Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) Verification

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) verification is the Government of Canada's confirmation that an Indigenous business meets the eligibility requirements for listing in the Indigenous Business Directory (IBD) and for participation in the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB). ISC is responsible for checking that eligibility and for protecting the integrity of the registration.

The term comes from the federal Indigenous procurement framework. ISC administers the IBD, and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat sets the rules that departments follow when they buy from Indigenous businesses. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) works with both organizations to increase Indigenous-business participation in federal contracting, and PSPC briefing material confirms that ISC verifies whether a business meets the IBD eligibility requirements.

What the Treasury Board directive requires of departments

The Treasury Board Directive on the Management of Procurement sets out mandatory procedures for contracts with Indigenous businesses. Under those procedures, departments must maintain a process that requires ISC verification of an Indigenous business in accordance with the Indigenous Business Directory. The requirement appears in the procedures of the directive.

The directive also connects to the Government of Canada's mandatory minimum Indigenous procurement target. ISC is responsible for administering the federal Indigenous procurement strategy and its related verification requirements, as described in the Treasury Board policy framework. ISC also prescribes implementation schedules and supports verification of the businesses that count toward the target.

Ongoing audits and routine contacts

Verification does not end once a business is listed. ISC checks businesses regularly through audits and routine contacts to confirm that they continue to meet the IBD eligibility requirements, according to an ISC House of Commons question period note. A business that qualified when it registered must keep qualifying for as long as it holds its listing and pursues contracts that rely on it.

Questions about IBD eligibility and verification go to ISC, not to the contracting department or to PSPC.

Certifications and consent in solicitation documents

Federal solicitations can ask bidders to certify Indigenous-business eligibility and to consent to verification by ISC. One example is the request for proposal on CanadaBuys, where the bidder certifies that the information provided is true and consents to its verification by ISC.

Certifications are not a one-time hurdle. Canada may verify them at any point in the contract period, as stated in a second CanadaBuys request for proposal. The solicitation and the IBD requirements that apply to it control the specific steps for each procurement.

Consequences of non-compliance

Where ISC finds that a supplier is non-compliant with the Indigenous procurement requirements, or has made a false claim, the Government of Canada can take procurement-related action. The possible actions include disqualification, suspension, debarment and contract termination, as set out in a PSPC question period note.

What ISC verification means for a supplier

If you bid on a procurement restricted to Indigenous businesses, or one that credits Indigenous participation, expect ISC verification to be part of the process. Keep your Indigenous-business information accurate and current, and confirm that you meet the IBD and PSIB eligibility requirements before you bid.

• Read the solicitation to find the certification wording and the consent to verification.
• Be ready for an audit or routine contact from ISC at any time.
• Treat every certification as a statement that Canada can verify throughout the contract.
• Direct eligibility questions to ISC.

Suppliers who plan to subcontract to or partner with an Indigenous business should also confirm that business's status in the directory early, since eligibility for the procurement depends on verification.