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A dispute with the contractor could also force the Royal Canadian Navy to resort to conducting maintenance and support for the ships on a piecemeal basis, a development that would affect its operations, the briefing added.

Fonberg was also told that DND expects some maritime companies to resist the idea of a single contract as it would take a significant amount of business out of competition for a long time.

Despite the concerns, DND noted in an email to the Ottawa Citizen that the government has already begun consultations with industry on a single support contract for the two fleets. A request for proposals from companies is expected to be issued in 2015.

DND officials maintain that a single contract would save money in the long run, according to the briefing documents for the deputy minister. Having one company handle support for the ships would provide steady work for its employees. Both classes of ships have nearly identical ISS requirements, naval officers and DND procurement specialists also told Fonberg.

The briefing stated that the risks of hiring only one company to do support for the ships could be handled through appropriate levels of oversight on the contract and through ongoing discussions with companies.

The joint support ship and the Arctic/offshore patrol ships are part of the Conservative government’s national shipbuilding procurement strategy. That envisions more than $30-billion worth of work in building new federal vessels and warships over the next several decades.