How to bid on tender opportunities

The CanadaBuys tendering service displays tender notices from:

• Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
• other Government of Canada departments and agencies
• the broader Canadian public sector
• the NATO Support and Procurement Agency

The Organization column of the table on the Tender opportunities page will indicate which organization has posted the tender notice.

Opportunities from Public Services and Procurement Canada

PSPC uses SAP Ariba to post tender notices on behalf of other federal departments and agencies and Crown corporations. To bid on a tender opportunity posted in SAP Ariba, check out these how-to guides to help you through the process:

• Viewing Government of Canada tender opportunities on Ariba Discovery
• Responding to tender opportunities on Ariba Discovery

Not yet registered? Learn how to get an SAP Ariba account. 

Opportunities from other Government of Canada departments and agencies

Other federal departments or agencies posting on their own, and not through PSPC, will post tender notices directly to CanadaBuys. The Bidding details tab of a tender notice will contain all downloadable solicitation documents, which will include instructions on how to bid.

Opportunities from the broader Canadian public sector

Tender opportunities from the following organizations from across the Canadian public sector are included on CanadaBuys:

• Provincial and territorial governments
• Municipalities
• Publicly funded academic institutions
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Crown corporations

The bidding details of a tender notice will include a link to the organization’s website, where you will find detailed instructions on how to bid.

Opportunities from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency

CanadaBuys also posts tender notices from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). To find them, use the "NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization" filter on the CanadaBuys Tender opportunities page.

> Get more help with tender notices from the NSPA

Preparing your bid

All tender opportunities are different, so read their descriptions carefully and address each point completely. Their descriptions will explain exactly how to prepare your bid, when it is due and how it will be evaluated.

> Learn more about what makes up a bid

How bids are evaluated

Bids are evaluated according to a variety of criteria specified in the tender opportunity. 

> Learn more about the methods of evaluation

How contracts are awarded

There are many methods used to select winning bids depending on the tender opportunity.

> Read about how a bid is selected

Ways to get more information

There are a couple ways to get help or more information before and after the bidding process is completed.

Submit questions

If you have questions about or find an error with a tender opportunity, or would like to request an extension to a closing date, contact the contracting officer.

Request a debrief

Following the results of a competitive process, every bidder has the right to a debriefing from the contracting officer.

Attend free seminars

Procurement Assistance Canada offers free seminars to businesses interested in learning more about the procurement process.