Acquisitions Program Policy Suite

The Acquisitions Program Policy Suite was the Government of Canada's collection of an Acquisitions Program Policy Framework and a set of policy instruments intended to improve the federal procurement function. It originated with Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), now Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), in connection with the Acquisitions Program Transformation. The 2014-2015 PWGSC fact sheet described it as a new framework together with clear, consistent and comprehensive policy instruments.

The suite governed how PSPC's Acquisitions Program carries out its work. That program acts as a common service provider, buying goods, services and construction on behalf of federal departments and agencies. The suite was written for PSPC buyers and contracting officials. It is not a supplier certification, and it is not a deliverable under a contract.

Instruments included in the suite

Five instruments were implemented in June 2014 to support the Acquisitions Program Transformation, including the Smart Procurement Framework and the Information Management Framework, according to the PWGSC fact sheet. The suite's instruments were:

• the Acquisitions Program Policy Framework
• the Smart Procurement Framework
• the Information Management Framework
• the Policy on the Use of Independent Advice in Procurement
• the Policy on Considering Benefits for Canadians in Government Procurement
• the Guideline on Ensuring the Participation of Small and Medium Enterprises in Government Procurement

Purpose of the suite

The fact sheet said the suite was meant to clarify the Acquisitions Program's policy environment, document procurement best practices, and bring greater consistency and flexibility to procurement. By putting the rules in one place, it gave PSPC staff a common reference for how procurement activities should be conducted across the program.

How CanadaBuys now describes these instruments

Current CanadaBuys material refers to "Acquisitions Program policy instruments" rather than a "policy suite." CanadaBuys defines them as the rules, guidelines and procedures that shape how Acquisitions Program procurement activities are carried out, on its policies and directives page.

The Acquisitions Program policy instruments page says the PSPC Acquisitions Program Policy Framework sets principles that should direct Acquisitions Program acquisitions. It also says the framework supports PSPC's role as a common service provider. The instruments are intended to ensure that procurement is fair, open, transparent and compliant with legal and regulatory requirements. The PSPC Supply Manual remains the authoritative source for Acquisitions Program information during the CanadaBuys policy-instruments trial period.

Where suppliers meet its effects

Suppliers rarely see the suite by name. They encounter its effects through requirements that PSPC policies place in solicitations and contracts. CanadaBuys states that solicitation documents and contracts must include the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy clauses, which incorporate that policy by reference. Requests for exemptions or changes to those clauses go through an Acquisitions Program policy contact.

The Policy on Social Procurement is another example. It applies to procurements, standing offers, supply arrangements, contracts and other instruments issued by the PSPC Acquisitions Program.

What it means for a supplier bidding on Canadian public contracts

The suite does not call for a single supplier action. Your obligations come from the specific requirements written into each solicitation or contract. These include ineligibility and suspension clauses and any procurement-specific socio-economic, security, technical or contractual requirements. Read the clauses and incorporated policies in every PSPC solicitation closely. If a term seems out of line with the policy instruments, raise it with the contracting authority named in the bid documents.