GATINEAU, QUEBEC -- (Marketwire) -- 01/25/13 -- The Government of Canada is committed to a transparent and rigorous process to replace its CF-18 fleet. As part of the Seven - Point Plan, Public Works and Government Services Canada on behalf of the National Fighter Procurement Secretariat, today announced the awarding of a $161,950 contract to Samson & Associates to conduct an independent review of the steps taken up to June 2012 in the acquisition process for the replacement of Canada's CF-18 fleet.

The goal of this independent review is to:

--  determine whether the shortcomings the Auditor General identified in the
    acquisition process have been addressed; 
--  confirm whether the steps taken in the acquisition process for the
    period up to June 2012 were in accordance with government policies,
    procedures and regulations; and 
--  provide lessons learned and propose recommendations for improvements to
    current practices and policies to increase the level of due diligence
    for acquisitions of a similar nature. 

The work will be completed in the spring of 2013. The Deputy Minister Governance Committee provides ongoing oversight to this work, along with its external, independent expert members: Mr. Denis Desautels, a former Auditor General, and Mr. Ken Norrie, a respected academic.

The National Fighter Procurement Secretariat will manage the work conducted under this review. Procurement information about the independent review is posted on the Government of Canada's tendering system hosted on MERX.

Work continues on the evaluation of options to sustain a fighter jet capability well into the 21st century. An Independent Review Panel is ensuring that all of the work supporting the evaluation of options is both rigorous and impartial, and that the results to be made public are comprehensive and understandable. The members of the Panel are Mr. Keith Coulter, Mr. Philippe Lagasse, Mr. James Mitchell and Mr. Rod Monette.

The evaluation of options to replace Canada's CF-18 fleet is part of the Government's Seven-Point Plan launched in response to the Auditor General's Spring 2012 Report on Replacing Canada's Fighter Jets. The Plan was put in place to assist the government in making the best possible decision on replacing Canada's fleet of CF-18 fighter aircraft. Until the Seven-Point Plan is complete, the Government will not make a decision on the replacement for the CF-18 fighter jets.

Progress on the Seven-Point Plan is available on the Secretariat's website at: http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/stamgp-lamsmp/snac-nfps-eng.html

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