The Sacré-Cœur-de-Montréal hospital wants to award a major security contract without a call for tenders after a simple virtual shopping session, a practice that is raising eyebrows among the association that brings together the main players in the industry.
The institution intends to entrust the monitoring of its emergency to the firm Perceptage International, it recently announced on the public contracts award platform.
“After reviewing several security agency websites, Perceptage International is the only service provider that can offer the required number of resources,” it says. The contract provides for the use of the services of 12 agents with training for hospital environments.
But contrary to these claims, other companies are capable of providing these resources, according to the Provincial Association of Security Agencies (APAS). It brings together major players in the industry, including Garda, Commissionaires and Securitas, all of which have thousands of employees.
“I saw the requirements. There are members of the association who are able to do this, that’s clear. It’s not an insurmountable mandate,” said Dany Laflamme, spokesperson for the Association.
Choosing a security agency is not normally done through a website, he added.
Israeli Close Protection Course
Perceptage International is not a member of APAS. The company and its president, Adam Cohen, did not return a call The Press.
On its website, the company does not highlight its ability to work in a hospital environment, quite the contrary.
Under the “Team Members” tab, there are nine profiles identified only by initials and shadowed silhouettes. They all reportedly received “close combat training,” an “Israeli close protection course,” and a “combat diver course.” None mention the hospital training required by Sacré-Cœur.
SCREENSHOT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION WEBSITE
Excerpt from the Perceptage International website, under the “Team Members” tab
“Our team currently consists of approximately 290 security agents,” Perceptage International states on its website.
“A kind of market review”
In response to questions from The Pressthe CIUSSS which oversees the Sacré-Cœur-de-Montréal hospital defended its actions.
By publishing an official notice, the organization “informs the public of its intention to sign a private contract with the firm Perceptage, considering that there is currently no other firm that meets the required criteria,” the media relations office indicated by email. “The notice of intention is a sort of market review – legal – to ensure that no other firm actually meets our requirements.”
“If another firm indicates that it meets the requested requirements, we will then have to issue a call for tenders” since the value of the contract “exceeds the public call for tenders threshold,” emphasizes the CIUSSS.
The email also specifies that Perceptage International is already working in the emergency room of the Sacré-Cœur-de-Montréal hospital, as part of a mandate that has been extended until next month.