Data Standard on Classification of Procurement Items
As part of Treasury Board’s Data Standard on Classification of Procurement Items, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is implementing an international classification system for procurement items called the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC).
Adopting UNSPSC allows for consistent recording, aggregation and reporting of procurement information within departmental financial and materiel management systems. It helps departments manage the purchase of goods and services and meet reporting obligations established through policy and trade agreements. Furthermore, it aids in the data comparison to other jurisdictions using UNSPSC.
Learn more about Treasury Board’s Data Standard on Classification of Procurement Items.
United Nations Standard Products and Services Code
The United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC) is an open and international classification of products and services. It is composed of a five-level hierarchical classification code set and is owned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and managed by a third-party GS1 US.
The classification system is broken hierarchically into four mandatory levels of segment, family, class, and commodity, each level comprises of an eight-digit code. The fifth level, business function, is an optional level that the Government of Canada will not be adopting at this time. For more information visit the UNSPSC website.