Solicitation period

The solicitation period is the time a solicitation stays open for suppliers to prepare and submit a bid or offer. It runs from the day the solicitation is published or issued to the closing date and time stated in the documents. A response received after that closing time is late, so this is the window every bid team plans around.

In Canadian federal procurement, the length of the period is not left to chance. CanadaBuys guidance for buyers sets out normal minimums that depend on the type of procurement, its complexity and the trade agreements that apply. Related terms include bid solicitation period, bidding period, response period, closing date, notice of proposed procurement (NPP), invitation to qualify (ITQ) and request for supply arrangement (RFSA).

What determines the length of a solicitation period

CanadaBuys instructs buyers to set the period according to the nature and complexity of the procurement, any anticipated subcontracting, the procurement value and the trade agreements that apply. A simple purchase of off-the-shelf goods can reasonably close sooner than a complex requirement that needs teaming, subcontractor quotes and detailed technical responses. The guidance is published in the normal minimum solicitation periods page.

Normal minimum periods by procurement type

The CanadaBuys minimums break down as follows:

• No trade agreement applies, not low-value: the normal minimum is 15 calendar days. For low-value procurements, the period may be shorter when efficiency and cost-effectiveness justify it.
• Non-commercial goods or services covered by international trade agreements: the normal period is 40 calendar days. It can be reduced when conditions are met, such as electronic publication, simultaneous electronic access to the documents and electronic bid submission.
• Commercial goods and services: where the NPP and solicitation documents are published electronically at the same time, the minimum is generally 15 calendar days. Limited reductions are possible in the circumstances CanadaBuys describes.

Some PSPC vehicles set their own floor. A Task and Solutions Professional Services bid solicitation gives suppliers at least 15 calendar days to submit a bid, and the period can be extended according to the complexity of the requirement.

ITQs, RFSAs and urgent procurements

Invitations to qualify and requests for supply arrangements have their own rule. When an ITQ or RFSA is subject to one or more international trade agreements, the minimum solicitation period is 25 calendar days. Where no trade agreement applies, or only the Canadian Free Trade Agreement does, the cited guidance prescribes no minimum.

Urgent procurements can be shorter. For an internationally covered procurement, the period may be reduced to 10 calendar days when the urgency is substantiated and makes the normal period impracticable. Limited tendering may allow a period shorter than 10 days. Both rules are set out in the CanadaBuys guidance on ITQs, RFSAs and urgent procurements.

Amendments and extensions while the solicitation is open

A significant change to an NPP or solicitation document requires a formal amendment. If the change leaves too little time for suppliers to respond, the buyer may extend the solicitation period or cancel and reissue the solicitation. CanadaBuys explains this in its guidance on modifying a solicitation. Buyers are expected to give businesses enough additional time to review and respond when an amendment materially affects the requirement.

What the solicitation period means for suppliers

Suppliers must submit their bid or offer by the stated closing date and time. Treat that deadline as fixed unless an amendment changes it.

• Read the closing date and time on day one and work back from it to set internal review and submission deadlines.
• Check the procurement type. A covered, non-commercial requirement usually gives more time than a commercial one or a procurement with no trade agreement.
• Monitor amendments and clarifications throughout the open period, because a material amendment can change the requirements your response is based on.
• Allow for time to line up subcontractors and teaming partners before the period closes.

Tracking each solicitation's period, and any extension, is a routine part of bid and no-bid decisions on Canadian public contracts.