CanadaBuys
The Government of Canada's central electronic tendering service for federal goods and services procurement, including most federal cleaning contracts.
Definition
CanadaBuys is the official electronic tendering service operated by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). Since replacing the older Buyandsell.gc.ca platform in 2022, CanadaBuys has been the single point of publication for federal procurement notices subject to trade agreements, including the Canadian Free Trade Agreement and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. Cleaning services tenders from departments such as National Defence, Public Services and Procurement Canada, the National Research Council, and the Parks Canada Agency are posted there.
How it works in Canadian procurement
Vendors register a free account on CanadaBuys, then receive email alerts when new notices match their goods and services identification numbers or NAICS codes. Each tender notice on CanadaBuys includes the buying department, NAICS classification, GSIN code, posting and closing dates, geographic scope, and downloadable tender documents. Vendors submit responses electronically through the CanadaBuys portal or, for some legacy procurements, by email. CanadaBuys also publishes award notices and contract history, which is the data source that powers proactive disclosure tracking. Standing offers and supply arrangements set up through CanadaBuys generate call-ups that may not be posted as competitive notices, so historical award data is the most reliable way to understand a department's purchasing pattern.
Common confusions
CanadaBuys is sometimes confused with provincial portals such as MERX or with the older Buyandsell platform. Buyandsell was retired in 2022 and its archive moved to CanadaBuys, but legacy URLs and references to Buyandsell still appear in older documents. CanadaBuys covers federal procurement only; provincial and municipal cleaning contracts are not posted there. Also note that not every federal procurement appears on CanadaBuys: low-dollar acquisition card purchases, standing offer call-ups, and contracts below trade-agreement thresholds may be handled through internal departmental processes without a public notice.
Frequently asked questions
CanadaBuys replaced Buyandsell.gc.ca in 2022. The archive of historical Buyandsell tenders moved to CanadaBuys at the same time.
No. CanadaBuys is federal-only. Provincial cleaning tenders are posted on MERX, Biddingo, Bids&Tenders, or provincial vendor of record portals depending on the province.
No. CanadaBuys is free to register and use as a vendor. The Government of Canada does not charge bid fees.
Related terms
- Request for Proposal (RFP) — A formal procurement notice used by Canadian government buyers to solicit competitive bids for goods or services, including cleaning and janitorial contracts.
- MERX — A commercial Canadian e-tendering platform widely used by provincial governments, municipalities, school boards, and Crown corporations to post procurement notices including cleaning RFPs.
- Goods and Services Identification Number (GSIN) — A federal Canadian procurement classification code that identifies the category of goods or services being procured, used alongside NAICS to route tender notifications.
- Standing Offer — A pre-arranged Canadian government procurement vehicle that lets buyers issue call-ups for cleaning services on demand, at pre-negotiated rates, without re-running a full RFP each time.
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