Restricted Commodities

When you're procuring certain goods and services through federal channels, you'll hit special gates that don't exist for standard office supplies or IT services. These are restricted commodities—categories that trigger additional approval requirements, specialized allocation procedures, and sometimes ministerial oversight. Understanding which purchases fall into this category can save you weeks of frustration and procedural backtracking.

How It Works

The Government of Canada Supply Manual outlines specific commodity categories that require heightened scrutiny before you can proceed with procurement. Advertising and public opinion research top this list, largely because of their visibility and potential political sensitivity. You can't just requisition a public awareness campaign the way you'd order laptops. These require departmental sign-off that typically goes higher up the chain than your standard contracting authority would handle.

Here's the thing: the restrictions exist for different reasons depending on the commodity. Military and defence-related items face controls because of national security considerations and export control regulations—DND and PSPC work together on these procurements with additional vetting steps. Meanwhile, advertising and polling services get special treatment because Parliament wants transparency around how public funds shape public opinion. The Treasury Board sets annual limits. Departments must allocate their usage carefully throughout the fiscal year.

In practice, you'll encounter a lengthier approval chain when dealing with these categories. Your requisition documents need additional justification fields completed. You might need to demonstrate that you've exhausted alternatives or that the expenditure aligns with approved communications plans. PSPC often maintains standing offers for some restricted categories, but accessing them still requires internal departmental approvals before you can issue a call-up against those arrangements. The Supply Manual provides the detailed procedures, though they vary by commodity type and dollar value.

Key Considerations

• Lead times extend significantly—sometimes by several weeks—so factor this into your procurement planning. What takes five days for regular goods might take a month for restricted commodities.

• Your department likely has a specialized team or individual who handles certain restricted categories, particularly advertising and research services. Find them early, before you draft your requisition.

• Budget allocation differs from regular procurement. Some departments receive annual allotments for specific restricted commodities that can't be reallocated to other purposes, even if underspent.

• Documentation requirements are more extensive. You'll need detailed statements of work, sometimes including planned distribution channels, target audiences, or end-use certificates depending on the commodity.

Related Terms

Approval Authority, Contracting Authority, Procurement Planning, Standing Offer Agreement, National Security Exception

Sources

• Government of Canada Supply Manual - Official federal procurement policy and procedures

• Canada Buys - Procurement Portal - Federal government procurement information and opportunities

• Buy and Sell - Federal government tender opportunities

The best approach is identifying restricted commodities at the planning stage, not when your requisition gets kicked back. Check with your department's procurement or materiel management group early if you're uncertain about a category.