Experts Are Needed to Write a COSEWIC Status Report

November 6, 2024 – December 18, 2024
Deadline: Wednesday, December 18 at 3pm Eastern time

Printable version (PDF - 295 KB)

On this page

• Part 1: Introduction
• Part 2: Wildlife species for which a COSEWIC status report is needed
  • Amphibians
  • Arthropods
  • Birds
  • Freshwater Fishes
  • Lichens
  • Marine Fishes
  • Marine Mammals
  • Molluscs
  • Mosses
  • Terrestrial Mammals
  • Vascular Plants
• Part 3: Conditions of Contract and Instructions for Submitting Bids
• Appendix 1: Travel Rates and Guidelines

Part 1: Introduction

COSEWIC is seeking experts from both the public and private sectors to produce a status report or a designatable unit report. COSEWIC status reports summarize the scientific, community and Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge (ATK) that is the basis for status determinations. Each report is an up-to-date compilation and analysis of all available biological information concerning a wildlife species’ status in Canada, including its distribution, abundance, habitat availability, and factors or threats limiting the wildlife species. COSEWIC may also identify Designatable Units (DU) below the species level based on criteria for discreteness and evolutionary significance. DU reports form the basis of a subsequent assessment for the wildlife species.

Updates to status reports for wildlife species that have existing COSEWIC designations may draw on information from the previous report(s) and will provide the basis for future updated reports on the wildlife species.

Applicants are asked to submit bids for a contract to produce a status report for the wildlife species from Part 2 below. COSEWIC will only accept bids for single status reports, unless Part 2 specifically asks for bids on more than one wildlife species. For applications submitted by more than one person, the roles of each person in the preparation of the report must be clearly explained, and the names and roles of all persons who will be involved should be included. Note that general or species-specific corrections or clarifications to the Call for Bids may be posted on the COSEWIC website; applicants should check the website for updates until the close of the Call for Bids. For instructions on how to submit a bid and for information about the conditions and requirements involved, please see Part 3 below.

The wildlife species for which a status report will be commissioned is shown in Part 2 below. The year of designation and the current COSEWIC risk category are indicated. The suggested value of the contract is provided as a guide for applicants in developing their proposals. The number of designatable units planned for inclusion in a status report is based on best available information. It should be noted that the number of designatable units in a status report can change leading up to the letting of a contract and/or once a contract is underway. Information on the COSEWIC designatable guidelines can be found at COSEWIC guidelines for recognizing designatable units.

Note: Any reports commissioned by COSEWIC exceeding $40,000 (taxes included) will be posted on Canadabuys.canada.ca/, the Government Electronic Tendering Service, and not on a COSEWIC call for bids. Postings on Canadabuys.canada.ca do not necessarily coincide with the posting dates for COSEWIC calls for bids.

Part 2: Wildlife species for which a COSEWIC status report is needed

November 6, 2024 – December 18, 2024
Deadline: Wednesday, December 18 at 3pm Eastern time

Amphibians

We recommend a Full Status Report for this species because it has not been assessed since 2003. In the past 15 years, the species has declined in Alberta and threats have changed. There is limited additional information from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. We recommend field work for this species to collect additional data to re-visit historical sites and explore distributional gaps. There is likely a recent change in threats, particularly from changes in quality of habitat, emerging diseases, and climate change. Shank and Nixon (2014) predict that Canadian Toad has limited ability to shift its range in response to climate change due to life-history constraints.

We recommend an Addendum for this species to update information since the last assessment in 2011. There is some new information on this species in a Proposed Management Plan (2013) and research documenting population declines in New Hampshire linked to climate change (Lowe 2012). There is likely a recent change in threats, particularly from changes in quality of habitat, emerging diseases, energy production (wind farms), and climate change.

Arthropods

In Canada, the Indra Swallowtail is found in the Cascade Mountains of southern British Columbia, most often in rocky, subalpine habitat. It is currently known from the Skagit River valley and E. C. Manning Provincial Park. There may be unknown subpopulations in nearby areas. Larvae are foliar herbivores of desert parsley (Lomatium spp.) and may feed on other members of the Apiaceae, although the specific host plant of the Canadian population has not been confirmed. Threats to the Indra Swallowtail include, among others, wildfire and invasive plant encroachment. The report writer will compile species records from entomological collections and community science databases, undertake new field surveys in June and July, outline the species’ potential habitat extent and natural history, and determine the extent and significance of its threats. They will also confer with subject experts and regional biologists. Applicants should submit a fieldwork plan.

Canadian Philaronia is a spittle bug known from approximately 15 historical sites in the Great Lakes region of Ontario. The species occurs in coastal or near coastal meadows on lakes Erie and Huron, including Georgian Bay, as well as meadows in riverine valleys. Recent search effort at some of these historical sites has only recorded the species at a single site near Lake Erie. The known host plant in Ontario is goldenrod (Solidago spp.). Elsewhere in its global range it is also known to feed on Symphyotrichum ciliolatum and Eupatorium rugosum. The major threats to the species in Ontario include habitat destruction associated with Phragmites invasion, urban development, and the expansion of agricultural lands. The report writer must compile all known records and associated information, search effort (including past and present null search effort), and current threats. Fieldwork should target historical sites and should complement recent survey effort by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources which have covered approximately a third of the historical sites. Targeted sweep net surveys and searches for nymphs in spittle masses (for the rearing of adults) must focus on areas of suitable habitat in the historical range containing host plants and must be appropriately timed. Applicants should submit a fieldwork plan.

A ten-year reassessment of the Okanagan Robber Fly is required. This species is endemic to Canada where it occurs in British Columbia in the Okanagan Valley and the Kamloops area. Fieldwork is required to survey known sites and nearby similar habitats and document threats and habitat trends at those sites. The report writer is expected to search selected sites during the appropriate time of year in Ponderosa Pine, Bunchgrass, and low-elevation Interior Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zones throughout the Okanagan Valley, regions along the Thompson and Fraser rivers, and potentially appropriate habitat in the Kootenay Valley. Applicants should submit a fieldwork plan.

Birds

Previously, two subspecies of Grasshopper Sparrow were thought to breed in Canada. Only the eastern subspecies, Ammodramus savannarum pratensis, has previously been assessed by COSEWIC. The previous assessments used the described subspecies boundaries to identify designatable units (DUs) in Canada. However, more recent guidance requires that previously described subspecies meet the criteria for distinctness and evolutionary significance to qualify as a DU. The main genetic work for this species is from Bulgin et al. (2003), which does not imply evolutionary significance of this subspecies. Thus, the species will likely be reassessed as a single Designatable Unit (DU) that contains all Canadian individuals. Final DU structure will be decided in consultation with the co-chairs of the COSEWIC Birds Specialist Subcommittee.

Freshwater fishes

Type of report, suggested contract value and time frame for first draft: Status report, $8,000.00, Winter 2025/2026.

Report writer(s) will be required to revise existing draft status report and produce subsequent versions of the status report.
An ATK report has been prepared for this species. ATK information relevant to the assessments would be shared with COSEWIC Status Report Writer(s) for integration into the status report.

Type of report, suggested contract value and time frame for first draft: Status report, $20,000.00, Winter 2025/2026.

An ATK report has been prepared for this species. ATK information relevant to the assessments would be shared with COSEWIC Status Report Writer(s) for integration into the status report.

Lichens

The report writers for all moss and lichen reports will need to:

1. do research to discover the known distribution of the species under consideration including information available from herbaria and other applicable sources,
2. undertake field verification work to check whether the wildlife species, as well as suitable habitat, is still present at sites from which the wildlife species had been recorded previously,
3. check potential habitat in areas where the wildlife species may be expected,
4. estimate, the abundance of the wildlife species at each site visited by counting colonies or thalli,
5. include an appendix documenting the field verification work including detailed locality data on all sites visited (as well as visited sites where the wildlife species was not found)
6. describe survey techniques, and deposit at least one voucher specimen per extant locality in a recognized public herbarium, or, in the case where collecting specimens could further endanger a population, to provide photographic evidence if this can be obtained without undue disturbance.

The value for field verifications cannot exceed one-third the contract value. Please see Appendix 1 for updated travel rates and guidelines for information on estimating field expenses.

Marine Fishes

Type of report, suggested contract value and time frame for first draft Status report, $27,000.00, Winter 2025/2026

Type of report, suggested contract value and time frame for first draft Status report, $27,000.00, Winter 2025/2026

It is anticipated that 8-10 Sockeye Salmon DUs will be included in the assessment. The final list of Sockeye Salmon DUs assessed will be determined in advance of the initiation of the contract, in consultation with SSC co-chairs based on data updates and availability.
An ATK report is planned for Chinook Salmon and Sockeye Salmon DUs. ATK information relevant to the assessments would be shared with COSEWIC Status Report Writer(s) for integration into the status report.

Marine Mammals

Bidders may bid on one or both of the Blue Whale reports; co-chairs may elect to combine into one status report after consultation with the report writer.

Molluscs

Bidders should be prepared to examine and use source information in both English and French and should be able to understand and interpret French documentation. Field verification is not required. The reassessment report will be written as an addendum.

Mosses

The report writers for all moss and lichen reports will need to:

1. do research to discover the known distribution of the species under consideration including information available from herbaria and other applicable sources,
2. undertake field verification work to check whether the wildlife species, as well as suitable habitat, is still present at sites from which the wildlife species had been recorded previously,
3. check potential habitat in areas where the wildlife species may be expected,
4. estimate, the abundance of the wildlife species at each site visited by counting colonies or thalli,
5. include an appendix documenting the field verification work including detailed locality data on all sites visited (as well as visited sites where the wildlife species was not found)
6. describe survey techniques, and deposit at least one voucher specimen per extant locality in a recognized public herbarium, or, in the case where collecting specimens could further endanger a population, to provide photographic evidence if this can be obtained without undue disturbance.

The value for field verifications cannot exceed one-third the contract value. Please see Appendix 1 for updated travel rates and guidelines for information on estimating field expenses.

Terrestrial mammals

The distribution of Western Spotted Skunk is uncertain in Canada. The report writer will be expected to contact biologists that may have relevant monitoring data (e.g., camera trap networks) across the expected distribution of the species in southwestern British Columbia.

Vascular Plants

Cliff Paintbrush occurs in the alpine and subalpine of the Cascade Mountains. In Canada, the species is only known from the Chilliwack and Skagit river drainages of southwestern British Columbia and one historical site in the southern Coast Mountains. When the species was last assessed in 2005, only 15 subpopulations were known. More occurrences have since been found. The report writer must compile information on all known records, search effort (including past and present null search effort), current threats, and potential habitat as an addendum to the 2005 report. Fieldwork is not required.

Forked Three-awned Grass occurs on dry grasslands and savannahs, sandy woodlands and pine barrens. In Canada it is restricted to southern Ontario and Quebec. Because the species was last assessed in 2002, a 'full report' update is needed. Field work required in Ontario. Quebec sites have been visited recently.

Western Spiderwort occurs on sand dune systems of the prairie provinces. When the species was last assessed in 2002, four subpopulations were known: Pakowki Lake Sand Hills in southeastern Alberta, the Elbow Sand Hills in south-central Saskatchewan, and the Routledge and Lauder sand hills in Manitoba. The report writer must compile information on all known records, search effort (including past and present null search effort), current threats, and potential habitat as a 'full report' update to the 2002 report. No field verification work needed as most sites visited recently (2020-2022).

Purple Sanicle occurs on the west coast of North America from British Columbia to northern Baja California, Mexico. In Canada, it occurs only on southeastern Vancouver Island and the adjacent Gulf Islands. When last assessed in2001, 18 subpopulations of the Purple Sanicle were confirmed in Canada. A few more sites are now known. This species still has a restricted distribution in BC. 10 sites have been visited in the past five years. No field verification work is needed in the preparation of this 'full report' update.

This species may now be considered ineligible for COSEWIC assessment as VASCAN and other taxonomic sources, based on a recent taxonomic paper, consider it a recent hybrid involving Potamogeton hillii and P. zosterformis. Writer will evaluate taxonomic status by reviewing literature and contacting experts, and prepare an addendum to the existing status report.

Part 3: Conditions of Contract and Instructions for Submitting Bids

Notice

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) seeks experts from the private or public sector to prepare a report on the status of the wildlife species listed in Part 2 above for the Fall 2024 Call for Bids.

Background

COSEWIC assesses wildlife species (including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fishes, arthropods, molluscs, vascular plants, mosses, and lichens) that are at risk of extinction or extirpation from Canada. Assessments are based on comprehensive wildlife species status reports on each wildlife species. Contracts are administered by Environment Canada via the COSEWIC Secretariat.

COSEWIC may identify DUs below the species level based on criteria for discreteness and evolutionary significance that are related to factors such as established taxonomy, genetic variation, range disjunction, and biogeographic distinction including regional climates. Guidelines for recognizing DUs below the species level.

Description of work

The contractor will use the best available information on the wildlife species, including scientific, community, and ATK, to write a comprehensive status report that will form the basis of an assessment on the status of the wildlife species in Canada, or a designatable unit report that may lead to a status report.

The content and format of the status report will conform to the Instructions for preparing COSEWIC status reports found on the COSEWIC web page, which specifies headings, the content under each heading, range maps, other figures and appendices. The contractor will also be required to use the typographic and editorial style set out in the templates for status report (full status report, Addendum status report) preparation found on the COSEWIC website. Any illustrations or graphics used must be originals prepared by the contractor or, if not, appropriate authorization for their use must be obtained and clearly cited in the report.

Beginning in 2012, COSEWIC status reports and addenda also include Threats Classification and Assessment Calculators. Writers are expected to attend related teleconferences and to assist with this process.

The contractor will actively seek out all relevant and important existing sources of scientific, community and ATK. The contractor will also contact COSEWIC representatives from jurisdictions responsible for the wildlife species, as well as relevant Wildlife Management Boards, recovery team co-chairs (as applicable), and Conservation Data Centres to obtain the most recent information on the wildlife species. Contact information for the above agencies / organizations is provided in the required contacts for information on wildlife species.

The contractor is required to contact the COSEWIC Secretariat to obtain detailed instructions and ensure that methodologies and concepts are applied correctly and consistently in the preparation of wildlife species distribution maps and in the calculation of the extent of occurrence and index of area of occupancy. In addition, the contractor must submit to the COSEWIC Secretariat all survey data (wildlife species observation / localities, search effort), whether collected during fieldwork performed in the course of writing the status report or obtained from other sources. Every effort should be made to ensure that all data obtained can be transferred to COSEWIC by obtaining proper permissions.

Contractors should have a good understanding of COSEWIC’s assessment criteria and the definitions of terms used within the criteria before writing the report. This will allow the contractor to better describe the wildlife species’ situation in preparation for COSEWIC’s assessment. COSEWIC’s assessment criteria and definitions can be found in Table 2 and Table 8 on the COSEWIC Assessment Process, Categories and Guidelines.

In 2005, COSEWIC initiated an effort to solicit community knowledge on wildlife species for which status reports are commissioned. COSEWIC may receive information on wildlife species from the Community Knowledge section of its website. Information obtained through this source, including additional contact names, will be forwarded to the contractor for consideration and incorporation into the status report.

It is the responsibility of the contractor to include ATK relevant to the wildlife species status assessment in the status report (species for which a separate ATK report is being considered are identified in Part 2 above). This will be facilitated through the ATK Subcommittee, which will also review any ATK gathered by the contractor. All holders of ATK contacted must be appropriately acknowledged. Contractors must contact the COSEWIC Secretariat ATK Coordinator before commencing work on the status report. Contact information for the COSEWIC Secretariat ATK Coordinator and more information about gathering ATK are provided in the Instructions for preparing COSEWIC status reports.

Site verification may be required for the status report. Wildlife species requiring fieldwork are identified in Part 2 above. Field expenses as well as the cost of producing the field summary report should be included as part of the proposed contract value. Field expenses and a field summary report should not exceed 1/3 of the contract value. Contractors verifying field sites are required to obtain permission from private landowners before accessing private land. If the fieldwork can be completed with less expense using a rental vehicle rather than a private vehicle, contractors shall rent.

Field verification is required for some status reports. More fieldwork would be expected for species with old or inadequate (e.g., no population count) field survey data. Potentially suitable habitats should be surveyed to the extent that is reasonable under the proposed budget limits. Successful report writers will have access to previous locality data to assist them in finding sites. Access to private properties for survey purposes requires landowner permission. Suggested contract values include some funds for time required in determining land ownership and contacting landowners. The value for field verifications cannot exceed one-third of the contract value. Please see Appendix 1 for updated travel rates and guidelines for information on estimating field expenses.

Expenses for transportation, accommodations and meal allowances should be estimated using the guidelines outlined in Appendix 1 of this document. Automobile liability insurance will need to be maintained in force for the duration of the fieldwork for a limit of liability not less than $2,000,000 per accident or occurrence, in addition to physical damage insurance.

Once completed, the report will be subjected to a review process. The Draft Report, after receiving approval by the relevant COSEWIC Species Specialist Subcommittee (SSC) Co-chair, will be reviewed by the relevant SSC members, the ATK Subcommittee, the jurisdiction(s), relevant Wildlife Management Boards, recovery team Co-chairs (as applicable), and any other external reviewers recommended by the SSC. Comments and suggestions will be forwarded to the report writer with instructions from the SSC Co-chair for changes that must be incorporated to produce the Provisional Report. These review periods take over 3 months to complete. Over the course of subsequent review and the COSEWIC assessment, further modifications may be made to the report. Following the COSEWIC assessment, a final document entitled COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report will be published on the SARA Public Registry and/or will be archived at the COSEWIC Secretariat. Please note that a full status report contract typically takes 18 months to complete due to the various review stages.

Additional optional work to be offered to winning bidders

In addition to the preparation of the status reports, the winning bidders may be offered the task to produce a description of the wildlife species’ residence using a defined set of guidelines and following a provided template. This part of the contract will be administered separately by Environment Canada. The information gathered describing the wildlife species’ residence will be requested at the same time as the Draft Report. The separate document detailing the wildlife species’ residence will be for a maximum value of $1000.00 over and above the contract amount suggested in the Call for Bids.

The concept of residence may not apply to all wildlife species and will not be required for aquatic species, vascular plants, or lichens. For more information about this work, the contact person is Lauren Fitzsimmons (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). In addition to the preparation of the status reports, the winning bidders will need to provide, at the Post-Provisional Status Report Stage, Alternative text for the figures. A long description may be required for more complex figures requiring more information. The separate work for Alternative text and/or long description will be for a maximum value of $750.00 over and above the contract amount suggested in the Call for Bids.

Acknowledgment for the preparation of COSEWIC Status Reports

COSEWIC status reports commissioned after May 2001 are "living documents". After the report is concluded, any subsequent updates to status reports will be prepared simply by adding new information to the existing report and, where appropriate, by updating factual information. COSEWIC will be cited as the author on the cover page (ownership and copyright will rest with the Crown). Contractors who produce the initial status report or add information to the "living document" to produce an updated status report will be acknowledged as having prepared the status report. Over time, the Acknowledgements will list the contributors (report writers) who have provided their expertise.

Copyright and moral rights

Environment and Climate Change Canada has determined that any intellectual property arising from the performance of the Work under the Contract will vest in the Crown on the grounds that the production of the report and related documents are subject to Copyright and that the report is being produced to generate knowledge and information for public dissemination.

At the request of Environment and Climate Change Canada, the contractor will provide to the Crown a written permanent waiver of Moral Rights¹ from all authors of the report, in a form acceptable to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

The contractor will be granted a license to use, copy, reproduce and publish portions of the Provisional Report provided that 1) the Contractor will not publish the entire Provisional Report, or distribute it to any third party, and 2) the Contractor acknowledges that the Crown has contributed Crown Copyright in the Provisional Report and includes the following notice and disclaimer in any new document which incorporates portions of the report: "Notice: Some of the information used or referenced in this document is Crown Copyright, compiled on behalf of COSEWIC under a contract with Environment Canada, however, comments or conclusions made by the author using this information do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Environment and Climate Change Canada or COSEWIC."

Property Rights in ATK

ATK is the property of those who hold it. Contractors will require permission for gathering ATK using appropriate consent forms to be provided. Knowledge holders will be provided with an opportunity to review and validate the factual information shared with the report writer before it is integrated into the status report. Raw information (e.g., transcripts, tapes, etc.) will be returned to the knowledge holder or the community for storage. The report writer shall not have any intellectual property rights in the knowledge provided from Aboriginal sources.

Awarding of Contracts

COSEWIC aims to seek out experts who will prepare the best possible wildlife species status reports. The best expertise may reside in the public or private sector, and as such, this Call for Bids is open to both.

As per the Treasury Board Contracting Policy, applicants who work for the public service must discuss with their employer and Conflict of Interest group of their plans to apply and whether they plan to do the work during work time or outside of work time. Employer consent will be required before a contract is signed. More information may be found here Contracting with public servants. There are also specific provisions within the Treasury Board Contracting Policy that pertain to former public servants in receipt of a pension or a lump sum payment.

The COSEWIC Call for Bids is a tool to advertise the need for writers of COSEWIC status reports or other reports. This Call for Bids does not guarantee that the work outlined in this document will go forward.

Value of contract

Allowable expenditures in the bid will include all professional services, fees (including applicable administrative fees), expenses including long-distance telephone calls, photocopying, courier, and travel in the course of research (including appropriate insurance for car rental or business use of private vehicle). Standard government contracting conditions will apply. Appendix 1 provides additional guidelines for estimating travel expenses for field work if applicable (see Part 2).

Schedule of deliverables and payments

Suggested timeframes to complete Draft Reports are provided for individual projects in Part 2. A detailed schedule of deliverables and payments is to be determined for successful candidates in discussions with SSC Co-chairs. Report writers are expected to submit their deliverables promptly on or before midnight of the due dates identified in their contract. For all payments, the deliverable must first be approved as acceptable by the SSC Co-chair. If a description of the wildlife species’ residence was requested (refer to Additional optional work to be offered to winning bidders), the deliverable must first be approved as acceptable by the relevant Environment and Climate Change Canada representatives before payment is issued.

Bid Evaluation

Bids received will be evaluated by at least three members of the relevant COSEWIC Species Specialist Subcommittee according to the following criteria:

Individuals preparing bids for COSEWIC status reports or other reports must adhere to the Bid Submission Template for each submission.

Bids that do not conform to the format and content of the Bid Submission Template will not be accepted by the COSEWIC Secretariat.

COSEWIC will only accept bids for single reports, except where specified otherwise in Part 2.

Evaluation Criteria for Bids

Rated criteria

Bid evaluation grid

(2) for each of the three rated categories, the bidder must show evidence of ability in all of the sub-categories indicated to attain a high score for the category. Evidence of poor performance in one sub-category could lead to a very low score.

(3) for bidders who have submitted multiple bids, evaluators will consider the feasibility of awarding multiple contracts to the same bidder, depending on the timelines and work required for each project.

Proposals will be evaluated, and the contract awarded by the Secretariat, based on the above requirements. Evaluators will study each bidder’s proposal, consult the references submitted by the bidder, and if required consult other references knowledgeable about the bidder’s work. Bids may be accepted in whole or in part, with or without negotiation.

The bidder with the lowest cost estimate will not necessarily be accepted. The contract award will be made by the Secretariat on the basis of best overall value to COSEWIC in terms of both technical merit and cost.

Questions, bid submission and acknowledgement

Questions and bids may be submitted to the COSEWIC Secretariat at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Bid submissions should include the following subject line "Bid for [wildlife species name]".

A pdf version of the Bid Submission Template is available on the COSEWIC website. Please print, complete, and scan the template to submit bid to the Secretariat.

For a word document of the Bid Submission Template, please contact the Secretariat.

Deadline: Wednesday, December 18 at 3pm Eastern time. Late bids will not be accepted.

An acknowledgement of bid receipt will be sent by the Secretariat via email (unless an alternative method is requested) to each applicant within two business days. If an acknowledgement is not received within this time, please contact the Secretariat by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. During the last two days of the Call for Bids, the Secretariat will acknowledge receipt of bids as soon as possible, and at the latest, by the end of the business day that follows last day of the competition.

Appendix 1: Travel rates and guidelines

The following rates and guidelines should be used as a guide when planning fieldwork-related expenses. These are the approximate maximum claim amounts (subject to minor changes twice per year) for use of personal vehicle, accommodations, and meal allowances, although contractors are free to bill for lesser amounts. Expenses should reflect the number of days for each type of expense. Receipts are required for certain expenses, as indicated.

Please note that for contracts involving site verifications, the total value of the site verification travel expenses should generally be limited to one-third of the contract value, including both the travel expenses and the work to write the field report summary. Thus, except under specific circumstances, the overall budget should be designed to reflect this. It is also important to ensure estimated costs for the field work include all possible costs in order that the amount eventually billed is the same or less than the estimated costs.

Please note that estimated fieldwork expenses should include appropriate insurance coverage for automobile rental or business use of private vehicle (minimum $ 2 million liability, plus physical damage insurance) for the duration of the planned fieldwork. Note that automobile insurance in place for personal use will often not meet the contractor's obligation under the terms of this type of contract; therefore the contractor must obtain proper automobile insurance for use of its own vehicle when performing work under the contract or rent a vehicle with increased/extended insurance coverage.

Summary of travel expenses allowed for reimbursement

Car rental: receipt required for rental, receipts required for gas

Commercial accommodations: receipt required

Accommodations in a private residence: claim $50.00 (private non-commercial accommodation allowance).

Meal allowances (excluding YT, NT, NU, which are higher):

• Breakfast: $27.95 (no receipt required)
• Lunch: $27.00 (no receipt required)
• Dinner: $56.85 (no receipt required)
• Total per day: $111.80 (no receipt required)

Effective July 1, 2017, incidental expenses can be claimed only by Government employees.

(1) Moral rights, as defined by the Copyright Act, include a) the right of having the author’s name associated with the Work, where reasonable in the circumstances; and b) the right to the integrity of the Work such as preventing the Work from being changed, corrected or amended.