Registering as a Supplier

As a supplier, you have two ways of finding out about business opportunities with the Federal Government. You can keep track of opportunities that are posted on the electronic tendering service, MERX or you can register with government databases that buyers use to identify sources of supply for the products and services they buy. 

Eligibility Criteria

All suppliers who wish to do business with the Government of Canada.

Summary

Why register as a supplier?

For the most part, federal government buyers use MERX for higher dollar value requirements and purchases that are subject to any of the trade agreements. For low-dollar value buys they use telephone and trade directories as well as databases developed by their departments. However, Business Access Canada has a database of registered suppliers that can be used by all federal government buyers.

The Supplier Registration Information (SRI) service

This database is a directory of vendors who want to do business with the federal government. With SRI, registration can be done via the Internet without having to contact a Business Access Canada representative. However, if you do not have Internet access, you can still contact Business Access Canada to arrange for registration.

SRI is a government-wide database accessible to all federal government buyers and administrative officers so you only have to register once for buyers to be able to access your information.

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is now using SRI as the link to its own databases. When you register in SRI, the information becomes available to the various databases that are used by the department depending on the type of products and services you sell:

• Vendor Information Management system (VIM)
  This database is used to identify sources of supply for most products and services. Buyers can use VIM to generate lists of vendors who will be invited to bid for certain low-dollar value goods and services requirements. Note that professional services are generally purchased by individual departments often through MERX.

• SELECT system
  SELECT contains lists of pre-qualified real property firms (such as architects, engineers and construction trade contractors) identified by their expertise and the services they provide. When there is a requirement for any of these services, SELECT matches the specifics of the requirement with firms having the required expertise that are within a geographic range and have the least points of opportunity. In order to register with SELECT, firms and individuals first require a Procurement Business Number (PBN) which can be obtained by registering in the Supplier Registration Information (SRI) service.

PWGSC regional offices use these databases the most for low-dollar value requirements while the department's headquarters purchasing organizations are using them less and less. Instead, these groups are depending more on MERX.

What do I need to know about registering?

There are several things you should be aware of when registering as a supplier with the federal government:

• Once you have registered in SRI, information may be required for other systems. The amount and type of information depends on the requirements of a department or purchasing organization and whether there is a requirement for pre-qualifying firms before their registration is considered complete. However, for many products and services the information that is provided in SRI is all that is required.
• Registering in SRI and other databases is only one step in the process. Just because you are listed does not mean you will automatically get a contract. You should promote your company and your goods or services to contacts in government departments. They may suggest you as a supplier, possibly giving you a chance to bid.  
• Make sure you keep your listing up to date. If you change your company name, address product lines or services, make sure to amend the information through SRI.
• When you receive an invitation to bid, respond. You don't have to bid, but you should let the department know why you won't be bidding. By doing this you let the buyer know that you can still supply the products or services but are not in a position to submit a bid at this time.

Yukon Contact(s):
Client Service Unit - Yukon
Tom Sparrow
Director
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Room 105
300 Main Street
Whitehorse, Yukon  Y1A 2B5
Telephone: 867-667-3945
Fax: 867-393-6707
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca/text/index-e.html

---

National Contact(s):
Business Access Canada
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Room 6C1, Phase III, Place du Portage
11 Laurier Street
Gatineau, Quebec  K1A 0S5
Fax: 819-956-6123
Toll-free (information): 1-800-811-1148
E-mail: ncr.contractscanada@pwgsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca/text/index-e.html