Representations

When you submit a bid to a federal department, you're not just providing pricing and technical details. You're making formal statements—representations—about your business, capabilities, and compliance with various policies. These are binding declarations that procurement officials rely on when evaluating your proposal and making award decisions.

How It Works

Representations serve as your official assertions to the government about matters that affect your eligibility and suitability for a contract. In practice, buyers depend on these statements without independent verification in many cases. For example, under procurement restriction policies, buyers can rely on a business's representation about whether they're a U.S. business rather than conducting their own investigation. You state it, they accept it, and you're held accountable if it's wrong.

The solicitation process—covered in Chapter 6 of the Supply Manual under developing the procurement strategy—incorporates requirements for bidders to make specific representations. These might include confirming your business registration, declaring any conflicts of interest, attesting to security clearance levels, or representing your status under various trade agreements. When you're part of a joint venture, things get more complex. The Standard Acquisition Clauses and Conditions (SACC) Manual requires that one member be appointed as the "representative member" with full authority to act as agent for all partners regarding contract matters.

Here's the thing: your representations become part of the contract record. They inform how departments like PSPC, DND, or SSC evaluate your bid compliance and whether you meet mandatory criteria. For competitive procurements above $25,000 for goods or $40,000 for services and construction—the thresholds where opportunities get published on CanadaBuys—these formal statements matter. They're your chance to ensure decision-makers have accurate information about your firm before making award decisions.

Key Considerations

• False representations have consequences: If you misrepresent your status, capabilities, or compliance, you're not just risking contract termination. You could face debarment from future federal opportunities or legal action for default by the offeror.

• They're binding from the moment you submit: Unlike preliminary discussions during market engagement, representations made in your formal bid response lock you in. You can't walk them back if you win the contract and realize you've overstated a capability.

• Different solicitations require different representations: A basic standing offer might only ask for business registration details. A complex defence procurement could require extensive declarations about security, intellectual property ownership, and Canadian content.

• Update them when circumstances change: If your business situation changes during the evaluation period—say, ownership shifts or a key team member departs—you may need to notify the contracting authority to ensure your representations remain accurate.

Related Terms

Default by the Offeror, Bid Compliance, Certifications

Sources

• Supply Manual - Chapter 6: Developing the Procurement Strategy

• Standard Acquisition Clauses and Conditions (SACC) Manual

• Procurement Restriction (U.S. Businesses) Policy FAQs

Bottom line: treat your representations as seriously as your pricing. They're your formal record with the government, and accuracy matters as much as competitiveness.