Bidding Opportunities Under Trade Agreements

Procurement opportunities are open also to Canadian businesses under the provisions of the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Canada-Korea Telecommunications Equipment Agreement (CKTEA) and the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP).

Eligibility Criteria

In general, qualification requirements include an assessment of the financial, technical and managerial skills of the supplier to ensure that the supplier can fulfill the contract.

Summary

Agreement on Internal Trade

The Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) applies to most federal government departments and seven Crown corporations. The AIT applies to procurement of goods valued at $25 000 and up and the procurement of services and construction valued at $100 000 and up. The AIT does not apply to procurement related to cultural industries, Aboriginal culture or national security.

North American Free Trade Agreement

NAFTA applies to most federal government departments and ten crown corporations. NAFTA applies to the procurement of goods valued at more than $38 000 (Canada/US) and $89 000 (Canada/Mexico), the procurement of services valued at $89 000 or more and to construction contracts worth $11.5 million or more. For Crown corporations, NAFTA applies to the purchases of goods and services valued at $445 000 or more and construction contracts valued at $14.2 million or more.

World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement

The World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) applies to most federal government departments. The WTO-AGP applies to the procurement of goods or services valued at $261 300 or more, and construction requirements valued at $10.0 million or more. The World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) is a multilateral agreement which aims to secure greater international competition for government procurement.

Canada-Korean Telecommunications Equipment Agreement

The Canada-Korea Agreement onTelecommunications Equipment Procurement (CKTEA) applies to most federal government departments and agencies and covers purchases of telecommunications equipment and incidental services (the services included in a covered goods contract) valued at $261 300 or more.

The following exceptions apply:

• purchases for commercial resale or use in the production of goods for commercial resale;
• for Canada, purchases under set-asides for small and minority businesses;
• purchases for the departments of Transport, Fisheries and Oceans, and communications equipment relating to Federal Supply Classifications 36, 70, 74.

NAFTA and WTO-AGP

Excluded goods and services for Canada

In addition to some general exceptions like procurements related to national security, the following five groups of service contracts are completely excluded from NAFTA and/or WTO-AGP:

• research and development;
• health and social services;
• financial and related services;
• utilities;
• communications, photographic, mapping, printing and publications services.

How can I find out about opportunities?

Publicly advertised opportunities are listed on MERXTM - an electronic tendering service (see the document MERX - Electronic Tendering Service).

U.S. opportunities are published in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD) and Mexican opportunities in the Diario Oficial de la Federación. Extracts from the publications appear on MERXTM.

What can I do if I think I have not been treated fairly?

The NAFTA, the AIT, and the WTO-AGP have a bid challenge mechanism for suppliers who believe that they have been treated unfairly, in accordance with the agreements. For the federal government, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) is the independent third party for the bid challenge mechanism for contracts covered under the Agreement on Internal Trade, the NAFTA, or the WTO-AGP.

• MERX: Electronic Tendering Service
• Trade Agreements
• Canadian International Trade Tribunal - CITT

• Business Access Canada

Alberta Contact(s):
Ms. Fran Weekes
Client Services Representative
Western Region
Public Works and Government Services Canada
5th Floor
Telus Plaza North
10025 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 1S6
Telephone: (780) 497-3682
Fax: (780) 497-3510
E-mail: fran.weekes@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca

British Columbia Contact(s):
Ms. Shamim Jivani
Client Supplier Relations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
641-800 Burrard St.
Vancouver, British Columbia  V6Z 2V8
Telephone: (604) 666-1902
Fax: (604) 666-3063
E-mail: shamim.jivani@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca

Manitoba Contact(s):
Mrs. Lucille Mahon
Client Services Officer
Public Works and Government Services Canada
1410 Mountain Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba  R2X 3B4
Telephone: (204) 983-0047
Fax: (202) 983-7796
E-mail: lucille.mahon@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca

New Brunswick Contact(s):
Mrs. Danielle Babineau
Corporate and Operational Services Officer
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Unit 108, Lobby C, 1st Floor
1045 Main Street
Moncton, New Brunswick  E1C 1H1
Telephone: (506) 851-3467
Fax: (506) 851-6759
E-mail: danielle.babineau@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca

Newfoundland & Labrador Contact(s):
Mr. Art Rice
Public Works and Government Services Canada
6th Floor, Phase II, Cabot Place
10 Barter's Hill
P.O. Box 4600
St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador  A1C 5T2
Telephone: (709) 772-4392
Fax: (709) 772-4603
E-mail: art.rice@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca

Northwest Territories Contact(s):
Ms. Fran Weekes
Client Services Representative
Western Region
Public Works and Government Services Canada
5th Floor
Telus Plaza North
10025 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 1S6
Telephone: (780) 497-3682
Fax: (780) 497-3510
E-mail: fran.weekes@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca

Nova Scotia Contact(s):
Mrs. Margot Campbell
Client/Supplier Relations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
1713 Bedford Row
P.O. Box 2247
Halifax, Nova Scotia  B3J 3C9
Telephone: (902) 496-5452
Fax: (902) 496-5016
Toll-free (information):   
E-mail: margot.campbell@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca

Ontario Contact(s):
Ms. Patricia Darling
Regional Coordinator
Ontario Region CADC
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Room 480
33 City Centre Drive
Mississauga, Ontario  L5B 2N5
Telephone: (905) 615-2033
Fax: (905) 615-2113
Toll-free (information): 1-800-668-5378 (in Ontario)
E-mail: patti.darling@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca

Prince Edward Island Contact(s):
Mrs. Danielle Babineau
Corporate and Operational Services Officer
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Unit 108, Lobby C, 1st Floor
1045 Main Street
Moncton, New Brunswick  E1C 1H1
Telephone: (506) 851-3467
Fax: (506) 851-6759
E-mail: danielle.babineau@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca

Quebec Contact(s):
Mr. Denis Arsenault
Marketing Specialist
Contracts Canada
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Suite 240, Champlain Harbour Station
901 du Cap Diamant Street
Québec, Quebec  G1K 4K1
Telephone: (418) 649-2871
Fax: (418) 649-2833
E-mail: denis.arsenault@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://contractscanada.gc.ca/en/index.html

Saskatchewan Contact(s):
Mr. Dick Lamb
Supplier Promotion Program Coordinator
Client Services
Supply Operations Service
Public Works and Government Services Canada
3rd Floor
1942 Hamilton Street
Regina, Saskatchewan  S4P 3V7
Telephone: (306) 780-5591
Fax: (306) 780-5601
E-mail: dick.lamb@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca

Yukon Contact(s):
Mrs. Diane Balmforth
Client Service Centre -Yukon
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Room 105
300 Main Street
Whitehorse, Yukon  Y1A 2B5
Telephone: (867) 667-3947
Fax: (867) 393-6707
E-mail: diane.balmforth@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca

Nunavut Contact(s):
See National Contact.