Supplier suspension & debarment (Integrity Registry)

In Canadian federal procurement, suspension and debarment are exclusion measures under the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy, administered by the Registrar of Ineligibility and Suspension at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). Suppliers on the published list cannot enter contracts or real property agreements with the Government of Canada while the measure runs.

What it is

Debarment — the Policy calls it a "declaration of ineligibility" — and suspension exclude a supplier (and can reach its affiliates, board members and first-tier subcontractors) from doing business with the federal government. The measures were historically administered under PSPC's Integrity Regime; a revised Ineligibility and Suspension Policy came into effect on May 31, 2024, administered through PSPC's Office of Supplier Integrity and Compliance.

Grounds

Traditionally, a supplier could be suspended or declared ineligible if it, its board members or its affiliates were charged with or convicted within the previous three years of offences listed in the Policy — things like fraud, bribery and bid-rigging — in Canada or similar offences abroad. Providing a false or misleading certification to PSPC, or contracting with an ineligible first-tier subcontractor, could trigger ineligibility automatically. The 2024 revision substantially expanded the grounds: more federal offence categories (including terrorist financing and illegal political financing), designation as or ownership by a sanctioned person, similar provincial or foreign offences, conduct that could bring the procurement system into public disrepute, and serious or repetitive poor performance under the Vendor Performance Management framework. The revision also introduced provisional suspension measures, including automatic suspensions of limited duration (such as 90 days) while a determination proceeds.

How it works in practice

Bidders certify their integrity status in every solicitation, and suppliers under contract have ongoing disclosure obligations to the Registrar. PSPC publishes the current list of ineligible and suspended suppliers on Canada.ca — as a prime contractor you are expected to check it so you only subcontract to eligible firms. Periods on the published list typically run for multiple years; administrative agreements with a supplier can reduce the period in exchange for corrective action. For provinces, the federal Policy does not automatically apply, but many public buyers run their own integrity screening, and CITT bid-challenge remedies sit alongside — not inside — this system.

Common questions

Is the list public?

Yes. PSPC maintains a public "ineligible and suspended suppliers" list on Canada.ca showing supplier name, status, and the start and end dates of each measure.

Does a charge alone matter?

Under the Policy, a charge (not only a conviction) for a listed offence within the look-back period can ground a determination — one reason suppliers are expected to disclose charges promptly.

Related definitions

Sole-source procurement · CITT bid-challenge process · MERX tender platform