Procurement Inquiries, CRTC Notices and Softwood Panel

Summary#

This Canada Gazette (Part I) issue publishes several short notices from federal commissions. It announces two procurement inquiries by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, a reminder about online postings and a small list of applications from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, and a notice that a NAFTA binational panel review on softwood lumber from Canada was closed. These are mostly procedure-level updates that tell affected parties the next steps or that a review is finished.

What it does#

• The Canadian International Trade Tribunal decided to hold inquiries into two procurement complaints:
  • A complaint by Verify Diagnostics Inc. about a Department of Public Works and Government Services solicitation for on-site urine test kits (decision to inquire on July 7, 2020). Verify says the contract award did not follow the solicitation terms.
  • A complaint by Johnson Controls Canada LP about an RCMP solicitation for mechanical maintenance services (decision to inquire on June 30, 2020). Johnson Controls alleges the RCMP did not follow the solicitation terms.
• The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission reminds the public that it posts decisions, consultation notices and Part 1 broadcasting applications on its website. It listed some Part 1 applications posted between July 3 and July 9, 2020, including applications by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CFYK‑FM‑1) and the B.C. Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches (CFEG‑TV), with comment deadlines of August 6, 2020 and August 10, 2020, respectively.
• The NAFTA Secretariat published a notice that the binational panel review of the U.S. International Trade Commission’s final determination in the “Softwood lumber from Canada” matter was completed and terminated by consent, effective July 9, 2020. The notice repeats how Chapter 19 / Article 1904 binational panels work.

Who's affected#

• Companies that bid on the two government contracts at issue, including Verify Diagnostics Inc., Johnson Controls Canada LP, potential competitors and the contracting departments (Public Works and Government Services Canada, RCMP).
• Broadcasters, radio and TV license applicants, and people or groups who comment on CRTC proceedings — for example, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the B.C. Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches are named applicants in the posted list.
• The softwood lumber industry, its lawyers and trade advisers, and government trade officials who follow binational panel activity under the NAFTA Article 1904 Panel Rules.
• General public readers only indirectly; the notices mainly signal administrative or procedural steps rather than immediate public services changes.

Why it matters#

• Procurement inquiries can change who wins government contracts or lead to re‑tendering. Companies that bid will want to watch for hearing dates and decisions because outcomes can affect contracts and business revenue.
• The CRTC reminder and the posted Part 1 applications matter to broadcasters and local communities. Deadlines listed give interested parties a short window to submit comments or interventions.
• The NAFTA panel notice signals movement in a long‑running trade dispute over softwood lumber. Ending the binational review by consent may affect how that dispute proceeds, which can matter to Canadian lumber producers and exporters.