How can I sell the Canadian Government?

It was a packed house that attended the latest COPA breakfast seminar "the Government of Canada Procurement Strategy". Representatives from the Federal Government led an informative seminar on the ins & outs on how to sell products to the Canadian government. If you missed it, here is a synopsis of the discussion. 


Attendees await the start of the COPA seminar on
 "How to sell the Government of Canada" at the
Toronto Airport West hotel in Mississauga. 

Canadian Government representatives, Manny Argiropoulos, Guy Ranger and Paul Dorion presented the audience with a presentation that both informed and enlightened the crowd on how to get started on the path of gaining government business. Their advice? First and foremost - get your company registered as a viable supplier to the government of Canada at https://buyandsell.gc.ca/. That is the first step in unravelling the potential of a customer that represents over $50 million dollars in annual office related purchases and transmits over 300,000 annual transactions. That is a lot of pens, file folders and office chairs. The potential of this account is staggering and every business should be exploring how their offerings can be of interest to the government. 


Manny Argiropoulos from OSME tells
 the assembled COPA audience how to do business
 with the Government of Canada

The good news is that you don't have to be a large multi-national player in order to meet the criteria to sell products to the various federal government institutions, nor do you have to be the winner of the "Standing Offer" in order to still be able to earn some federal government business.


Mr. Argiropoulos, from the Ontario Region "Office of Small and Medium Enterprises” (OSME), first led the discussion on how to get started with the government. As in everything, the best place to start is at the beginning, and for government of Canada procurement, the beginning means going to the buyandsell.gc.ca website, which is the authoritative source for federal procurement including the new Government Electronic Tendering Service buyandsell.gc.ca/tenders  that replaced the old "Merx" government tendering site. Within buyandsell.gc.ca, in plain language, you will be able to get your business registered as a potential government supplier and you will have access to potential business opportunities for your firm. This website is the source on how to sell to the Government of Canada – one of the largest buyers of goods and services in Canada. Once you are registered, your company will be given a PBN - "Procurement Business Number", which means you are registered and can become a potential supplier for low dollar procurements with Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), the Government of Canada’s main procurement group. You will use this number regarding all bids, tenders and invoices on any transactions involving PWGSC opportunities. Having a PBN can get you started - so go to the website and get your business registered. Having a PBN makes you known to government buyers.

Everything you need to know is available at https://buyandsell.gc.ca/ including all federal tenders that might be available to your company. There is a “google –like” search button that can help you navigate or search the site for potential business opportunities that might be of interest to your company.

Paul Dorion, team leader supplies,
discusses how to sell Office Supplies to the
 Federal Government

 Mr. Ranger, team leader furniture and Mr. Dorion, team leader supplies, head up the Public Works buying department teams for Office related products and they led a more specific discussion on how to sell products that are of interest to our industry. Here we learned the difference between "Standing Offer for Office Supplies" and a "Supply Arrangement". The standing offer is an offer that has been awarded to one or more office supply companies for a limited basket of goods that totals 1565 high volume items. It is not a blanket PO for the purchase of all of the items from the winning bids office supply catalogue. So even though you may not be the supplier of record on the standing offer there are still opportunities for companies that are government registered with PBN numbers and have products and services that are in demand but were not on the standing offer.

By having a supply arrangement with the government, your company can still be asked to bid on quotes for products not on the standing offer through a 3 quote competitive process. There are a set of predetermined conditions that must be met in order to qualify for the right to bid on contracts. Government of Canada offices have budgets up to $25,000 to purchase needed items that do not fall on the standing offer. A supply arrangement allows government clients to solicit bids from a pre-qualified pool of suppliers.  There are 110 agencies that are allowed to purchase on their own up to this limit. Accepting purchases through a credit card is a must, so be sure to be set up for this form of transaction. The good news is that all suppliers have an equal chance at this additional business.  


With our speakers (L to R): Manny Argiropoulos,
Paul Dorion and Guy Ranger from Public Works Canada


So the advice, get registered and then make contact with federal government offices in your area and let them know what you have to offer - it might lead to some nice orders and you may gain a long-term customer who should be able to pay their bills.

Editorial: If you didn't attend this seminar you really missed out on an excellent event with great information, that was attended by industry heavyweights. COPA is putting on some great shows that will help you in your business and if you missed this one, you really should consider attending a future seminar - not only for the information that you will pick-up but also for the  "Networking" opportunities that COPA makes available to all. I have always found these events to be a great place to meet and greet with colleagues that I rarely come in contact with or are completely new to me. It surprises me that many don't take advantage of the opportunities that COPA makes possible for all. COPA is here to help you further your business - take advantage of it.

Keep an eye out for the next event and hopefully we will meet up!!

For a transcript of this seminar or other information on COPA, contact COPA at events@copa.ca