10.1.1 As required by Section 5 of the Government Contracts Regulations, the contracting authority is to solicit bids before any contract is entered into. The competitive approach in determining a contractor should therefore be the norm. Because it is not always possible, practical, or cost effective to seek bids for every proposed contract, Section 6 of the Government Contracts Regulations permits certain exceptions.
10.1.2 Departments and agencies should not accept bids from one another or from the provinces, municipalities, territories or Crown Corporations unless the department, agency or Crown Corporation bidding is authorized by policy or statute. Departments and agencies may, pursuant to section 3 of the Contracting Policy, arrange transactions that involve the transfer of goods, services or real property between departments, Crown Corporations, provinces, municipalities and the Territories.