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Marcia Mills Ottawa Lawyer

Marcia Mills *

Partner | Co-Leader, National Security Fasken
The laws of tendering and government contracts in Canada are complex – understanding them can be the difference between a procurement that ends in contract award and one that ends in a dispute.
Jurisdiction Ontario, 1996
Language(s) English
Office(s) Ottawa, Toronto
Contact
*practising through a professional corporation
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Overview

Marcia Mills is a partner, co-founder and co-lead of Fasken’s National Security Group, and a member of the firm's Government Relations and Political Law teams. Her practice focuses on procurement and government contracts, national security, national and international trade agreements, and the federal Defence Production Act and Access to Information Act.

For almost 30 years, Marcia has worked in both the public and private sectors as external and in-house counsel in defence, aerospace, and security and information technology, including a decade with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), the central purchasing agent for the federal government. During her tenure at PSPC, she provided strategic and legal advice to Canada’s largest public sector buyer and for some of Canada’s largest defence and major Crown procurements.

Marcia draws upon her in-depth understanding to provide practical and strategic advice with respect to evolving issues in the procurement, tendering, and government contracts context, with particular emphasis on the areas of national security, supply chain integrity, the controlled goods and contract security programs, conflict of interest assessment and mitigation, and federal access to information. Marcia regularly represents clients before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT).

As a frequent speaker and writer on procurement and government contracts issues, Marcia has authored the Fasken Guide for Government Contracts, Procurement and Tender Law in Canada – offering a precise and practical overview of the procurement and tendering process in Canada. She is recognized by Best Lawyers Canada and Who’s Who Legal for her work in the area of procurement law.

Achievements

Client Work

  • Thales DIS Canada Inc. disputes procurement decision under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, [Case - Thales DIS Canada Inc.], World leading supplier of card security technology and defence contractor disputes procurement decision of the Ontario government
  • Thales Canada Inc. disputes refusal of proposal related to a federal procurement with the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, [Case - Thales Canada Inc.], Leading contractor and systems integrator for defence and security in Canada files complaint, challenging conduct of Public Services and Procurement Canada
  • Indie Semiconductor acquires TeraXion, [Deal - Founders of TeraXion], Acquisition of TeraXion by Indie Semiconductor.

Career & Education

Education

  • LLB University of Ottawa
  • Bachelor of Nursing

Community involvement

  • Member, Women for Mental Health at The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre
  • Past Member, Selection Committee for the Royal Ottawa Hospital Inspiration Awards
  • Volunteer and Guest Speaker for Mental Health Issues
  • Mentor, First Generation Network (FGN) mentorship program
  • Fellow, Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI)

 

Knowledge

  • And So it Confuses… the Latest Clarifications to the Federal Ineligibility and Suspension Policy and Verification Forms Are Not So Clear, 10/17/2024
  • Navigating Government Procurement: Tips for Cleantech Innovators, 9/24/2024
  • And So It Continues – The New Ineligibility and Suspension Policy Is Now in Effect, 6/18/2024

Events

  • Procurement Law for Lobbyists, 4/22/2021
  • Selling to the Canadian Government: Opportunities and Strategies for U.S. Companies, 10/20/2020
  • Reopening for Business: Considerations as You Plan for the Transition, 7/9/2020

News

Publications

  • Anything but Ordinary - Critical Reasons why your Government Customer isn’t Typical when it comes to their Data and Information, 7/5/2021
  • Government Contracts, Procurement and Tender Law in Canada, 3/1/2021
  • Financing Defence Procurement in Canada: Where is the Oversight?, 12/1/2020

Speaking Engagements

  • Defence Procurement Optimization: Options for the Future, 11/29/2023
  • Canada Defence Briefing: Indigenous Procurement in Canadian Defence Procurement, 9/28/2023
  • Fundamental of Canadian Federal Procurement, 10/20/2022
Speaker Defence Procurement Optimization: Options for the Future Canadian Global Affairs Institute Annual Defence Procurement Conference
Speaker Canada Defence Briefing: Indigenous Procurement in Canadian Defence Procurement Fasken/Fortin Consulting Annual Defence Procurement Conference
Speaker Fundamental of Canadian Federal Procurement Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI)

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