Section 34, Financial Administration Act (Payment for Work, Goods or Services)

Section 34 of the Financial Administration Act is the statutory gate every federal payment passes through. It forbids any payment in respect of the federal public administration unless an authorized official certifies that the work was performed, the goods were supplied or the service was rendered — and that the price charged follows the contract or, if the contract does not specify it, is reasonable.

What it is

Per the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, s. 34(1): no payment shall be made in respect of any part of the federal public administration unless, in addition to any other voucher or certificate required, the deputy of the appropriate Minister or another person authorized by that Minister certifies that the work has been performed, the goods supplied or the service rendered, and that the price charged is according to the contract, or if not specified by the contract, is reasonable. For interim payments made before completion, the certifier must confirm the payment is according to the contract. Subsection 34(2) authorizes Treasury Board to prescribe the policies and procedures for that certification and verification — the departmental "section 34 officer" role vendors encounter on invoices descends from this section.

How it fits with sections 32 and 33

Section 34 is the last of three spending gates. Section 32 (control of commitments) blocks entering any contract unless a sufficient unencumbered balance is available in the appropriation for the debts due in that fiscal year. Section 33 (requisitions) bars any charge against an appropriation except on the requisition of the appropriate Minister or a person authorized in writing. Only after a contract has cleared commitment control and a requisition backs it does section 34 certification unlock the actual payment. For suppliers, the practical consequence is that your invoice is not simply "approved" — it is verified against delivered work, certified by an authorized officer, and only then processed.

What it means for vendors

Section 34 is why federal buyers are strict about invoices and delivery evidence. An invoice that does not describe the work performed, does not match contract pricing, or arrives without the deliverables it references will stall at certification — the section 34 officer cannot lawfully certify it. Make every invoice traceable to contract terms: cite the contract number, itemize against the pricing schedule, and attach or reference the deliverables or progress claimed. This is also why progress claims on federal work need supporting documentation: certification of an interim payment requires showing the payment is according to the contract.

Common questions

Who is the section 34 officer?

An official delegated in writing by the deputy head of the contracting department to certify that the work, goods or services were received and the price is contract-compliant. The officer is accountable for the certification, which is why buyers verify before approving.

Does section 34 delay payment beyond the invoice terms?

Certification is a condition of payment, but it does not suspend the payment timelines that apply once a proper invoice is received — interest on late payments runs under the separate late-payment rules for federal contracts. The best protection against delays is an invoice that certifies cleanly on first submission.

Related definitions

Proper invoice · Late payment interest · Contract identification number