The Government of Canada purchases professional services primarily through contract vehicles such as standing offers (SO) and supply arrangements (SA). In some cases, the use of a standing offer or supply arrangement is mandatory.

For Information Technology (IT) professional services contracts, the Solutions-Based Informatics Professional Services (SBIPS) SA is one of several available contract vehicles, and will be for years to come.

Solutions-Based Informatics Professional Services (SBIPS) Supply Arrangement (SA): Qualify for Contracts for Contracts for IT Professional Services [Open for bids indefinitely – Quarterly due dates: last business day of the month in March, June, September and December. The next due date is December 31, 2021.]

The SBIPS SA is one of several procurement tools for the purchase of IT professional services. While the better known Task-Based Informatics Professional Services (TBIPS) SA and the ProServices SA focus on contracts dealing with resource-based contracts (i.e., services provided by individuals), the SBIPS SA is used to procure complete solutions. PWGSC defines SBIPS as follows: Read the rest of this entry »

[ARCHIVED March 14, 2017 – This page will no longer be updated. Please see https://blog.theproposalcentre.ca//list-of-primers/ for current information on key Government of Canada and Government of Ontario contract vehicles]

The Government of Canada purchases professional services primarily through contract vehicles such as standing offers (SO) and supply arrangements (SA). In some cases, the use of a standing offer or supply arrangement is mandatory.

Learning Services SO and SA: Design, Development and Delivery of Learning Services across Canada  [Next renewal anticipated for December 2016]

The Learning Services SO and the Learning Services SA are the mandatory procurement tools for most purchases of learning services to be provided to locations across Canada. Learning Services includes all aspects of the design, development and delivery of classroom learning, blended learning and eLearning product development. In general, the provision of services involves the development and delivery of government-owned materials.

The Learning Services Methods of Supply are organized into the following streams: Read the rest of this entry »

[ARCHIVED August 2, 2016 – This page will no longer be updated. Please see https://blog.theproposalcentre.ca//list-of-primers/ for current information on key Government of Canada and Government of Ontario contract vehicles]

The Government of Canada purchases professional services primarily through contract vehicles such as standing offers and supply arrangements. In some cases, the use of a standing offer or supply arrangement is mandatory.

Task-Based Informatics Professional Services (TBIPS) Standing Offer (SO) and Supply Arrangement (SA): Qualify for Contracts for IT Professional Services [Next renewal anticipated for June 2016]
The TBIPS SO and TBIPS SA are two of several mandatory contract vehicles related to the provision of IT Professional services. Read the rest of this entry »

[ARCHIVED November 7, 2016 – This page will no longer be updated. Please see https://blog.theproposalcentre.ca//list-of-primers/ for current information on key Government of Canada and Government of Ontario contract vehicles. The Primer for the new TSPS Task-Based Re-Compete will be posted on November 8, 2016]

The Government of Canada purchases professional services primarily through contract vehicles such as standing offers and supply arrangements. In some cases, the use of a standing offer or supply arrangement is mandatory.

Task and Solutions Professional Services (TSPS) Task-Based Standing Offer (SO) and Supply Arrangement (SA): Qualify for Contracts for Non-IT Professional Services [Next renewal anticipated for June 2016]
The TSPS Task-Based SO and TSPS Task-Based SA are two of several mandatory contract vehicles related to the provision of non-IT professional Services. The other related contract vehicles are the TSPS Solutions-Based SA and the ProServices SA.

Task-based services generally involve the assignment of a resource or group of resources to complete a well-defined set of deliverables/responsibilities on a per diem basis.

TSPS is organized according to the following streams (each containing multiple categories of resources): Read the rest of this entry »

[ARCHIVED November 7, 2016 – This page will no longer be updated. Please see https://blog.theproposalcentre.ca//list-of-primers/ for current information on key Government of Canada and Government of Ontario contract vehicles. The Primer for the new TSPS Solutions-Based Re-Compete will be posted on November 8, 2016]

The Government of Canada purchases professional services primarily through contract vehicles such as standing offers and supply arrangements. In some cases, the use of a standing offer or supply arrangement is mandatory.

Task and Solutions Professional Services (TSPS) Solutions-Based Supply Arrangement (SA): Qualify for Contracts for Non-IT Professional Services [Next renewal is anticipated for June 2016]
The TSPS Solutions-Based SA is one of several procurement tools for the purchase of Non-IT professional services. While the better known TSPS Task-Based SA, TSPS Task-Based SO, and the ProServices SA focus on resource-based contracts (i.e., services provided by individuals), the TSPS Solutions-Based SA is used to procure a complete solution in response to a client business problem. Services are not related to one particular activity or initiative, and suppliers are expected to manage the overall project and accept responsibility for the outcome.

The TSPS Solutions-Based SA is separated into two tiers: Read the rest of this entry »

[ARCHIVED June 19, 2017 – This page will no longer be updated. Please see https://blog.theproposalcentre.ca//list-of-primers/ for current information on key Government of Canada and Government of Ontario contract vehicles]

The Government of Canada purchases professional services primarily through contract vehicles such as standing offers (SO) and supply arrangements (SA). In some cases, the use of a standing offer or supply arrangement is mandatory.

For professional services contracts under the $89,600, the ProServices SA is an essential contract vehicle and will be for years to come.

ProServices: Professional Services Contracts under $89,600: Qualify for Contracts for IT and Non-IT Professional Services, Ongoing opportunity to qualify – next due date December 31, 2016
The ProServices Supply Arrangement is a mandatory procurement tool for most purchases of professional services under the NAFTA threshold ($89,600 from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017). In 2014, ProServices replaced PS Online for contracts under the NAFTA threshold. Read the rest of this entry »

The Government of Canada purchases professional services primarily through contract vehicles such as standing offers (SO) and supply arrangements (SA). In some cases, the use of a standing offer or supply arrangement is mandatory.

For professional services contracts related to audit and accounting services, the Professional Audit and Support Services (PASS) SA is an essential contract vehicle and will be for years to come.

PWGSC PASS SA: Mandatory for Audit and Accounting Services [Currently Closed – To be re-competed Fall 2018]

The PASS SA is the mandatory procurement tool for most purchases of professional audit and accounting services. PASS is organized into the following streams: Read the rest of this entry »

Following the renewal of the Task-Based Request for Standing Offers and Supply Arrangements, the Government of Canada has established the 2015 median rates for TSPS Standing Offers by Region and Metropolitan Area, Category of Personnel, and Level of Expertise. The rates can be viewed online, or downloaded in Microsoft Excel or PDF format from the TSPS SO Median Rates notice.

Read the rest of this entry »

[ARCHIVED August 2, 2016 – This page will no longer be updated.]

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is seeking feedback from federal government departments and suppliers on the way that the federal government buys temporary help services (THS). To this end, PWGSC has provided two online questionnaires, one for THS suppliers, and one for client departments. The deadline for responses is 2:00 p.m. EDT, August 31, 2015.

Read the rest of this entry »

[ARCHIVED August 7, 2021 – This post is superceded and will no longer be updated.]

The Government of Canada currently uses Goods and Services Identification Number (GSIN) codes to identify products for all its procurement activities. Every federal government procurement is tied to a GSIN code. GSIN codes connect all of the procurement information on the Buyandsell.gc.ca website including Tenders, Standing Offers and Supply Arrangements, and Contract History.

As part of Treasury Board’s Data Standard on Classification of Procurement Items, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is implementing a transition from GSIN codes to United Nations Standard Products and Services codes (UNSPSC). GSIN codes and UNSPSC codes will be used concurrently for a time period, until UNSPSC fully replaces the GSIN in the Government of Canada by April 1, 2017.

Read the rest of this entry »