PSPC has modernized its contractual documents

Update: A note about construction contractual documents was added to the Next steps section of this article to provide clarity.

Led by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), the Contract Modernization Initiative (CMI) was developed as part of the department’s commitment to modernize procurement. The CMI simplifies the Government of Canada’s contractual documents, changing both the structure and contents for greater consistency and transparency. 

The changes are as follows: 

• Contractual documents are presented with the same format and structure for a common look and feel, making it easier to find specific information
• Contractual document content will follow the logical flow of the acquisition process (for example, key business terms most relevant to suppliers, such as contract period and delivery date, will be located at the start of the solicitation document)
• Contractual documents will now include clauses in their entirety, instead of reference codes from the Standard Acquisitions Clauses and Conditions (SACC) manual
• Clauses have been simplified using plain language and more white space to ensure a greater understanding of each party’s roles and responsibilities; however, the legal intent of the clauses has not changed
• Related contract terms will be grouped by topic, with definitions now placed in the document annexes

Archiving of the SACC Manual 

Given that clauses will be fully incorporated into the contractual documents, suppliers will no longer need to refer to external sources such as the SACC Manual to access clause content. That said, because some contracts issued with SACC Manual clauses remain valid, an archived version of the Manual has been made available on CanadaBuys.  

Note: The archived SACC Manual will be temporarily available on Buyandsell.gc.ca until June 1, 2024. However, the archived Manual will remain available on CanadaBuys indefinitely.

Next steps

As of June 2024, this new modernized contract model will be PSPC’s default approach to building contractual documents. We anticipate that other departments and agencies will also gradually begin using it in the future.

Note: The modernized contract model for construction is not yet available.

Questions?

For more information about the modernization of PSPC’s contractual documents, contact the Acquisition Program’s Client Engagement team at: SPAC.PAEngagementdesclients-APClientEngagement.PSPC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca