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Supply Chain

UFV/Supply Chain/Procurement Services/Competitive purchasing

Competitive purchasing

Receiving maximum value is a fundamental objective when procuring goods and services. Value can be measured in terms of quality and process outcomes achieved through supplier competition that results in:

  • Quality at optimal pricing
  • Reliable service and performance expectations
  • Consistent and efficient processes 

Obtaining supplier quotations or formal proposals is required to allow suppliers in the marketplace an open, fair, transparent and non-discriminatory opportunity to supply UFV with the goods and services needed for business purposes.

At UFV, competitive procurement for goods and services is a shared responsibility based on type, dollar threshold, documentation and authority as shown in the table below.

Total value/dollar thresholds requiring competitive procurement
  UFV procurement policy
and procurement directive		 NWPTA* CFTA** CETA***
Procurement method Informal
(up to 3 quotes)		 Formal
(3 written quotes)		 Open
(Tender call/RFx)
Goods $5,000–
$49,999		 $50,000–
$74,999		 $75,000+ $75,000+ $100,000+ $365,700+
Services $5,000–
$49,999		 $50,000–
$74,999		 $75,000+ $75,000+ $100,000+ $365,700+
Construction $5,000–
$99,999		 $100,000–
$199,999		 $200,000+ $200,000+ $250,000+ $9,100,000+
Procurement authority

Client department obtains quotes
and forwards to Procurement
Services with SPR.
Procurement Services


* New West Partnership Trade Agreement
** Canadian Free Trade Agreement
*** Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

Competitive bidding process

There is a well defined process for procuring goods and services through competitive bidding, which is explained in full in the Guide to Competitive Bidding.

We would advise you to email procurement@ufv.ca as early as possible so that they can assist you in the process, including advising you on any exemptions and exclusions that might apply to your particular situation.

In essence, there are eight steps to the process, outlined below.

Stage I — Information gathering and document creation

1

Initiating

Email procurement@ufv.ca as early in the project as possible to ensure sufficient time for planning and conducting the competitive bidding processes.

2

Preliminary meeting

Procurement Services and your project team meet to discuss your project, the competitive bidding process, and your role in creating a detailed outline of your requirements.

3

Developing requirements

With assistance from Procurement Services, your project team will complete the Competitive Bid Scope Document and submit a Competitive Bid Intake Request.

4

Finalizing the solicitation document

Upon receiving the Competitive Bid Intake Request, Procurement Services will consolidate a full solicitation document.

Stage II — Selecting a vendor

1

Posting and closing

Procurement Services will post your project publicly to offer all vendors a fair and transparent opportunity to submit a proposal. Procurement Services posts notices on BC Bid and Bonfire and runs the competition using the Bonfire e-Bidding system.

2

Evaluating

Procurement Services will record the opening of all bid submissions and the Evaluation Committee will rate all compliant submissions according to criteria established by the Project Team in your competitive bid document.

3

Negotiating

In consultation with your project team, Procurement Services may negotiate with the selected vendor to further meet your project needs.

4

Contract award

In consultation with your project team, Procurement Services and Legal Services will draft the contract documents and obtain the necessary internal approvals to award the contract to the selected vendor. Procurement Services will notify unsuccessful bidders and provide debriefings as requested.

Bid resolution process

In the case of disputes over an awarded bid, the unsuccessful bidder must follow a specific course of action.

The first step is to email procurement@ufv.ca to schedule a debriefing. Debriefings must take place within fifteen (15) business days following notice of the contract award. Requests received after this time frame will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

If the matter is not resolved in the debriefing and the unsuccessful bidder still has concerns with a procurement process following a debriefing and wishes to formally dispute the outcome, they must file a written bid dispute notice with the Director, Supply Chain, by registered mail, within fifteen (15) business days of the debriefing.

The bid dispute notice must include:

  • The name and address of the bidder
  • Reference number and title of the bid solicitation
  • Detailed and factual statement of the grounds for the dispute
  • Supporting documentation
  • Designated contact during the bid dispute process