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Procurement practices

Unless otherwise exempt by Trade Agreements, we use an open, competitive process in the solicitation of bids using a Request for Quotation (RFQ) or Request for Proposal (RFP) to select vendors for the supply of goods, services or construction.

Authorized Manitoba Hydro corporate employees may also make small value purchases for goods and services with a corporate credit card.

We may precede the procurement process with formal requests for information through MERX, such as Request for information (RFI) and Request for prequalification (RFPQ).

Trade agreements

  • Effective July 1, 2017, our procurement is covered by three trade agreements: the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA), Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), and the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA).
  • The CFTA replaces the Agreement of Internal Trade (AIT) and was established to provide a framework to reduce and eliminate barriers to the inter-provincial movement of goods, services, labour and investment, and to bring about a more open and stable domestic trade within Canada.
  • The NWPTA creates a single economic region encompassing British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Tendering thresholds

  • Procurement requirements up to $5,000 can be purchased directly by departments.
  • Our preference is to competitively source goods, services and construction valued greater than $5,000.
  • In accordance with trade agreements, we electronically tender goods greater than $25,000 and services or construction greater than $100,000.

Electronic tendering

  • All Manitoba tenders over Trade Agreement thresholds are advertised, distributed, and received via an electronic tendering services called MERX. This is a nationwide system operated by Mediagrif, a Montreal-based company. To learn more about MERX email MERX, search for tender opportunities on the MERX website, or phone 1-800-964-6379.

Northern purchasing

  • We encourage Indigenous and northern businesses to participate in business and employment opportunities that arise from hydro development projects.
  • Our northern purchasing policy (PDF, 106 KB) aims to promote business, contract and employment opportunities by guiding procurement actions on work within Manitoba’s Northern Affairs Boundary (PDF, 145 KB).
  • Primary factors considered in all purchase decisions are quality of goods, attainment of schedules, and achievement of overall value.
  • Complete our vendor registration to tell us who you are and what products or services your company can provide. Your company will then be included in our vendor database, which we use when seeking sources of supply and application of the northern purchasing policy.

Business conduct

  • Contractors shall respect Manitoba Hydro’s Code of Conduct and not put any Manitoba Hydro employee in a situation where he or she may violate, or be perceived to be violating, the Code.
  • We realize that most gifts and entertainment are intended as expressions of appreciation and good will. However, as per Manitoba Hydro’s Code of Conduct, no gifts or entertainment will be accepted other than of a token nature.

Contractor employment database program

  • The contractor employment database program lets us track all equity hiring (Indigenous peoples, members of visible minority groups, women, and persons with disabilities) doing on-site service work valued at $5,000 or more where external labour is used.
  • Our objective is to survey contractors’ employees doing work on Manitoba Hydro’s behalf in order to allow us to report on specific groups affected by our spending.
  • Required documents to be download by contractors:

Vendor performance

  • We are committed to procuring goods, services, equipment, and supplies from responsible suppliers who provide quality goods, services, equipment and supplies and who abide by ethical standards and norms.
  • Our vendor performance management policy will assist the management of supplier performance. We have developed the policy to help ensure best practice contract management is followed.
  • The vender performance process does not speak to the disputes arising out of actual contracts. In those situations the contract itself will govern resolution.

Bid protest

  • Our procurement processes and policies are an integral part of a fair and open procurement policy. The bid protest policy facilitates this objective. It allows us to handle complaints in an organized, consistent manner, and to carry out the analysis and reporting requirements in order to improve our processes.
  • The NWPTA, CFTA, and CETA establish an avenue for complaints related to procurement processes with a bid protest mechanism that was implemented effective January 1, 2019. Read more about the bid protest mechanism on New West Partnership’s website.
  • This provides vendors access to a consistent, fair, and timely process to deal with vendor complaints with procurement processes.

Bid disqualification and debarment

  • Our bid disqualification and debarment policy is intended to ensure compliant practices and vendor adherence to contractual obligations.
  • This policy sets out monitoring requirements to address debarment, ensuring honest, ethical and responsible participation by individuals and companies.
  • The policy addresses the steps taken against companies or individuals who have committed fraud or criminal offense in violation of the law or serious failures.
  • Debarment is undertaken through due process and solely for the protection of Manitoba Hydro.

For more information, email Supply Chain Management.