Consultation Process

In NATO usage, the consultation process is the continuing exchange of information and opinions among member countries. It covers communication about actions or decisions that governments have already taken or may be about to take, and discussion intended to reach consensus on policies or collective action. NATO describes the process on its page The consultation process and Article 4.

The term is principally associated with NATO's political and security decision-making. NATO states that consultation is central to how the alliance works, because every NATO decision is made by consensus after discussion among Allies. For Canadian suppliers who read NATO documents, this is the meaning the phrase carries.

How NATO carries out consultation

NATO says consultation is continuous and takes place on both a formal and an informal basis. It is not a single event or a fixed stage. It runs alongside the daily work of the alliance.

• The North Atlantic Council is the principal forum for political consultation among Allies.
• NATO committees and working groups provide further settings for discussion.
• National delegations contribute to the process so that member countries can take collective decisions or actions.

NATO explains the role of delegations on its page about national delegations to NATO, and describes the Council on its North Atlantic Council page.

Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty

Article 4 is the treaty provision most closely tied to consultation. It allows any NATO member to bring a matter to the North Atlantic Council for discussion with the other Allies when the matter concerns the territorial integrity, political independence or security of an Ally. The member raises the concern, and the Allies consult on it together.

Article 4 therefore turns the general habit of consultation into a specific step that any single member can start. The Council is the place where that step happens.

Consensus without voting

Consultation feeds directly into NATO's rule that decisions are made by consensus. According to NATO's page on consensus decision-making at NATO, consultations continue until a decision acceptable to all members is reached. NATO does not use voting for these decisions.

This means the consultation process is the working method by which Allies arrive at a common position. Discussion comes first, and agreement is reached through it rather than by counting votes.

What it means for a supplier bidding on Canadian public contracts

For a bid team, the first step is to read the phrase in its context. In NATO materials, the consultation process means the political exchange among Allies described above. It concerns how member countries reach decisions together.

If a solicitation or contract document uses the words "consultation process" in another sense, that document's own wording and definitions govern. Bid teams should confirm the meaning in the tender documents and put any question to the contracting authority through the channel named in the solicitation. Suppliers working on NATO-related opportunities should also follow NATO's introduction to the alliance to understand the structures behind the decisions that can shape requirements.