Parliamentary Committee Notes: Fact Sheet

2022-2023 INDU – Contract for a Telecommunications System for the RCMP
Date:  January 24,2023
Classification: Unclassified
Fully releasable (ATIP)? Yes
Branch / Agency: PACB

CBSA

What exactly was bought/ number of units?

• The CBSA has acquired 576 radios from Hytera, of which 125 remain in service, but they are all due to be replaced by March 1, 2023.
• The CBSA has acquired 55 units of Sinclair products, comprised of antennas and duplexers, which are only being used in conjunction with equipment CBSA acquired from US, Japanese and New Zealand companies. (respectively Motorola, Kenwood and Tait).

When did you enter into these contracts, i.e. dates?

• The CBSA has identified one contract for Hytera radios which was let on March 29, 2016 with four amendments made between December 2016 and August 2017. This contract has now ended.
• There are no contracts for Sinclair products as they are all low value items, which were mainly purchased via procurement cards.

How much did we pay?

• The CBSA paid $460,344 for the 576 Hytera radios.
• The CBSA paid $25,205 for the 55 Sinclair products.

Where are the items manufactured?

• The Hytera radios were manufactured in China.
• The Sinclair products were manufactured in Aurora, Ontario.

What is the current state of the contract for what Department/Portfolio purchased?

• We currently do not have a contract to purchase Hytera radios or Sinclair antennas.

CSC

Current status of contracts

• The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) currently has no contracts with Sinclair Technologies. CSC contracted with this vendor in the past with the last dating over a decade ago, in 2012. Nine contracts had been issued between 2000-2012. These contracts were for small equipment purchases, such as passive components, to meet operational requirements.

Background on historic contracts

• In the Atlantic Region, Springhill Institution purchased a Sencore SLM 1475 signal analyser in 2012 to provide the equipment necessary to test COAX cables, which is still in service and is calibrated every 2 years. ADGA, the maintenance contractor, looks after the Sencore SLM 1475 (of note: we are aware they sent it out to Sinclair for calibration in August 2021, and it will be due next to be sent out to Sinclair in August 2023. ADGA makes the determination of the vendors they utilize.
• In the Quebec Region, radio components, such as antennas, were purchased and installed by other companies prior to 2000 as part of Canada-wide radio installation projects. Any purchases after 2000 supported the maintenance of the existing radio infrastructures at institutions.
• In the Ontario Region, antennas and multi‑couplers (antenna-related component) were purchased from this company in the past for Grand Valley and Bath Institutions, prior to the company being sold. However, these components are passive (not electronic or network connected). Beaver Creek Institution has technologies that are connected to the radio system, including multi‑couplers and some antennas, which are passive components.
• In the Prairie Region, one contract was for a band pass filter and the other one was for a booster. Both are completed and there are no ties to the company for either purchase. At local sites, Stony Mountain Institution has antennas on site from the company, which transmit and receive radio signals for essential communication equipment. Edmonton Institution for Women has one radio filter that connects the radio consolettes to the antenna. Drumheller Institution does have filters for radios from the company and the Regional Psychiatric Centre has radio filters for the radio base stations from the company listed in their database.
• In the Pacific Region, Fraser Valley Institution is the only site that has had equipment provided by this company. The purchase orders, dated August 25, 2005 and April 27, 2010, were for an omnidirectional VHF antenna and a VHF whip antenna. However, the institution installed a new tower in 2013-14. At the time of both purchase orders, this company was not under the ownership of Hytera Communications. The change in ownership occurred in 2017. The old equipment is no longer in use, and there are no ongoing ties with the company.

Date modified:

2023-05-23