Doing Business With the City

The City functions under the Public Procurement Act. This ensures that procurement is conducted in an open and competitive environment. This provides fair opportunities for suppliers to compete for City business while providing best value for City procurements. The City also functions under the provisions of various trade agreements.

Currently tenders must be publicly advertised when estimated cost meets or exceeds the following thresholds (unless an exception is available):

• Goods: $133,800
• Services (including Engineering Services): $133,800
• Public Works: $334,400
• Lease of Space: $100,000

Go to bids.stjohns.ca to learn more about the City's current procurement opportunities, to access the City's ebidding system, or to register your company to be notified of contracts that meet your company profile.

Included in the bid documents are the instructions regarding the submission process and how the bid will be evaluated. It is important to read, understand and submit based on the requirements of that particular bid document.

Tips for vendors

• Read the document carefully. There may be requirements in one document that are different from another.
• Ask questions. Some documents will have a question deadline. It is important to ask questions before the question deadline if you do not understand any aspect of the bid process or the specifications. Do not leave this until the last minute. Questions are only permitted through our bidding system and cannot be directed to anyone other than as outlined in the bid document.
• Prepare a checklist to ensure you are meeting all the bid requirements.
• Review. Have another person review the documents – a new set of eyes on the document can help.
• Submit your bid on time. Do not wait until the last minute. Things tend to go wrong when trying to rush to meet deadlines. It is important to note that late bids are not accepted.

Our procurement team appreciates the opportunity to work with current and future suppliers. You supply the products and services which allow our citizens and visitors to enjoy our city, and your feedback helps us improve our purchasing processes. We are committed to excellence through continuous improvement and we are very aware that this can only happen with the hard work and dedication of our vendor community.