in the Contract, the Work or any part of the Work belongs to Canada after delivery and acceptance by or on behalf of Canada.
  2. However if any payment is made to the Contractor for or on account of any Work, either by way of progress or milestone payments, that work paid for by Canada belongs to Canada upon such payment being made. This transfer of ownership does not constitute acceptance by Canada of the Work or any part of the Work and does not relieve the Contractor of its obligation to perform the Work in accordance with the Contract.
  3. Despite any transfer of ownership, the Contractor is responsible for any loss or damage to the Work or any part of the Work until it is delivered to Canada in accordance with the Contract. Even after delivery, the Contractor remains responsible for any loss or damage to any part of the Work caused by the Contractor or any subcontractor.
  4. Upon transfer of ownership to the Work or any part of the Work to Canada, the Contractor must, if requested by Canada, establish to Canada's satisfaction that the title is free and clear of all claims, liens, attachments, charges or encumbrances. The Contractor must execute any conveyances and other instruments necessary to perfect the title that Canada may require.

22 Copyright

In this section, "Material" means anything that is created by the Contractor as part of the Work under the Contract, that is required by the Contract to be delivered to Canada and in which copyright subsists. "Material" does not include anything created by the Contractor before the date of the Contract.

Copyright in the Material belongs to Canada and the Contractor must include the copyright symbol and either of the following notice on the Material: © Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada (year) or © Sa Majesté la Reine du chef du Canada (année).

The Contractor must not use, copy, divulge or publish any Material except as is necessary to perform the Contract. The Contractor must execute any conveyance and other documents relating to copyright in the Material as Canada may require.

The Contractor must provide at the request of Canada a written permanent waiver of moral rights, in a form acceptable to Canada, from every author that contributed to the Material. If the Contractor is the author of the Material, the Contractor permanently waives its moral rights in the Material.

23 Translation of Documentation

The Contractor agrees that Canada may translate in the other official language any documentation delivered to Canada by the Contractor that does not belong to Canada under section 19. The Contractor acknowledges that Canada owns the translation and that it is under no obligation to provide any translation to the Contractor. Canada agrees that any translation must include any copyright notice and any proprietary right notice that was part of the original. Canada acknowledges that the Contractor is not responsible for any technical errors or other problems that may arise as a result of the translation.

24 Confidentiality

  1. The Contractor must keep confidential all information provided to the Contractor by or on behalf of Canada in connection with the Work, including any information that is confidential or proprietary to third parties, and all information conceived, developed or produced by the Contractor as part of the Work when copyright or any other intellectual property rights in such information belongs to Canada under the Contract. The Contractor must not disclose any such information without the written permission of Canada. The Contractor may disclose to a subcontractor any information necessary to perform the subcontract as long as the subcontractor agrees to keep the information confidential and that it will be used only to perform the subcontract.
  2. The Contractor agrees to use any information provided to the Contractor by or on behalf of Canada only for the purpose of the Contract. The Contractor acknowledges that all this information remains the property of Canada or the third party, as the case may be. Unless provided otherwise in the Contract, the Contractor must deliver to Canada all such information, together with every copy, draft, working paper and note that contains such information, upon completion or termination of the Contract or at such earlier time as Canada may require.
  3. Subject to the Access to Information Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. A-1 and to any right of Canada under the Contract to release or disclose, Canada must not release or disclose outside the Government of Canada any information delivered to Canada under the Contract that is proprietary to the Contractor or a subcontractor.
  4. The obligations of the Parties set out in this section do not apply to any information if the information:
    1. is publicly available from a source other than the other Party; or
    2. is or becomes known to a Party from a source other than the other Party, except any source that is known to be under an obligation to the other Party not to disclose the information; or
    3. is developed by a Party without use of the information of the other Party.
  5. Wherever possible, the Contractor must mark or identify any proprietary information delivered to Canada under the Contract as "Property of (Contractor's name), permitted Government uses defined under Justice Canada Contract No. (fill in Contract Number)". Canada will not be liable for any unauthorized use or disclosure of information that could have been so marked or identified and was not.
  6. If the Contract, the Work, or any information referred to in subsection 1 is identified as TOP SECRET, SECRET, CONFIDENTIAL, or PROTECTED by Canada, the Contractor must at all times take all measures reasonably necessary for the safeguarding of the material so identified, including those set out in the PWGSC Industrial Security Manual and its supplements and any other instructions issued by Canada.
  7. If the Contract, the Work, or any information referred to in subsection 1 is identified as TOP SECRET, SECRET, CONFIDENTIAL, or PROTECTED, by Canada, representatives of Canada are entitled to inspect the Contractor's premises and the premises of a subcontractor at any tier for security purposes at any time during the term of the Contract. The Contractor must comply with, and ensure that any subcontractor complies with, all written instructions issued by Canada dealing with the material so identified, including any requirement that employees of the Contractor or of any subcontractor execute and deliver declarations relating to reliability screenings, security clearances and other procedures.

25 Government Property

  1. All Government Property must be used by the Contractor solely for the purpose of the Contract and remains the property of Canada. The Contractor must maintain adequate accounting records of all Government Property and, whenever feasible, mark it as being the property of Canada.
  2. The Contractor must take reasonable and proper care of all Government Property while it is in its possession or subject to its control. The Contractor is responsible for any loss or damage resulting from its failure to do so other than loss or damage caused by ordinary wear and tear.
  3. All Government Property, unless it is installed or incorporated in the Work, must be returned to Canada on demand. All scrap and all waste materials, articles or things that are Government Property must, unless provided otherwise in the Contract, remain the property of Canada and must be disposed of only as directed by Canada.
  4. At the time of completion of the Contract, and if requested by the Contracting Authority, the Contractor must provide to Canada an inventory of all Government Property relating to the Contract.