Bids and Tenders

WELCOME TO PURCHASING!

The Purchasing Division helps to facilitate the strategic acquisition of goods, services and construction for the municipality.

We strive to obtain the best value for the County and in doing so, encourage competition and ensure we follow principles of fairness, objectivity, transparency and accountability, as reflected in the County’s purchasing process.

If you do not find the information you require, please contact Purchasing for further assistance:

E-mail:  purchasing@haldimandcounty.on.ca

Purchasing Menu

Select a topic below for more information
  • Code of Ethics
  • Bid Irregularities
  • Tie Bid Procedures
  • Post-Award Bid Protest

Haldimand County Purchasing Staff are proud members of the Ontario Public Buyers Association (OPBA) and have adopted the OPBA code of ethics.  The code of ethics promote:

  • Open, fair and transparent processes
  • Employment of Best Practices to facilitate ease of procurement
  • Competence, excellence, efficiency, objectivity and impartiality
  • Continuous development of purchasing excellence​

If a Bid contains an irregularity, the Bid shall be dealt with as outlined below:

ItemBid Irregularity DescriptionOwner Response
1Late BidsAutomatic Rejection
2Unsealed EnvelopesAutomatic Rejection
3Failure to insert name of the Bonding Company on the form provided, where applicableAutomatic Rejection
4Failure to provide a letter of Agreement to Bond, where applicableAutomatic Rejection
5Failure to attend mandatory site visit(s), where applicableAutomatic Rejection
6Bidder has not been previously prequalified under a related prequalification process, where applicableAutomatic Rejection
7Bid received is from a Bidder serving a suspension period in accordance with Haldimand County Procurement Policy No. 2013-02Automatic Rejection
8Bids received on documents other than those provided by Haldimand County, when specified to do soRejected as Informal
9Illegible or obscure Bids or Bids which contain additions not called for, erasures, alterations, errors or irregularities of kindRejected as Informal
10Conditions placed by the Bidder on the Total Contract PriceRejected as informal
11Unit price has been provided but the corresponding extended total has been omittedThe extended total will be calculated from the unit price and the quantity specified, by the Owner
12Bid contains an error in addition and/or subtraction in the approved documentation format requested when unit prices are totalledThe error shall be corrected and the corrected total Contract Price shall govern
13Extended total has been provided but the corresponding unit price has been omittedRejected as incomplete
14Both the unit price and the total price are left blankRejected as incomplete
15Submissions containing prices which appear to be so unbalanced as to likely impact the interests of the County adverselySeek clarification and may be rejected
16Documents, in which all necessary Addenda having financial implication or scope of work amendments have not been acknowledged as required by the CountyRejected as incomplete
17Failure to insert the Bidder’s business name in the space (s) provided provided on the Form of OfferRejected as incomplete
18Failure to include the signature of the person authorized to bind the Bidder on the forms providedRejected as incomplete

Where Bids received from competing Bidders are compliant and such bids are scored equally or have the same low price or value for the Owner, the following process shall apply in order to break the tie and determine the Preferred Bidder:

  1. Legal and Support Services shall send a written request to the tied Bidders informing them of the tied bid and inviting them to attend and observe a coin toss in order to break the tie.
  2. All participants in the coin toss shall sign an attendance form.
  3. The Bidder whose submission was documented as being submitted the earliest will call the draw (heads or tails).
  4. The coin will be tossed in the air by a member of Legal and Support Services and allow the coin to fall to the ground.
  5. The member of Legal and Support Services will announce the face of the coin tossed showing upward and announce the winner.

In order to initiate a formal notice of protest under this procedure, please follow the instructions below:

  1. If the Complainant is a Bidder, they must have requested and received a telephone debriefing prior to initiating a formal protest under this procedure.
  2. All protests must be received in writing by the Manager of Legal and Support Services no later than fifteen (15) Calendar Days after the date of notification of the outcome of the selection process.  Any protest not received within the fifteen (15) Calendar Day period may not receive further consideration.
  3. The written notice of protest must clearly state the Bid Request name and number, nature of the complaint, history of events leading to the complaint (including relevant dates), previous discussions with Bid Request Contact and actions being requested of the Owner.
  4. The Manager of Legal and Support Services will make every effort to acknowledge the notice of protest expeditiously.
  5. On receipt of the notice of protest, the Manager of Legal and Support Services will review the complaint to determine if further action is appropriate.  A complaint may be dismissed without further consideration, where:
    • the Complainant has not requested and received a debriefing;
    • the notice of protest is received more than five (5) Calendars Days after the debriefing; or
    • the complaint is, in the opinion of the Manager of Legal and Support Services frivolous or invalid or otherwise inappropriate for consideration.

If the complaint is dismissed, the Manager of Legal and Support Services will notify the Complainant of the reason for dismissal.

If the contract value is over $100,000, should the Bidder continue to have concerns and is not satisfied with the decision, the Bidder may then request in writing to the General Manager of Corporate & Social Services, a mediator to assist in resolving any outstanding issues between the Complainant and the Owner.  The recommended mediator will be approved by both the Complainant and the Owner and will be selected from the ADR Institute of Ontario Inc.

The mediator will be required to provide their findings no later than 90 (ninety) Calendar Days (or 135  Calendar Days in extenuating circumstances) from the receipt of the complaint.  The following conditions will apply:

    • Costs for the mediator will be shared equally between the Bidder and the Owner.
    • If the parties cannot themselves agree on a mediator, one will be appointed by the ADR Institute of Ontario Inc. from its roster of mediators.
    • Any resolution reached through the mediation process shall remain confidential if requested by either of the parties.
    • If legal action has already been initiated related by the complainant, you may not use the bid dispute process.
    • Remedies available if there is a breach of a procurement requirements will be made through corrective action or financial compensation.  Financial compensation will be limited to either the costs for preparing the bid or the costs relating to the bid dispute, or both.
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