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The government has once again changed how it will evaluate bids on its $60-billion warship program, prompting more concerns the new process is designed to help out a company linked to Irving Shipbuilding.

The move is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the Canadian Surface Combatant, believed to be the largest single defence purchase Canada has ever undertaken.

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Companies have already provided their bids for the surface combatant project to the federal government and Irving, which will construct the vessels. The firms were expecting those to be evaluated using an established process outlined previously, which included one opportunity to fix problems with bids.

But on Aug. 13, the government informed the firms a second opportunity would be provided if the companies weren’t fully compliant in meeting Canada’s naval requirements, according to industry sources.

Jean-François Létourneau of Public Services and Procurement Canada confirmed the new process, but added, “this is an example of how the Government of Canada is developing and applying innovative approaches to improve the results for large, complex defence procurements.”