During the period from May 13, 2014 to May 15, 2014, we reviewed the recommendations of the Review and Conflict of Interest Committee (IRRC) regarding potential conflicts of interest of the evaluators who are required to participate in the evaluation. Comments on fairness were made and the project took steps to do so. Each construction procedure is followed by a test and testing plan to verify that it has been carried out in accordance with the technical requirements of the project agreement and that it meets current industry standards. Over the past two years, the champlain Bridge`s new project plan has been under pressure due to challenges such as limiting the load for the transportation of oversized parts. In recent months, negotiations have taken place between the Government of Canada and private partner Signature on the St. Lawrence (SSL) to resolve these issues. Two special equipment is in use on the project. According to Daniel Genest, a spokesman for SSL, the demanding timeline is the biggest challenge of this project. Modular construction practices, including the use of prefabricated concrete parts and prefabricated steel parts, are essential to meet these requirements. Since the beginning of the project, the Canadian government has been working closely with SSL to provide a new, high-quality Champlain Bridge that Montrealers can be proud of. As a government, our priority is to ensure that SSL provides a high-quality bridge as quickly as possible without endangering the safety of workers and drivers.
I am pleased that the transaction agreement with SSL is consistent with the government`s objectives while managing public funds responsibly. On February 10, 2015, we discussed the launch meeting for technical experts, where the experts got an overview of the project and its role. On February 11, 2015, we reviewed the draft technical expert report and the process to be followed to ensure that the finalized reports were factual and answered the questions assigned before they were made available to the evaluation teams. Comments on fairness were presented and appropriate action was taken. In January 2019, Utilities and Supply Canada (PSPC) issued updates on the value of the contract (project agreement) to Buyandsell.gc.ca. (the Canadian government`s purchasing information system, which provides government businesses and buyers with open purchase and order data). The values on Buyandsell.gc.ca are specific to the contract. With respect to the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor project, Buyandsell.gc.ca does not include any project management or cost costs associated with all marginal contracts. It is important to note that the values issued by PSPC contain taxes. This table provides a breakdown of pre- and post-tax adjusted project agreement costs. For more information on all project costs, visit the Project Costs section. On July 23, 2014 and July 24, 2014, we witnessed three visits led by project managers to the NBSLC site, one for each of the three supporters.