How to get a Supplier Contract History Letter from the Canadian Government
If you are looking to bid on international opportunities, a Supplier Contract History Letter with a list of contracts that have been awarded to your business by Public Services and procurement Canada (PSPC) is a useful tool. In this article, we explain how to request your own personalized letter.
Selling products or services to foreign governments is in many ways a massive trust exercise. All parties need confidence the deal will be done as promised. Reputations are almost always on the line.
That’s why virtually any foreign government thinking about doing business with you is going to want to know your track record serving other government customers. If you’ve been a domestic supplier to the Government of Canada, that experience can go a long way toward building your credibility abroad, especially with foreign governments.
Quickly compile your supplier contract history
In the past it was an onerous task to gather the proof of your domestic government supply experience, especially if you’ve had multiple contracts or sold into multiple federal departments. This is no longer the case.
The Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) offer a service that lets businesses quickly and easily gather proof of contracts awarded and create a personalized formal Supplier Contract History Letter.
The process is simple – visit Request your own Supplier Contract History Letter and follow the prompts to search for your supplier legal name. You can then choose from the list of contracts that have been awarded to you, preview your letter, and submit your request. You’ll get a signed copy within two business days, and you can include it as part of your bidding package for government contracts. You can request as many letters as you need, in English or French, and at no cost to you.
Writing a proposal for an international business opportunity isn’t easy. Download our guide on how to prepare and write a solicitation response so you can win more business.
Tool for selling to domestic and international governments
Many governments departments and agencies request information about past performance as part of their evaluation criteria for government contracts. In Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has established a policy to use vendor past performance information in awarding contracts in order to improve transparency, promote innovation, and ensure best value.
In the United States, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.305(a)(2)(ii), requires the contracting officers to consider information obtained from any source when evaluating past performance. This can include information from (but not limited to) previous contracting officers, news media, reliable commercial sources of performance information, state and local governments, and other references.
In the UK, Public Contracts Regulations 2015 requires that a suppliers’ past performance is considered by contracting authorities. While in Korea, the e-procurement system collects past performance data from private sector business organisations through automated data exchange. Guidelines on tender evaluation by the Australia Department of Treasury and Finance states that a tenderer’s performance in completing past projects can be used as part of the assessment criteria. It suggests that this criterion can account anywhere from 5 to 20 percent of the weighting.
These examples demonstrate how having a supplier contract history letter from the Government of Canada can be a valuable support document when bidding on contracts with governments.
Great addition to G2G proposal
When you work through CCC’s government to government (G2G) contracting approach, you’re backing your bid with the reputation and assurances of the Government of Canada. Showing that you’ve previously done work for the Canadian government as a supplier strengthens the proof of that relationship and the government’s confidence in your company.
Contact us to learn more about government procurement or if you are working with a foreign government department and would like the support from CCC and the Government of Canada.
This post was last updated on August 21, 2023.
While CCC’s government to government (G2G) contracting approach provides a direct, unsolicited proposal route to seize on international opportunities, it’s helpful as an exporter to have an understanding of government procurement processes.
Learn how CCC helps Canadian companies grow by partnering with them to help sell their products and services to foreign governments.
Let us help you explore ways that the Government of Canada can help you win more international deals.
