Defence officials have started the process of qualifying developers to build an 890,000-square-foot building in Gloucester for Canada's national cryptologic agency. Solicitation documents show the building will be slightly smaller than the 22-storey L'Esplanade Laurier office tower. However, zoning restrictions on the 89-acre, Crown-owned greenfield property at Blair and Ogilvie roads will prevent the new headquarters for Communications Security Establishment Canada from being a tall tower. When it was first announced this spring, officials estimated the project would cost approximately $880 million. The federal government is using a public-private partnership model known as design-build-finance-maintain, which is becoming more prevalent across the country and will be a first for the Department of National Defence . CSEC, which collects foreign intelligence and protects the government's electronic information and communications, will pay an annual fee to the successful vendor for the 30-year contract. The Crown will own all the buildings constructed under the agreement. When operational in 2015, the new building will house approximately 2,000 employees and contractors. It will be constructed to a LEED-Gold environmental sustainability standard, contain approximately 339,000 square feet of office space and 800 surface parking spaces. Interested vendors have until Nov. 12 to respond to the government's request for qualifications. Qualified proponents will then have the opportunity to respond to a full request for proposals, according to solicitation documents.
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