Selling IT to government in Canada
Canada's public sector buys IT at every level: federal departments, provinces and territories, cities, health authorities, school boards, universities and Crown corporations. Small firms do best below the federal trade-agreement thresholds and with provincial and municipal buyers, where the field is smaller and local experience counts.
Where Canadian IT tenders are posted
| Buyer | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Federal government | CanadaBuys, which replaced Buyandsell.gc.ca |
| British Columbia | BC Bid |
| Alberta | Alberta Purchasing Connection |
| Ontario | Ontario Tenders Portal, plus many municipal and broader public sector buyers on their own portals |
| Quebec | SEAO (Système électronique d'appel d'offres) |
| Other provinces and territories | Each has its own portal; many municipalities also use shared bidding sites |
Cities, health authorities and universities often post on their own websites or bidding platforms. StackBid collects the tech tenders from these sources in one place.
The rules that apply
Federal buying follows the Government Contracts Regulations and the trade agreements Canada has signed, including the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), CETA with the EU, CPTPP and the WTO Government Procurement Agreement. Above set dollar thresholds, which are updated every two years, these agreements require open competition and set minimum bidding times.
Provinces and municipalities follow the CFTA and their own policies. Below the thresholds, buyers can invite a few quotes or award directly, which is why being known to local buyers matters.
The federal government publishes every contract over $10,000 through proactive disclosure, a useful way to see who already does the work you want.
Supply arrangements and standing offers
A large share of federal IT spending goes through pre-qualified methods rather than open tenders:
- TBIPS (Task-Based Informatics Professional Services): IT professionals such as developers, analysts and architects, for specific tasks.
- TSPS (Task and Solutions Professional Services): broader professional services, including project management.
- ProServices: professional services, including IT, below the trade-agreement thresholds. It refreshes regularly, so it is a realistic first list for a small firm.
- Standing offers: pre-set prices for goods or services that departments call up as needed.
When a department needs work done, it often invites only the firms on the relevant arrangement. Check which lists block you from tenders you want, and apply when they reopen.
Security clearances
Many federal IT contracts require the firm and its staff to hold a security clearance through Public Services and Procurement Canada's Contract Security Program. A firm cannot apply on its own; it needs a sponsoring contract or bid. Clearances take months, so start the process as soon as a tender you are bidding on asks for one, and keep the clearance active once you have it.
Provincial and municipal IT tenders rarely require clearances, though many ask for criminal record checks for staff with access to systems.
What Canadian buyers usually ask for
- Insurance: commercial general liability, often $2 million, and professional liability (errors and omissions) for IT services.
- Bilingual service for some federal contracts, in English and French.
- Data residency in Canada for many cloud and SaaS contracts, especially for health data and in provinces with strict privacy laws.
- Accessibility: websites and apps usually must meet WCAG 2.1 AA.
- Indigenous participation: the federal Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business sets aside some contracts and scores Indigenous participation in others.
Can foreign firms bid?
Yes, on most tenders covered by trade agreements, if they are from a country Canada has an agreement with. Some contracts are limited to Canadian suppliers, set aside for Indigenous businesses, or require security clearances that are only open to firms with a Canadian presence. Check the notice's "trade agreements" and "eligibility" sections.
How to get started
- Register as a supplier on CanadaBuys and on the portals of the provinces you work in.
- Set up alerts for the kinds of work you do. On StackBid, pick your kinds of work and regions once.
- Bid first on municipal, health and university tenders near you, where local experience counts.
- Apply to ProServices when it next refreshes, and note which other arrangements block you.
- Read how to win government IT contracts for the bid itself.
Common questions
What is CanadaBuys?
CanadaBuys is the Government of Canada's official site for federal tenders, contract awards and supplier registration. It replaced Buyandsell.gc.ca and is where federal departments post open IT opportunities.
Do I need TBIPS to win federal IT work?
Not for everything. Many federal IT contracts go through TBIPS or other supply arrangements, but departments also run open tenders and buy through ProServices below the thresholds. Getting on TBIPS widens what you can bid on.
How long does a federal security clearance take?
It varies, but organization clearances commonly take several months. A firm can only start one when sponsored by a contract or bid that requires it, so begin as soon as you bid on such work.
Can a US or UK firm bid on Canadian government tenders?
Often, yes. Canada's trade agreements open many tenders above set values to firms from partner countries, including the US through the WTO Government Procurement Agreement, the EU, the UK and CPTPP members. Some contracts are limited to Canadian suppliers or need Canadian clearances.