Suppliers must fall in at least one of the following three categories: Diversity Certification —an organization that is certified to be at least 51% majority owned and operated business by a person(s) who belong to one of the following groups: Women, minorities, indigenous persons, LGBTQ+, veterans, or be a person with physical limitations or other disabilities BDC Client —supporting entrepreneurs is the heart of our business so whenever possible, BDC strives to make purchases from our clients, Canadian entrepreneurs Certified B Corporations —a certification for businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

Suppliers - Procurement and contracting

Want to become a BDC supplier?

Applying is simple. Just click the Register button below and complete our registration form.

Register

Already a BDC supplier?

Click the Register button to provide additional information about your business. This may provide more opportunities within BDC.

Register

Increase your chances of being a BDC Supplier

Registered suppliers benefit from increased visibility to the procurement team and other buyers in the organization who can invite suppliers to bid for new business contracts.

What does BDC buy?

Supplier diversity at BDC

BDC is committed to creating an inclusive supply chain.

We believe that sourcing products and services from under-represented communities creates a win-win scenario for Canadian entrepreneurs, diverse suppliers and BDC.

Who is Eligible?

You must fall within at least one of the following three categories:

Public procurement opportunities

You will find on Merx.com all procurement opportunities regarding:

Goods and services of more than $605,600
Construction projects of more than $6,056,100

BDC's Procurement Policy is to ensure the acquisition of goods and services in a manner that meets operational requirements and results in receiving the best value, in an environment where competition, transparency and fairness prevail.

Have more questions?

Please review our FAQ.

Complaints

Should a supplier wish to file a complaint, please refer to the page How to make a complaint—Suppliers.

General FAQ

Where do I apply to become a BDC supplier?

To apply, click the Register button to complete our supplier registration form. Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email notifying you that your information was submitted successfully.

If your company already provides services to BDC, we suggest that you still register, in order for us to have all details regarding your activities, certifications and regional coverage. This may provide more opportunities within BDC.

Please note that the information provided may be shared within BDC and that registering with BDC does not guarantee you will be contacted, even if an opportunity arises in your area of business.

Why should I register?

Registered suppliers benefit from increased visibility to the procurement team and other buyers in the organization who can invite suppliers to bid for new business contracts.

How do I know my registration was completed?

Once your application is submitted, you will receive an email confirmation that your company is now registered in our potential supplier database.

What types of products and services does BDC purchase?

BDC purchases a variety of goods and services. These purchase areas include:

Business intelligence
Construction project management
Corporate services
Financial and insurance services
Human resource management
Marketing and communications
Professional services
Real estate and facility management
Technology

For more detail please refer to What does BDC buy.

What are BDC’s expectations of their suppliers?

Suppliers must offer a product and/or service that is of high quality, competitively priced that comes with an assurance of excellent customer service.

All procurement activities undertaken by suppliers must comply with the BDC Code of Conduct, Ethics and Values and the Business Development Bank of Canada Act.

Does BDC provide a calendar of upcoming procurement opportunities?

BDC does not have a calendar of all upcoming procurement opportunities. However, suppliers who have registered may be contacted on an ad hoc basis for procurement opportunities.

For public procurement opportunities, please refer to www.merx4.merx.com/bdc.

Is it possible to set up a meeting with procurement to discuss my company’s capabilities? How?

We do not set up one-on-one meetings due to the large volume of requests, but we do participate in many procurement events through our certification partners and other associations. We would be happy to speak with you at one of those events.

How do you select suppliers? Is it a competitive process? How are suppliers measured?

We select suppliers who can offer a product and/or service that is of high quality, competitively priced that comes with an assurance of excellent customer service.

Our procurement processes are competitive to ensure the acquisition of goods and services is in a manner that meets operational requirements and results in receiving the best value, in an environment where competition, transparency and fairness prevail.

Supplier Diversity Program FAQ

What is supplier diversity?

Supplier diversity is the practice of creating opportunities for traditionally underrepresented suppliers to be introduced into large corporate and public procurement supply chains. It is a market access opportunity, enabling diverse suppliers to have a fair possibility to tender for contracts and/or to build the capacity to do so in the future.

Why have a supplier diversity program?

At BDC, diversity and inclusion are part of our business strategy. We want the organization, and the people working in it, to reflect Canada’s increasingly diverse workforce and business community. That’s why it’s important to us to create an inclusive supply chain and procurement process to increase visibility and opportunities for our clients and diverse suppliers.

Research shows companies with diverse supplier program benefit from:

greater supply chain competitiveness and resilience
increased innovation through the entrance of new products, services and solutions
enhanced organizational reputation and brand equity
increased sales opportunities in diverse markets
positive socio-economic development gains in diverse communities
increased employee satisfaction and retention.

The supplier diversity program creates a win-win scenario for Canadian entrepreneurs, diverse suppliers and BDC. Clients and diverse suppliers benefit from increased visibility and business opportunities and BDC benefits from competitive offerings and greater innovation that allows us to deliver the best value to our clients.

Who is eligible?

Suppliers must fall in at least one of the following three categories:

Diversity Certification—an organization that is certified to be at least 51% majority owned and operated business by a person(s) who belong to one of the following groups: Women, minorities, indigenous persons, LGBTQ+, veterans, or be a person with physical limitations or other disabilities
BDC Client—supporting entrepreneurs is the heart of our business so whenever possible, BDC strives to make purchases from our clients, Canadian entrepreneurs
Certified B Corporations—a certification for businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

Where can I get certified?

The following organizations, among others, offer certification:

Canadian Aboriginal & Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC)
Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB)
Canadian Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC)
Inclusive Workplace and Supply Council of Canada (IWSCC)
National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
WBE Canada (WBE)
WeConnect International (WCI)
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)

What are the benefits of certifying?

The benefits vary across each certifying organization but, generally include:

New supply chain opportunities
New sources of revenue opportunities
Visibility to possible purchasers through supplier databases, events and networking opportunities
Enhanced brand image as a certified business
Plus, additional benefits offered by the certifying organization

Why should I register with BDC if I am already certified by a certifying organization? Aren’t they sharing this information with you?

BDC does not have access to information from all certifying organizations. By registering with us, you are guaranteeing that your company information will be available to BDC.

Do I get additional points for being a diverse supplier, BDC Client or B Corp?

All proposals are evaluated on the same basis, with the objective of finding the right supplier for BDC’s needs. Our goal is to ensure that a large number of suppliers know about procurement opportunities at BDC, regardless of their background or status.

Supplier