SBIPS (Solutions-Based Informatics Professional Services)

SBIPS is the Government of Canada's mandatory method of supply for buying IT solutions rather than IT tasks. When a federal department has a business problem it cannot resolve on its own, SBIPS is the vehicle through which it buys a supplier-defined, supplier-managed answer — the supplier determines the team, delivers the solution end to end, and accepts responsibility for the outcome.

What it is

Per Canada.ca, solutions-based informatics professional services is a method of supply comprising services and, in certain situations, essential goods, whereby a supplier defines and provides a solution to a requirement, manages the overall requirement, phase or project, and accepts responsibility for the outcome. Like TBIPS, it is a mandatory method: informatics requirements at or above the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA) threshold must be procured through one of the two informatics supply arrangements, and when the department cannot define discrete tasks, SBIPS is the one that fits.

Domains and how qualifying works

The SBIPS supply arrangement is organized into eleven domains of expertise, including specialized informatics, business transformation, systems integration, and other solution-oriented IT services. Suppliers pre-qualify through the Request for Supply Arrangement (the long-standing EN537-05IT01 series), which is refreshed on a periodic basis so new suppliers can become qualified SA holders and existing holders can add tiers, regions or domains. Bid invitations for specific requirements then go only to SA holders qualified in the relevant domain under the applicable tier and region — a recent systems-integration requirement, for example, was open only to tier 1 holders in that domain and metropolitan area.

What it means for vendors

An SBIPS SA is an eligibility ticket, not revenue. When a department issues a notice of proposed procurement for a specific requirement, only qualified holders are invited, and each resulting contract is individual — the SA itself is explicitly a non-binding agreement, not a contract. Because the supplier owns the outcome, SBIPS proposals are evaluated heavily on the solution and methodology, the key personnel, and management approach, not just résumé point grids. Expect to commit to deliverables, milestones and acceptance criteria that span the whole project rather than discrete consultant tasks.

Common questions

When must a department use SBIPS instead of TBIPS?

When the requirement is a solution to a business problem rather than a set of defined tasks. Notably, under the strengthened procurement measures effective July 1, 2025, task-based requirements are capped at $20 million, so larger requirements must move to a solution-based vehicle such as SBIPS.

Does an SBIPS supply arrangement expire?

The SA runs until Canada re-competes or cancels it, and the method is refreshed periodically so new suppliers can qualify without waiting for a full re-competition. Watch CanadaBuys for refresh notices.

Related definitions

TBIPS · RFSA · Intellectual property rights in RFPs