How to find and win public contracts in Quebec
SEAO, Quebec's single tendering site, the Revenu Québec attestation and AMP authorization, RBQ licences, French-language documents and how to get started.
Short answer
Quebec public tenders are posted on SEAO, the province's electronic tendering system, by ministries, public bodies, municipalities, and the health and education networks. Contracts of $25,000 or more need an attestation from Revenu Québec, and larger contracts need an authorization from the Autorité des marchés publics. Construction contractors need an RBQ licence. Documents are in French.
Quebec is the easiest province to watch and one of the hardest to bid in from outside. Nearly every public tender goes on one site, but the paperwork is specific to Quebec and the documents are in French.
Where are Quebec tenders posted?
On SEAO (Système électronique d'appel d'offres). The Government of Quebec says it uses SEAO as required by its public contracts law, and that SEAO posts notices from ministries, public bodies, municipalities and the health, social services and education networks. You can also see the results of awarded contracts there, which is useful for learning who wins what.
What papers does Quebec ask for?
| What | When it applies |
|---|---|
| Attestation from Revenu Québec | Supply, service and construction contracts of $25,000 or more |
| Authorization to contract from the AMP | Construction contracts or subcontracts of $5 million or more, and service contracts or subcontracts of $1 million or more |
| RBQ licence | Construction contractors working in Quebec |
The Revenu Québec attestation confirms you've filed your Quebec tax returns and have no unpaid account, or have a payment plan you're keeping. The Autorité des marchés publics (AMP) authorization applies to larger contracts, and the amount counts renewal options too. Construction contractors need a licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ).
Do I need to work in French?
In practice, yes. Tender documents, questions and addenda are usually in French, and bids are expected in French. Crews from outside Quebec often partner with a Quebec firm, or hire someone who can manage the bid and site communication in French.
What rules apply?
Quebec public bodies follow Quebec's public contracts law and the trade agreements, including the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Municipalities have their own contracting rules and must publish larger tenders on SEAO. Below the public tender amounts, buyers often invite quotes from a few firms.
What do Quebec buyers buy?
Municipalities buy snow removal, roads, parks and building maintenance, and snow is a very large share of local spending in a Quebec winter. School service centres buy renovations and maintenance for their schools, timed for summer. Health and social services institutions buy cleaning, maintenance and security for hospitals and care homes. Ministries and public bodies buy everything from building upkeep to IT.
Because SEAO lists awarded contracts, you can look up who won a buyer's last contract in your trade and at what price before you decide to bid.
Where should a crew start in Quebec?
- Search SEAO for your trade and region, and look at recent awards.
- Get the Revenu Québec attestation if you'll bid $25,000 or more.
- Check the RBQ licence you need for construction work.
- Plan for French: documents, questions and site meetings.
- Start with smaller contracts in one region to build references.
Where to go next
Read how to read a tender and tender words in plain English. Browse Montreal and Quebec City to see what's open now.
What to do next
Sources
Rules and forms change. Check the official page before you rely on a detail here.