Qualification Program List (QPL)

A Qualification Program List (QPL) is a list of products or services that have been qualified through an established qualification program against specified performance standards or specifications. In Canadian federal procurement guidance, a QPL identifies the products or services that comply with recognized requirements, and the suppliers behind them may be required to appear on the applicable list. The CanadaBuys buyer's guide on standards and quality assurance sets out this meaning.

The term is used mainly in Canadian standards and defence-related procurement. A QPL is related to the Certification Program List (CPL) and to qualified-products or prequalification programs, but qualification is distinct from certification. The program behind each list determines the testing, assessment, listing and continuing-control requirements that a supplier must meet.

How a QPL appears in a federal solicitation

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) guidance tells procurement officials who use a listing program to say so in the notice of proposed procurement, the solicitation and the resulting contract. The documents must state that the offeror or contractor, and its product where applicable, has to be listed in the appropriate QPL.

The guidance explains the purpose: listing programs can expedite procurement. They create lists of pre-identified products or services that already comply with recognized performance standards or specifications, so the buyer does not have to re-evaluate the same technical compliance in every solicitation.

Who develops and maintains QPLs

QPL and CPL programs are developed and maintained by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) and the Department of National Defence (DND). CGSB catalogue material uses the notation QPL to show that a CGSB qualification program exists for the associated standard, and lists of qualified products and suppliers are made available through CGSB. The notation is explained in the CGSB catalogue.

PSPC also publishes CGSB certification and qualification program data on the open government portal. The open data record covers company name and location, product or service description, listing date and listing status.

Goods and services covered by QPLs

Federal guidance identifies a broad range of QPL applications. These include:

• paints
• protective clothing
• medical gloves
• office furniture
• carpets
• remanufactured toner cartridges
• security guards
• laboratory acceptance programs

Other goods and services can also fall under a listing program, depending on the standard involved.

Continuing control of listed products

Being listed is not a one-time event. For a QPL-controlled product, the inspection authority may be required to verify that the delivered product is equal in all respects to the product that was qualified through the QPL process, and that it was manufactured under the same conditions. The PSPC Supply Manual supports this requirement.

Procurement documents can also accept a different route. They may require the offeror or contractor to be listed in an acceptable recognized qualifying program, such as ISO 9001, ISO 9001 combined with AQAP-2110, or an equivalent program, where that program provides adequate audit and controls.

What a QPL means for a supplier bidding on Canadian contracts

Check the solicitation for a listing requirement before you commit bid effort. If the notice or solicitation says the offeror or product must be on a QPL, a bid without that listing is not compliant. Confirm your listing status and the scope of the listed product early, using the CGSB lists and the published program data.

Plan for the delivery stage as well. The product you ship must match the product that was qualified and be made under the same conditions. Where the documents allow a recognized qualifying program such as ISO 9001 instead, confirm that your registration meets the stated wording. Tender notices are available on CanadaBuys.