Procurement integrity declaration

A procurement integrity declaration is a signed statement in which a supplier discloses integrity-related facts the government requires before or during a contract — most concretely, Canada's federal Integrity Declaration Form under the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy. Certifications, declarations and proofs are how a public buyer substantiates, in a standalone document, that the company bidding is fit to do business with the government.

The federal Integrity Declaration Form

In every federal solicitation of offers, the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy clauses provide that simply by submitting an offer, the offeror certifies compliance with the policy. PSPC's Buyer's Portal guidance on certifications states: "If the offeror is unable to provide any of the certifications listed in the Integrity and Suspension Policy, the offeror must provide a completed Integrity Declaration Form with the offer" — and the absence of required certifications renders the offer non-compliant.

The form itself (a PSPC form, Appendix E, marked "Protected B" when completed) is required only in specific situations: when the supplier, one of its affiliates, or a proposed first-tier subcontractor has, in the past three years, been charged with or convicted of a criminal offence in a country other than Canada that may be similar to one of the offences listed in the policy; and/or when the supplier cannot provide one of the certifications required by the integrity clauses. It asks for supplier identification (legal name, address, procurement business number, solicitation number), details of the foreign charges or convictions, and explanations for each certification the supplier cannot make. Completed forms go to PSPC in a sealed envelope marked "Protected B."

Who enforces supplier integrity

Integrity compliance does not end at bid stage. PSPC's Office of Supplier Integrity and Compliance (OSIC) administers supplier integrity and compliance across the federal procurement system — the successor to the Integrity Regime in place since 2015 — and buyers verify certifications before and throughout a contract, with failure to maintain them capable of resulting in termination. For suppliers, the practical takeaway: disclose accurately at bid stage, keep the information current with written notice of changes, and treat an integrity declaration as a regulated disclosure, not a formality — misstatements are exactly what the screening system is built to catch.

Common questions

Does every bidder need to submit an integrity declaration?

No. Most bidders simply certify compliance through the policy clauses incorporated in the solicitation. The standalone declaration is triggered only when a bidder cannot make one of the required certifications — typically because of foreign criminal charges or convictions within the last three years involving the supplier, an affiliate, or a named first-tier subcontractor. Submitting the form with a full, accurate disclosure lets the buyer assess the situation; failing to address the certification requirement at all makes the offer non-compliant.

How is this different from a conflict-of-interest declaration?

They are separate documents answering separate questions. A conflict-of-interest declaration deals with relationships and circumstances that could bias the work — for example ties to the buyer's staff or competitors. The integrity declaration deals with criminality and legal fitness under the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy. Large solicitations often require both, and each has its own form and its own consequences if handled incorrectly.

Related definitions

Conflict-of-interest declaration · Supplier suspension and debarment · PBN (Procurement Business Number) · Supplier registration