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Contracting Policy Notice (CPN)
Official instruments issued by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) that communicate new or amended procurement policies, procedures, and guidelines to government contracting authorities and suppliers. CPNs provide authoritative guidance on implementing Treasury Board directives and trade agreement obligations.
Contracting Policy Notices are official communications from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's Office of the Comptroller General that tell you when federal procurement rules have changed. These notices provide authoritative updates, interpretation, and guidance on how to apply Treasury Board policies, trade agreements, and regulatory amendments across government contracting.
How It Works
When Treasury Board amends procurement policies or when the Governor in Council changes regulations, a CPN documents what's changed and when it takes effect. For example, CPN 2026-1 announced inflation adjustments to contracting limits in the Directive on the Management of Procurement, effective December 15, 2025. CPN 2025-4 introduced a new risk-based exceptional limit for PSPC in Appendix A.2 of the same directive, which came into force on December 12, 2024, and was later expanded on September 18, 2025 to cover medium-risk procurements.
These notices aren't just administrative updates—they carry real operational weight. CPN 2025-1 communicated changes to the Government Contracts Regulations that took effect December 16, 2024, changes approved by the Governor in Council. Working with green procurement requirements? CPN 2025-6 explained how embodied carbon considerations now apply under the Policy on Green Procurement. The notices also cover trade agreement thresholds, which shift periodically based on exchange rates and treaty obligations.
Here's the thing: CPNs bridge the gap between high-level policy instruments and your daily contracting work. The Supply Manual provides the comprehensive framework for federal procurement, but CPNs tell you what just changed and how to implement it right now. They're published on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat website, where you'll find the complete archive.
Key Considerations
Implementation dates matter - CPNs specify exact effective dates, and you're expected to comply immediately. The risk-based exceptional limit didn't just appear in policy documents; CPN 2025-4 gave you the precise date (December 12, 2024) when it became operational.
They affect your delegated authorities - When a CPN updates Appendix A of the Directive on the Management of Procurement, your contracting limits may have changed. You need to verify your delegation aligns with the new thresholds.
Trade agreement compliance isn't optional - CPNs that announce threshold updates (like CPN 2023-6) directly impact which agreements apply to your solicitations. Missing these changes can trigger Canadian International Trade Tribunal challenges.
Distribution is your responsibility - Treasury Board issues these notices, but you need to monitor them. No one sends automatic notifications to every contracting officer across departments like PSPC, DND, or SSC.
Related Terms
Supply Manual, Directive on the Management of Procurement, Trade Agreements
Sources
Contracting Policy Notices - Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Contracting Policy Notice 2026-1: Amendments to Contracting Limits for Inflation
Check the Treasury Board website quarterly at minimum. Missing a CPN means operating under outdated rules, and that creates real risk for both your contracts and your department's compliance posture.
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