One of the biggest security contracts for the 2010 Winter Olympics is up for bids.

The RCMP Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit published a request for proposals yesterday, seeking companies to staff the airport-style security checkpoints at Games' venues.

A Dec. 11 bidders' conference is planned for the Robson Square 2010 Commerce Centre.

The value of the contract was not listed, but RCMP documents from April 2007, obtained via Access to Information, estimated labour for pedestrian and vehicle screening would cost more than $34 million.

The request for proposals comes seven months after the RCMP sought industry input on a plan to hire security companies to provide 650,000 to 900,000 hours of service from January to March 2010.

The Vancouver 2010 bid book, written in 2002, estimated there would be 3,700 RCMP and 3,000 contract security personnel among the Games' force of 12,350.

If B.C. companies can't supply enough local guards, they can be imported from other provinces. Premiers amended the Agreement on Internal Trade in July to recognize workers certified by any provincial or territorial regulator.

Bob Mackin reports for Vancouver's 24 hours.