Mandatory Criteria Verification

Mandatory Criteria Verification is the step in a Canadian public procurement evaluation where the buyer checks a bid against each mandatory criterion in the solicitation. Each criterion is judged on an objective compliant or non-compliant basis. There is no partial credit and no scoring at this stage.

Mandatory criteria set out the minimum requirements that are essential to completing the work. A bid that meets all of them moves on to the next stage of evaluation. A bid that fails one is treated as non-responsive and is excluded from further consideration, however strong the rest of the offer may be.

How the pass/fail check works

The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman states that mandatory requirements represent essential requirements and that failure to meet one must result in disqualification. Its procurement practice review adds that these criteria must be clearly specified in the solicitation and must give evaluators an objective, measurable basis for assessment.

PSPC bidding seminar material describes the same approach: mandatory criteria are evaluated objectively on a simple pass/fail basis. The evaluator's question is whether the bid shows the requirement is met, not how well it is met.

How solicitations signal a mandatory requirement

Buyers use plain wording to mark mandatory items. A sample CanadaBuys solicitation states that criteria identified with the words "must" or "mandatory" are mandatory requirements, and that they are evaluated as compliant or non-compliant.

PSPC guidance on bid solicitation preparation requires the contracting authority to state how compliance with each mandatory technical requirement will be determined. The solicitation therefore tells bidders both what is required and how the buyer will check it.

Evidence evaluators look for

Verification usually rests on documents rather than on statements alone. PSPC guidance names resumes, certificates, and copies of diplomas as examples of objective substantiation. Depending on the criterion, the solicitation may also call for professional designations, security clearances, references, or other proof. A CanadaBuys solicitation document shows this kind of substantiation requirement in practice.

Evaluators are also expected to keep a record. A Department of National Defence procurement practice review says mandatory evaluation criteria must be met or the bid must be disqualified, and that evaluators must document how they determined compliance or non-compliance.

Where the check appears across federal buyers

The same practice runs through many federal buyers, even though it is not always labelled with this exact phrase.

• PSPC: the Centralized Professional Services System includes a "Mandatory Criteria" stage in supplier data collection, depending on the method of supply.
• Innovation Solutions Canada: ISED's instructions require proposals to meet all mandatory criteria and receive a "Pass" to proceed. Proposals that fail are non-responsive.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada: a CanadaBuys request for quotations requires bidders to clearly demonstrate compliance with every mandatory requirement. Proposals that do not are excluded.
• Correctional Service of Canada: its procurement review describes mandatory criteria as the minimum requirements essential to successful completion of the work.

What it means for a supplier bidding on Canadian public contracts

Treat every "must" and "mandatory" statement as a gate. Build a checklist from the solicitation and answer each item directly in your bid. Do not assume the evaluator will infer compliance from other sections.

Attach the substantiation the solicitation asks for, such as resumes, certificates, diplomas, designations, or clearances, and make it easy to find. Because one failed criterion can end your bid, check mandatory items before you work on the parts that earn points. Ask the contracting authority for clarification during the question period if a requirement or its method of verification is unclear.