Frequently asked questions

29.3% of the $1,212.3B in federal contract value recorded between 2004 and 2026 was awarded without a competitive tender. The annual share has ranged from about 24% to 33% over the last decade and stood at 32.7% in 2026. See Displacing an incumbent.

In Québec — the only province publishing bidder counts — 67.4% of the 389,825 tenders recorded from 2021 to 2026 received exactly one bid, at an average of 1.98 bidders per tender. Category rates range from 34.6% in construction works to 75.4% in services. See Understanding single-bid tenders.

No. 76.4% of classified federal awards from 2004–2026 were under $100,000, and 95.4% were under $1 million. Contracts over $10 million represent 0.7% of awards by count. See Which contract sizes to chase.

Yes — by count, most government work is small-supplier work. 87.2% of federal awards in the compiled record went to vendors outside the top 100, and 183,024 distinct suppliers won federal contracts between 2004 and 2026. The top 100's 62.6% share of value concentrates in large instruments; the award count belongs to the long tail.

The CITT registry holds 2,043 complaints since 1990, recently running 38–108 per year against a federal system awarding tens of thousands of contracts annually. Use is concentrated: the most frequent complainant filed 16 complaints. See When to challenge — and what it costs.

Construction works draw the deepest fields in Québec's record (3.14 average bidders, 34.6% single-bid); services (1.78 avg, 75.4% single-bid) and goods (1.61 avg) run far quieter. See Reading competition data before you bid.

A standing offer pre-arranges prices with suppliers for defined goods or services, so buyers can call off purchases without re-tendering. A supply arrangement pre-qualifies suppliers without fixed prices; buyers then invite those suppliers to compete on specific requirements. Both are entry gates — being on the list is the prerequisite for the room.