When your bid doesn't win a federal contract, you have the right to understand why. Under Supply Manual section 7.40, contracting officers must inform all bidders that they can request a debriefing—a formal feedback session that explains how your proposal was evaluated, where it fell short, and what made the winning bid stronger. Every competitive solicitation must include this provision, and the process is mandatory upon request once a contract has been awarded.
How It Works
Debriefings aren't automatic. You need to ask for one, typically after receiving notice that another supplier won the contract. The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman defines this as "the process by which suppliers are given the results of the evaluation of their bid on competitive procurements, including, where applicable, the reasons their bid was not successful and the relative advantages of the successful bid."
What you'll learn depends on the procurement, but Supply Manual 7.40 and applicable trade agreements set clear expectations. The contracting officer will tell you the name of the winning bidder, the total estimated contract cost, and the winner's total score or evaluated price. You'll get general information about what made their bid strong—the "relevant characteristics and advantages" as trade agreements like CUSMA Article 1015 put it—and an outline of why yours didn't measure up against the evaluation criteria. They won't share confidential commercial information from the winning proposal, but you should walk away understanding where you lost points.
Debriefings can happen in writing, by phone, or face-to-face. Most federal departments document these sessions and keep records on file as part of standard procurement practice. Timing matters here—sometimes a lot. While Canadian policy doesn't specify rigid deadlines like some foreign procurement systems, you need to act quickly if you're considering filing a complaint with the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, which generally requires you to file within 10 working days of when you knew or should have known about a problem. The debriefing often starts that clock.
Key Considerations
- Request early and formally. Don't assume you'll get detailed feedback without asking. Send your request in writing to the contracting officer named in the solicitation, and do it soon after receiving the award notice.
- Trade agreement coverage changes what you're entitled to. Procurements above certain thresholds fall under CUSMA, the WTO Government Procurement Agreement, or other trade agreements that require more detailed disclosure. For contracts over $10,000, the Financial Administration Act already requires public disclosure of the winner's name and price, but trade agreements go further when you request a debriefing.
- Use the intelligence strategically. A debriefing isn't just about understanding one loss—it's about improving future bids. Pay attention to patterns in feedback across multiple procurements. If PSPC or DND consistently scores your technical approach lower than competitors, that's actionable intelligence.
- Know your recourse options. If the debriefing reveals problems with how the evaluation was conducted, you can file a complaint with the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman or challenge the award through the Canadian International Trade Tribunal. The debriefing often provides the evidence you need to decide whether to proceed.
Related Terms
Evaluation Criteria, Standing Offer, Trade Agreements, Contract Award
Sources
- Supply Manual – Section 7.40: Debriefings
- Office of the Procurement Ombudsman – Procurement Practices Review: Chapter 2, Supplier Debriefings
Bottom line: requesting a debriefing is your best tool for learning what separates winning bids from losing ones. Don't leave that intelligence on the table.