Field Failure

In Government of Canada procurement guidance, a field failure is a failure that occurs while a product is in use and that has been verified and authenticated as attributable to the product's non-conformance with the applicable standard or specification. The definition appears in the standards and quality assurance section of the CanadaBuys buyer's guide.

The term belongs to listing programs, where products are qualified against recognized performance standards or specifications. In that setting, a field failure is one of the indications that a listed product, or the offeror or contractor behind it, does not conform to the standard it was qualified against. It is a narrow, evidence-based term, not a general word for any product that breaks.

Verified field failure versus perceived field failure

The CanadaBuys guidance separates two situations. A verified field failure has been authenticated and traced to the product's non-conformance with the relevant standard or specification. A perceived field failure is a failure that a user believes has occurred but that has not been verified or attributed in this way.

The distinction matters because the guidance tells users to report perceived field failures to the qualifying authority. The qualifying authority is the body that assesses the report. A report on its own does not make a field failure. Verification and attribution to non-conformance are what turn a perceived failure into a verified one.

Field failure in listing programs

Listing programs qualify products against recognized performance standards or specifications. The Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) and the Department of National Defence (DND) develop and maintain the lists used in these programs. A product on one of these lists has been qualified, and field failure is one of the ways its continued conformance can be called into question.

The buyer's guide lists field failure alongside failure to meet verification-test requirements. Both are treated as indications of non-conformance. One arises from testing against the standard, and the other arises from performance in actual use.

What happens when non-conformance is indicated

Where there are indications that a qualified offeror or contractor, or its product, does not conform to the applicable standard, the guidance sets out a clear process. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and the client determine whether non-conformance exists. The qualifying authority must be notified.

Procurement documents for listing programs also carry a requirement. The notice of proposed procurement, the solicitation of offers and the contract documents must state that the offeror or contractor and its product must be listed in the appropriate listing. Listing status is therefore a condition of the procurement itself, which is why a finding of non-conformance has direct commercial relevance.

What field failure means for a supplier bidding on Canadian public contracts

If you bid on a requirement under a CGSB or DND listing program, your product and your company must be on the appropriate list. Check the tender notice and solicitation documents for the listing requirement before you commit bid resources. Tender notices are published through CanadaBuys.

• Confirm that your product is qualified against the standard or specification named in the solicitation.
• Treat in-use performance reports as part of your conformance record, because a verified field failure counts as an indication of non-conformance.
• Expect PSPC and the client to determine whether non-conformance exists, with notice going to the qualifying authority.
• Direct any user concern about a possible failure to the qualifying authority, since that is the route the guidance sets for perceived field failures.

Suppliers that keep their listings current and respond promptly to reported problems are better placed to stay eligible under listing-program requirements.