Overview
Core Concepts
If a company cannot explain how it fits these three concepts, prime-contractor conversations usually stay superficial.
Canadian Funding Partners
Value Proposition, KIC, and CCV are the language of serious ITB positioning.
If a company cannot explain how it fits these three concepts, prime-contractor conversations usually stay superficial.
Funding guidance
The details that matter.
Value Proposition
The economic proposal that major bidders submit to Canada. It is procurement-specific, evidence-based, and scored along with technical and cost elements.
Key Industrial Capabilities that target emerging technologies and critical industrial strengths Canada wants to reinforce through defence procurement.
Canadian Content Value: the Canadian-cost portion of a product or service transaction, measured in Canadian dollars and used for crediting.
Value proposition pillars named in the source materials
Direct defence sector work
Canadian supplier development
Research and development
Exports from Canada
Skills development and training
What that means for Canadian companies
Your company should know which pillar best fits its offer
Not every company needs a direct-defence manufacturing story to matter
R&D, exports, commercialization, and supply-chain strengthening can all be relevant
KIC Fit
KIC alignment helps companies look relevant to the right procurement logic.
The source materials reference emerging technologies like AI, cyber resilience, autonomous systems, space systems, and advanced materials, along with critical capabilities like aerospace systems, defence systems integration, marine systems, sonar, training and simulation, and in-service support.
Strong positioning usually starts with selecting the few KIC areas a company can defend credibly, not trying to claim everything.
Typical KIC positioning questions
Which technology or industrial capability do you actually deliver today?
What adjacent defence or regulated-sector relevance can you prove?
Can your capability support a prime's economic proposal or fulfillment need?
Is your story stronger as direct work, indirect work, or both?
What the source materials include in CCV
Components of Canadian origin
Wages paid to Canadians or permanent residents
Utilities, maintenance, and rent paid in Canada
Profit taxable in Canada
What the source materials exclude from CCV
Imported goods or parts
Non-Canadian labour
Royalties and license fees paid to non-Canadians
Proposal costs, taxes, duties, and certain other non-creditable items
Need help translating your business into ITB-ready language?
We can help identify your strongest VP pillar, sharpen your KIC narrative, and clarify where your Canadian-content story is commercially useful.
Find out what you qualify for.
Take the first step with a confidential conversation about your business, your plans, and the programs that may fit.