Standard personal information banks

Retention and Disposal Standards: For most government institutions, records will be retained two years following the individual’s departure from the federal public service, or last administrative action, and then destroyed. Record will be retained for ten years in cases of denial or revocation of security status or clearance and then destroyed. For information about the length of time that specific types of common administrative records are maintained by a government institution, including the final disposition of those records, please contact the institution’s Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator.

RDA Number: 98/001

Related Class of Record Number: PRN 920, and/or PRN 931

Bank Number: PSU 917

Professional Services Contracts
Description: This bank describes information contained in agreements between government institutions and a person or firm to provide goods, perform services, to construct works or to lease real property. Personal information may include name, contact information (including business name), biographical information, educational information, financial information, evaluations/assessments, Social Insurance Number (SIN), other identification number (e.g. Business Number) and signature.

Class of Individuals: Individuals representing themselves or employed through private companies (including temporary help services) who have submitted responses to Requests for Proposals and who have been engaged through contracts or standing offers with government institutions and individuals who are provided as professional references.

Purpose: Personal information is used to manage the contracting process, which includes the request for and receipt of proposals, evaluation of bids, selection of contractor, preparation, negotiation, execution, and award of contract, the disbursement of funds for services, deliverables, or both as specified within the contract, and post-contract evaluation. For most government institutions, personal information is collected under the authority of the Financial Administration Act. For those institutions not subject to the Act, consult the institution’s Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator to determine collection authority. The SIN is collected pursuant to the Income Tax Act.

Consistent Uses: Information is used to maintain an inventory of potential contractors. Information may also be used to recover overpayments and debts owed to the Crown and, where applicable, to enable execution of orders of garnishment, attachment, or diversion of funds in accordance with the Garnishment, Attachment and Pension Diversion Act and related regulations. Information may be used to confirm the identity of contractors (where required) for access to governmental and institutional websites and databases and for the loan of equipment and/or supplies. Information, including the Social Insurance Number and Business Number, is disclosed to the Canada Revenue Agency in T4A-NR Supplementary and T1204 slips (refer to Individual Returns and Payment Processing – CRA PPU 005 and Business Returns and Payment Processing – CRA PPU 047) and the Province of Quebec (if applicable) for tax purposes. The information may be shared with/described in Standard Personal Information Banks Accounts Payable – PSU 931 and Accounts Receivable – PSU 932 for payment administration. Selected information on contracts for $10,000 or more, including the fact that a contractor is a former public servant in receipt of a Public Service Superannuation Act pension, may be made available on institutions’ websites, in compliance with proactive disclosure procedures. Information may also be used or disclosed for evaluation or reporting purposes.

Retention and Disposal Standards: For information about the length of time that specific types of common administrative records are maintained by a government institution, including the final disposition of those records, please contact the institution’s Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator.

RDA Number: 99/004

Related Record Number: PRN 912

Bank Number: PSU 912

Public Communications
Description: This bank describes information used to communicate with individuals external to the institution and may include general inquiries (received by e-mail, telephone, mail) and responses, the distribution of public awareness and communications material, the dissemination of reports, publications, and other documentation including the release of previously released access to information packages (informal access requests), success stories, public opinion research, and information posted to social media platforms including wikis, blogs, and other collaborative Internet technologies used or hosted by the institution. Personal information may include name, contact information, user names and passwords, employee personnel information, biographical information, photographs, video and audio recordings, views and opinions of, or about, individuals, and Internet Protocol (IP) routing addresses.

Note: This information may be stored in either hard copy format or electronically (e.g., in databases or on Web sites, including social media applications, etc.). Although Internet Protocol (IP) addresses are not specifically requested by an institution, they may be captured electronically when an email is received. Description last updated: December 2013.