1.1 Departments and agencies (listed at Schedules 1, 1.1 and 2 of the Financial Administration Act) must follow practices that will ensure fairness and equality to designated groups in the administration of all contracts. More specifically, the Federal Contractors Program for Employment Equity (FCP), administered by Human Resources Development Canada-Labour (HRDC-Labour) is intended to ensure that suppliers to the federal government attain a fair and representative work force.
1.2 Contractors must identify and remove barriers to the selection, hiring, promotion and training of women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and visible minorities. Contractors must also take steps to help increase the participation of these groups at all levels and in all areas of the work force.
1.3 The Federal Contractors Program applies to:
• Canadian suppliers and foreign suppliers with a resident work force in Canada of 100 or more permanent full-time and/or permanent part-time employees as defined in the Employment Equity Act.
• Goods and services contracts/standing offer agreements/supply arrangements valued at $200,000 (including all applicable taxes) or more (referred to as "contracts" throughout this document) covered by the Government Contracts Regulations and the Contracting Policy.
• All goods and services contracts over the threshold for solicitation of bids set out in the GCR's for contractors declared "ineligible".
• This Program does not apply to contracts for the purchase or lease of real property or to construction contracts.