Integrity Regime Declarations

An Integrity Regime Declaration is the form a supplier completes under the Government of Canada's Integrity Regime when it cannot make every integrity certification a federal solicitation requires. It also covers cases where the supplier must disclose relevant foreign criminal charges or convictions. The declaration discloses material information that affects whether the supplier is eligible to receive a contract.

The Integrity Regime is administered by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) through its Office of Supplier Integrity and Compliance. It rests on the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy and the Integrity Clauses written into federal procurement and real-property solicitations. PSPC applies it to goods, services and construction contracts, subcontracts, and real-property agreements within its scope, as described on the PSPC Integrity Regime overview.

When a supplier must submit the declaration

A supplier submits the form when it cannot certify all of the required integrity statements as part of its bid or offer. The same obligation applies when the supplier must provide information about foreign criminal charges or convictions. PSPC publishes the form on its supplier integrity forms page.

Solicitation documents on CanadaBuys state the consequence directly. A bidder or offeror that cannot provide all of the certifications must submit the completed Integrity declaration form, if applicable, for its bid or offer to receive further consideration. Examples include this invitation to tender and this request for proposal.

What the declaration discloses

The declaration can concern the supplier itself, its affiliates, and its proposed first-tier subcontractors. It covers relevant Canadian offences, similar offences committed in other countries, and any other information the applicable policy or solicitation clause requires. The real-property integrity provisions set out the same disclosure of foreign charges and convictions for real-property transactions.

Timing and where it appears in solicitations

Federal solicitations commonly include Integrity Provisions in their standard instructions. The declaration is generally submitted with the bid or offer. PSPC's guidance states that suppliers must provide the applicable certifications and declarations with each bid or offer, including when they are involved in another ongoing integrity determination.

Other departments use the same clauses. An Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada competitive-requirements document asks for a list of names for integrity verification. Where certifications cannot be provided, it asks for a completed Integrity declaration form.

Replacement entities and completing contractors

The declaration process is not limited to the original bidder. PSPC also applies the regime to replacement entities and completing contractors, for example when a contract is in default. An entity in that position that cannot certify the Integrity Clauses, or that must provide foreign criminal-charge or conviction information, must submit the completed form. The details are in PSPC's directive on replacement entities and completing contractors.

What it means for a supplier bidding on Canadian public contracts

Check the solicitation's Integrity Provisions before you submit, and decide early whether you can give every certification. Suppliers are responsible for the truthfulness, accuracy and completeness of their certifications and declarations. PSPC expects due diligence on the supplier, its affiliates and its proposed first-tier subcontractors before anything is certified. Its guidance on misleading certification explains these expectations. If any certification cannot be made, include the completed declaration form in the bid package, because leaving it out means the bid does not receive further consideration.