Selling To The Government of Alberta (includes Electronic Tendering)

Summary

The Government of Alberta adheres to the principles of the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) when procuring goods, services or construction. The AIT was established to reduce and eliminate barriers to the inter-provincial movement of goods, services, labour and investment, and to bring about a more open and stable domestic market within Canada. Alberta Purchasing Connection (APC) is the web-based electronic tendering system used by public bodies in Alberta to advertise their procurement opportunities.

Electronic Tendering

Alberta Purchasing Connection (APC) provides vendors equal access to purchasing opportunities from the Government of Alberta (including departments, agencies, boards, councils, committees, commissions, commercial enterprises and crown corporations) as well as, opportunities from Alberta's MASH Sector (municipalities, municipal organizations, school boards and publicly-funded academic, health, and social service entities). APC can be found at http://www.purchasingconnection.ca

There are no fees for APC's core services, which include browsing and downloading solicitation documents; however, vendors must register prior to downloading.

APC contains a ‘Vendor Directory’ in which vendors can enter extensive information about their organization. This information is available to the over 1,000 public sector purchasers who make use of APC. The vendor directory is not a source list, but it is a way vendors can market themselves to the Government of Alberta and Alberta’s MASH Sector. The Vendor Directory is particularly useful for vendors interested in ‘smaller value’ opportunities (see below).

Government of Alberta Departments

Goods

The Supply Management Branch of Restructuring and Government Efficiency purchases on behalf of Alberta Government departments all goods valued at over $10,000. The Supply Management Branch advertises these purchasing opportunities on APC. Government of Alberta departments have the delegated authority to purchase goods up to $10,000. These purchases are not necessarily advertised on APC and source lists are not formally maintained. Vendors interested these small dollar value opportunities (under $10,000) should market themselves directly to the department.

Services

Government of Alberta departments are responsible for the acquisition of services required to meet their business needs. When procuring services valued at $100,000 or above, departments must advertise these opportunities using APC. Purchases of services under $100,000 may not be advertised by government departments on APC (although they do have that option) and source lists are not formally maintained. Vendors interested these small dollar value opportunities (under $100,000) should market themselves directly to the department.*

Construction

Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation is responsible for the majority of the Government of Alberta construction projects, and so vendors in the construction industry should acquaint themselves with this department.* Construction opportunities over $100,000 must be posted on APC. If not included in the APC package, the package will outline how to obtain all related documents. Opportunities may still make use of the COOLNet system (www.coolnet.ab.ca) to distribute specialized construction documentation (plans, schematics etc.).

Other Public Sector Entities

Government of Alberta agencies, boards, councils, committees, commissions, commercial enterprises and crown corporations as well as, the MASH sector, are subject to the fair acquisition process enshrined in the AIT. These entities are responsible for procuring goods, services and construction required to meet their business needs. To learn more about the procurement practices of these entities, they should be contacted directly.

For More Information

APC questions should be directed to the APC Help Desk. Selling to government or AIT questions should be directed to Cameron Brown.

* A listing of departmental procurement contacts can be found at: www.efficiency.gov.ab.ca/acsc/smb under Key Purchasing Contacts in the Alberta Government.

• Contracting for Services
• Request for Proposal - RFP
• MERX: Electronic Tendering Service
• Supplier Registration Information (SRI)

Alberta Contact(s):
Alberta Purchasing Connection Help Desk
Alberta Restructuring and Government Efficiency
Edmonton, Alberta 
Telephone: (780) 644-5726
E-mail: apc.help@gov.ab.ca