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Home > Media > News Releases 2008 > Request for Proposal for telemarketing complaints

News release

February 15, 2008

CRTC issues Request for Proposal for the investigation
of telemarketing complaints

OTTAWA-GATINEAU — The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has issued a Request for Proposal to find a contractor to carry out investigations of all telemarketing complaints. The selected bidder will also monitor compliance with the telemarketing rules and with the National Do Not Call List.

Interested parties must submit proposals that demonstrate that they meet certain requirements. Amongst other factors, bidders must:

  • Provide a company profile describing their relevant knowledge and experience.
  • Possess a qualified management team capable of developing and implementing investigation and compliance services regarding telemarketing complaints for the duration of the contract.
  • Demonstrate to the CRTC the absence of a conflict of interest.

The Request for Proposal is publicly available through the MERX website, at www.merx.com, and will close on March 25, 2008.

A bidder's conference will be held on February 28, 2008, to provide answers to any questions from prospective bidders regarding the Request for Proposal. The conference details can be found in the Request for Proposal.

The CRTC

The CRTC is an independent, public authority that regulates and supervises broadcasting and telecommunications in Canada.

Reference documents:

- 30 -

Media Relations:
   MediaRelations, Tel: 819-997-9403, Fax: 819-997-4245

General Inquiries:
   Tel: 819-997-0313, TDD: 819-994-0423, Fax: 819-994-0218
   Toll-free # 1-877-249-CRTC (2782)
   TDD - Toll-free # 1-877-909-CRTC (2782)
   On-line services

These documents are available in alternative format upon request.

Backgrounder

National Do Not Call List

The National Do Not Call List (DNCL) is a service that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) initiated to reduce the number of telemarketing calls that Canadians receive.

Individuals who prefer not to receive unsolicited calls will be able to add, at no charge, their numbers to the National DNCL. Telemarketers will have to pay a fee to subscribe to the list, and will be prohibited from calling numbers that are registered on the list.

There are several types of telemarketing calls that will be exempt from the National DNCL. Calls made by or on behalf of, or for the following purposes include:

  • registered charities
  • political parties
  • opinion polling firms
  • general-circulation newspapers
  • organizations that have an existing business relationship, and
  • organizations to business consumers.

With the launch of the National DNCL, new Telemarketing Rules (and changes to the existing ones) will also come into effect. Telemarketers making calls that are exempt from the list will have to follow these rules, including time restrictions, and must keep their own do-not-call lists.

On December 21, 2007, the CRTC awarded a contract to Bell Canada to build and operate the National DNCL. On February 14, 2008, the CRTC issued a Request for Proposal to find a third party to conduct investigations of telemarketing complaints.

If a telemarketer breaks the Telemarketing or National DNCL Rules, a consumer may file a complaint to the National DNCL operator. Once a complaint is received, the operator will forward it to the investigator. If the investigator finds a complaint to be valid, it will be sent to the CRTC. The CRTC's role is to enforce the rules by issuing notices of violation and monetary penalties, or other compliance measures.

The investigator will establish a fee structure that is flexible, reasonable, and considers the number and profiles of telemarketers.

The National DNCL operator has committed to launching the National DNCL by September 30, 2008.

Date Modified: 2008-02-15

 

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