Urgent Acquisition

When normal procurement timelines could seriously harm operations or safety, you're looking at an urgent acquisition. According to PSPC's Supply Manual, as referenced in the CBSA's Audit of Contracting and Procurement, this category applies to acquisitions where "an undue delay could have a significant" negative impact—whether that's a safety risk, operational disruption, or critical project delay.

How It Works

Not every rushed request qualifies as urgent. Procurement officers at departments like PSPC and DND assess each situation before fast-tracking it through the regular procure-to-pay process. The evaluation centers on whether the delay is truly unavoidable or simply the result of inadequate planning on the client side.

When a genuine emergency exists, the request gets priority attention. You'll see these acquisitions processed quickly, sometimes bypassing certain steps in the standard competitive procurement process when justified. But if poor planning is the real culprit? Procurement officers push back. They'll inform the client that they can't accommodate the rushed timeline. This gatekeeping function protects the integrity of procurement rules while ensuring that real emergencies get the response they need.

The Government of Canada Supply Manual provides the framework for these decisions, though it doesn't establish specific dollar thresholds or rigid timelines. Instead, it relies on professional judgment to distinguish between true urgency and what's essentially a planning failure. Many departments track their unplanned and urgent procurements over time—not just for audit purposes, but for capacity planning and to spot patterns that might indicate systemic issues.

Key Considerations

• Documentation is critical. You need to clearly explain why the delay would cause significant harm and why the situation couldn't have been anticipated through proper planning.

• Poor planning isn't an emergency. If your department simply waited too long to initiate a known requirement, don't expect procurement to bail you out by classifying it as urgent.

• Competitive requirements may still apply. Even under urgent circumstances, you're generally expected to maintain fairness and transparency principles—just on an accelerated timeline.

• Track and report these procurements. Treasury Board and internal audit functions pay attention to departments that frequently claim urgency, as it may signal deeper procurement planning problems.

Related Terms

Emergency Procurement, Sole Source, Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN), Competitive Procurement

Sources

• Government of Canada Supply Manual - Public Services and Procurement Canada

• Audit of Contracting and Procurement - Canada Border Services Agency

• Best Value in Procurement - Office of the Procurement Ombud

The distinction between genuine urgency and poor planning matters more than you might think. It affects your department's credibility with procurement officers and can influence how future requests are handled.