Contracts Settlement Board (CSB)

The Contracts Settlement Board (CSB), also searched as the Contract Settlement Board, was an independent review body in the Government of Canada. Its job was to settle disputes concerning contractors' extra-cost claims on contracts. Contractors referred claims to it when they held goods or service contracts with Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), now known as Public Services and Procurement Canada.

The board also handled claims under contracts that were terminated, whether by PWGSC or by the United States government through the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC). The federal procurement guide that describes the board is available from Government of Canada publications. The CSB is a historical body: PWGSC later stated that it no longer exists.

What the Contracts Settlement Board Settled

The CSB dealt with post-award disputes. A contractor that believed it was owed extra costs on a PWGSC goods or service contract could refer the claim to the board for review and settlement. The board was described as independent, which set it apart from the contracting authority that had issued the contract.

Its work covered two broad areas:

• Extra-cost claims: disputes over additional costs claimed by contractors holding PWGSC goods or service contracts.
• Termination claims: claims under contracts terminated by PWGSC, or terminated by the United States government through contracts with the Canadian Commercial Corporation.

The board was not involved in evaluating bids or selecting suppliers. It reviewed disputes that arose once a contract was already in place.

Where the Board Sat Within the Contract Claims and Resolution Board

The federal guide describes the Contract Claims and Resolution Board (CCRB) as the appeal or review agency for disputes and claims arising from PWGSC contracts. The CCRB administered two bodies: the Contracts Settlement Board and the Contract Disputes Advisory Board (CDAB).

The two had different roles. The CDAB provided non-binding alternative dispute resolution, generally for construction or consulting contracts. The CSB addressed extra-cost claims and certain termination claims. A supplier reading older contract documents may see both names side by side, and they should not be treated as the same body.

The term is also recorded in French as Conseil de règlement des contrats (CRC), as shown in a Treasury Board Secretariat publication.

Bid Challenges Were Handled Elsewhere

The CCRB process excluded bid challenges. Those went to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT). The distinction is simple: complaints about how a procurement was run before award belonged with the CITT, while claims about money owed under an existing PWGSC contract belonged with the CSB.

Suppliers who find the CSB named in historical contract clauses or guidance should read it as a reference to contract claims, not to the bidding stage.

Current Status of the CSB

PWGSC's Business Dispute Management FAQ states that the CSB and the CDAB no longer exist. It directs contractors and departments to Business Dispute Management to discuss the dispute-management options that are available. The FAQ is preserved in the Library and Archives Canada web archive.

The board was a real forum for contractors in the past, but it cannot be used today.

What the CSB Means for a Supplier Bidding on Canadian Public Contracts

Do not plan a claims strategy around the CSB. If an older contract, template or guide tells you to refer an extra-cost claim to the board, treat that wording as historical. For a dispute on a PWGSC contract, contact PWGSC's Business Dispute Management to discuss the options available. If your concern is about how a bid was evaluated or awarded, that is a bid challenge, and the CITT is the body the federal guide names for it.