Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS)

The Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS) is the Government of Canada's official electronic service for publishing and finding federal government tender opportunities. Federal departments and agencies use it to advertise their requirements, and suppliers use it to find them. GETS is a federal procurement term and is not a NATO term.

GETS is now available through CanadaBuys, the federal procurement portal. CanadaBuys describes itself as the central access point for federal procurement information, including tender opportunities, procurement datasets and the Tender Management Application. Government of Canada guidance names GETS as the official source suppliers should rely on for federal tenders.

Where GETS sits within CanadaBuys

Older Government of Canada material described GETS as an online system that advertises government contracting opportunities to potential bidders. The service is also referred to as the Government of Canada's Electronic Tendering System, and it was formerly associated with Buyandsell.gc.ca, as noted in a PSPC procurement document from 2019.

Today the supplier-facing entry point is CanadaBuys. When a federal buyer publishes a notice, that notice is available through GETS on CanadaBuys. Suppliers do not need a separate system to find it.

Which federal procurements are published through GETS

Federal departments and agencies use GETS to advertise requirements and publish tender and award information, as described in the Government of Canada's guide to how government buys. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) publishes its solicitations there too. A PSPC procurement-strategy document states that all PSPC solicitations are published on GETS for the applicable bidding periods.

GETS is used for competitive procurements of goods, services and construction. PSPC's mythbusting guidance says tender notices are issued for purchases of goods over $25,000 and for services or construction over $40,000, subject to the applicable rules and exceptions.

GETS also carries defence and security opportunities issued by federal departments and agencies, as listed on the PSPC defence and security opportunities page.

Free trade agreement notices on GETS

Procurements covered by free trade agreements carry a publication requirement. Treasury Board guidance states that notices of intended procurement, also called tender notices, must be published through GETS via CanadaBuys for procurements subject to those agreements. For these contracts, GETS is the place where the competition is formally announced.

What suppliers can search

According to the Government of Canada page on searching opportunities, suppliers can use CanadaBuys to search for:

• Tender notices
• Contract history
• Standing offers
• Supply arrangements

Suppliers can also follow opportunities and receive information about amendments. CanadaBuys includes procurement opportunities from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). That listing does not make every NATO procurement a Canadian federal procurement.

What GETS means for a supplier bidding on Canadian public contracts

For a supplier, GETS on CanadaBuys is the first place to look for federal tenders. Monitor the opportunities relevant to your business, and follow each one so you receive amendments and updates. Where a solicitation requires it, use the electronic procurement solution to view the documents and submit a bid.

Contract history, standing offers and supply arrangements on the same service show how departments have bought before and which vehicles are already in place. Bid teams can use that record when planning pursuits. Always confirm requirements against the official notice on CanadaBuys, because the notice and its amendments govern the bid.