C-65.1, r. 4 - Regulation respecting certain service contracts of public bodies

Updated to 4 January 2024

This document has official status.

chapter C-65.1, r. 4

Regulation respecting certain service contracts of public bodies

Act respecting contracting by public bodies

(chapter C-65.1, s. 23).

O.C. 533-2008; O.C. 696-2009, s. 1; O.C. 293-2016, s. 1.

CHAPTER I SCOPE

1. This Regulation applies to service contracts referred to in subparagraph 3 of the first paragraph of section 3 of the Act respecting contracting by public bodies (chapter C-65.1) and contracts considered as such in accordance with the fourth paragraph of that section except those referred to in the Regulation respecting contracting by public bodies in the field of information technologies (chapter C-65.1, r. 5.1).

O.C. 533-2008, s. 1; O.C. 293-2016, s. 2; S.Q. 2018, c. 10, s. 17.

2. For the purposes of this Regulation, the electronic tendering system is the system approved by the Government under section 11 of the Act.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 2.

CHAPTER II PUBLIC CALL FOR TENDERS

DIVISION I GENERAL

3. A public call for tenders must be made in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter.

If a public body makes a public call for tenders to award a contract involving an expenditure below the public tender threshold referred to in subparagraph 1 of the first paragraph of section 10 of the Act, the tender closing date set out in subparagraph 6 of the second paragraph of section 4, the requirement as to the place of the establishment set out in subparagraph 2 of the first paragraph of section 6, the time for sending an addendum set out in the second paragraph of section 9 and the composition of the selection committee provided for in the second paragraph of section 26 may differ.

In the case of a contract referred to in Chapter III, the public call for tenders must comply with the special provisions of that chapter.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 3.

DIVISION II TENDER DOCUMENTS

4. Every public call for tenders is made by publishing a notice on the electronic tendering system.

The notice forms part of the tender documents and must specify and contain

(1)  the name of the public body;

(2)  a brief description of the services required and the expected duration of the contract or the calendar for the provision of the services;

(2.1)  if applicable, a brief description of the options;

(3)  the nature and amount of any required tender security;

(4)  whether or not an intergovernmental agreement within the meaning of section 2 of the Act applies;

(5)  the place where information may be obtained;

(5.1)  a mention that the tender documents may only be obtained through the electronic tendering system;

(5.2)  if applicable, an indication that tenders may be transmitted electronically and that such transmission may only be done through the electronic tendering system;

(6)  the place as well as the closing and opening dates and times, the closing date being not less than 15 days after the date on which the notice is published;

(6.1)  the deadline for filing complaints under section 21.0.4 of the Act; that deadline is determined, subject to the third paragraph, by adding to the date of the notice of the call for tenders a period corresponding to half the time for receiving tenders but which may not be less than 10 days; and

(7)  the fact that the public body is not bound to accept any tender.

The public body must ensure that there is a period of at least 4 business days between the closing date and the deadline referred to in subparagraphs 6 and 6.1, respectively, of the second paragraph. For the purposes of this Regulation, Saturday is considered a holiday, as are 2 January and 26 December.

For the purposes of this Regulation, “option” means an option to renew or an option concerning additional services of the same nature as those initially required, offered at the same price and intended to fulfil the needs referred to in subparagraph 2 of the second paragraph.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 4; O.C. 680-2011, s. 1; O.C. 430-2013, s. 1; O.C. 293-2016, s. 3; S.Q. 2018, c. 10, s. 18; S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 236.

5. In its tender documents, a public body must provide

(1)  a description of the procurement requirements and conditions on which the contract is to be carried out;

(1.1)  if applicable, the description of the options;

(2)  (paragraph revoked);

(3)  the eligibility requirements of service providers and the compliance requirements for tenders;

(4)  a list of the documents or other items required from service providers;

(5)  the tender opening procedure;

(6)  where a quality evaluation of tenders is to be made, the evaluation rules, including the criteria selected and, for the purposes of Schedule 2, their respective weighting;

(7)  the contract award rule, including any calculation to be applied before awarding the contract;

(8)  the contract to be signed; and

(9)  any other particular required under this Regulation.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 5; O.C. 430-2013, s. 2; O.C. 293-2016, s. 4.

6. In order to submit a tender, a service provider must meet the following eligibility requirements:

(1)  have all the necessary qualifications, authorizations, permits, licences, registrations, certificates, accreditations and attestations;

(2)  have in Québec or in a territory covered by an applicable intergovernmental agreement an establishment where activities are carried on on a permanent basis, clearly identified under the service provider’s name and accessible during regular business hours; and

(3)  meet any other eligibility requirement specified in the tender documents.

Despite subparagraph 2 of the first paragraph, if competition is insufficient, the public body may make eligible any service provider that has an establishment in a territory not covered by an applicable intergovernmental agreement, provided that the public body so specifies in the tender documents.

A service provider who fails to comply with any of those requirements is ineligible.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 6.

7. Compliance requirements must specify the cases that will entail the automatic rejection of a tender, namely

(1)  subject to the third paragraph of section 12, the closing date and time for receiving tenders have not been complied with and, in the case of a tender sent in paper form, non-compliance with the place designated for its reception;

(2)  the absence of the document evidencing the tenderer’s undertaking or of the document related to the tendered price or, in the case of a tender sent in paper form, the required signature of an authorized person is missing on any of those documents;

(3)  the tender is conditional or restrictive;

(4)  in the case of a tender transmitted electronically, the fact that the tender was not transmitted through the electronic tendering system or a tender that is unintelligible, infected or otherwise illegible once its integrity has been established by the electronic tendering system;

(5)  the fact that the price submitted and the quality demonstration are not presented separately as required by section 16, where applicable; and

(6)  any other compliance requirement stated in the tender documents as entailing the automatic rejection of a tender has not been complied with.

Compliance requirements must also specify that the filing by a service provider of several tenders for the same call for tenders entails automatic rejection of all the service provider’s tenders. For the purposes of this paragraph, transmitting the same tender by electronic means and on paper form is considered as the filing of several tenders.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 7; O.C. 430-2013, s. 3; O.C. 293-2016, s. 5; S.Q. 2018, c. 10, s. 19.

7.0.1. Compliance requirements must also indicate that, in the case of a tender transmitted electronically whose integrity has not been ascertained, failure to remedy that irregularity within 2 business days following the default notice sent by the public body entails rejection of the tender.

A tender transmitted electronically within the period set in the first paragraph to remedy the faulty integrity of a tender sent previously is substituted for the previous tender as soon as its integrity is ascertained by the public body. That tender is then deemed to have been transmitted before the tender closing date and time.

O.C. 293-2016, s. 6.

7.1. Compliance requirements must also specify that a tender with an unusually low price is non-compliant and must be rejected, after authorization from the chief executive officer of the public body pursuant to Division IV.1 of this Chapter.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 4.

8. Provided that it is specified in the tender documents, a public body may refuse to consider any service provider who, in the 2 years preceding the tender opening date, has been given an unsatisfactory performance report by the public body, failed to follow up on a tender or contract or has had a contract cancelled because of failure to comply with the contract conditions.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 8.

9. A public body may amend the tender documents by means of an addendum sent to the service providers concerned. An addendum must contain the information relating to the deadline for filing complaints under section 21.0.4 of the Act or, as the case may be, for filing complaints under section 40 of the Act respecting the Autorité des marchés publics (chapter A-33.2.1) or for making an application under section 52.1 of that Act. If the amendments to the tender documents result from a decision of the Autorité des marchés publics, the previously mentioned information is replaced by an indication to that effect.

If the amendment is likely to affect the prices, the addendum must be sent at least 7 days before the tender closing time; if that 7-day period cannot be complied with, the closing time must be extended by the number of days needed to ensure compliance with the minimum period.

An amendment made before the complaint filing deadline indicated on the electronic tendering system that modifies the tender closing date defers the complaint filing deadline by a period corresponding to half the time by which the bid submission period is extended.

Subject to the second paragraph, any amendment made 3 days or less before the tender closing date results in a minimum 3-day deferral of that date. However, the deferral must be such as to ensure that the day preceding the new tender closing date is a business day.

Provided that it is specified in the tender documents, the public body may reserve the right to not consider a request for details made by a service provider if the request is sent to the public body less than 3 business days before the tender closing date and time.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 9; O.C. 680-2011, s. 2; O.C. 293-2016, s. 7; S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 237; S.Q. 2022, c. 18, s. 140.

9.1. Tender documents and, if applicable, any addendum amending them may only be obtained through the electronic tendering system.

O.C. 680-2011, s. 3.

9.2. A tender may be transmitted electronically only through the electronic tendering system.

O.C. 293-2016, s. 8.

DIVISION II.1 PROCESSING OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT A PUBLIC CALL FOR TENDERS

S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 238.

9.3. A complaint under section 21.0.4 of the Act about a public call for tenders must be filed with the public body not later than the complaint filing deadline indicated on the electronic tendering system. Such a complaint may pertain only to the content of the tender documents available not later than 2 days before that deadline.

The complainant must, without delay, send a copy of the complaint to the Autorité des marchés publics for information purposes.

S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 238.

9.4. On receiving a first complaint, the public body must make an entry to that effect on the electronic tendering system without delay, after having ascertained the complainant’s interest.

S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 238.

9.5. The public body must send the complainant its decision electronically after the complaint filing deadline but not later than 3 days before the tender closing date it has determined. If necessary, the public body must defer the tender closing date.

The public body must also, if applicable, inform the complainant of the complainant’s right to, as applicable, file a complaint under section 37 of the Act respecting the Autorité des marchés publics (chapter A-33.2.1) or make an application under section 52.1 of that Act within 3 days after receiving the decision.

S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 238; S.Q. 2022, c. 18, s. 141.

9.6. If the public body has received two or more complaints about the same public call for tenders, it must send both or all of its decisions at the same time.

S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 238.

9.7. The public body must, when sending its decision on a complaint filed with it, make an entry to that effect on the electronic tendering system without delay.

S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 238.

9.8. The public body must defer the tender closing date by the number of days needed to allow a minimum period of 7 days to remain from the date its decision is sent.

S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 238.

9.9. If, 2 days before the tender closing date, the public body has not indicated on the electronic tendering system that it has sent its decision on a complaint, the system operator must, without delay, defer the tender closing date by 4 days.

If the deferred date falls on a holiday, it must again be deferred to the second next business day. If the day preceding the deferred date is not a business day, that date must be deferred to the next business day.

S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 238.

DIVISION III SERVICE CONTRACTS OF A TECHNICAL NATURE

§ 1 . — Calling for and opening of tenders

10. A public body solicits solely a price to award a service contract of a technical nature.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 10.

10.1. If a tender is transmitted electronically, the public body must, at the opening of tenders, ascertain the integrity of the tender through the electronic tendering system.

O.C. 293-2016, s. 9.

11. Tenders are opened by the public body at a public opening in the presence of a witness at the designated place and on the date and time fixed in the tender documents, unless the tenders are in the form of a price list whose scope or layout does not make it possible to specify a total price.

At the public opening, the public body discloses the names of all the service providers, including the name of any provider who transmitted electronically a tender whose integrity has not been ascertained, although such information is subject to verification.

The public body also discloses, subject to the same verification, the respective total price of the tenders. Despite the foregoing, if the integrity of at least one tender transmitted electronically could not be ascertained at the opening, such disclosure takes place instead at the time of the publication provided for in the fourth paragraph.

The public body publishes, within 4 business days, the result of the public opening in the electronic tendering system.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 11; I.N. 2016-01-01 (NCCP); O.C. 293-2016, s. 10.

§ 2 . — Evaluation of tenders and contract awarding

12. The public body evaluates the tenders received, ensuring that the service providers are eligible and their tenders are compliant.

If the public body rejects a tender because the provider is ineligible or the tender is non-compliant, it must so inform the service provider and give the reason for the rejection no later than 15 days after awarding the contract.

A tender received after the closing date and time for receiving tenders may not, for that sole reason, be considered non-compliant if the delay is attributable solely to the public body.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 12; S.Q. 2018, c. 10, s. 20.

13. A public body awards the contract to the service provider who submits the lowest price.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 13.

14. If several service providers obtain identical results following a call for tenders, the contract is awarded by a drawing of lots.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 14.

15. The public body awards the contract on the basis of the procurement requirements described and the rules established in the tender documents and according to the price submitted.

The public body may, however, negotiate the price submitted and the price stipulated in the contract may be less than the price submitted if

(1)  at the end of the tendering process, only one service provider submitted a compliant tender;

(2)  the service provider agreed to a new price; and

(3)  it is the only change made to the conditions set out in the tender documents or to the tender in the course of the negotiation.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 15; O.C. 293-2016, s. 11.

15.1. The contract is awarded when the tenderer is chosen by the public body or, as the case may be, when the drawing of lots takes place.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 5.

DIVISION IV PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS

§ 1 . — Exceptions relating to scope

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 1.

15.2. This Division applies to architecture or engineering service contracts relating to construction work only to the extent provided for in Division IV.1 of Chapter IV.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 1.

§ 2 . — Calling for and opening of tenders

O.C. 533-2008, Sd. 1; O.C. 1747-2023, s. 2.

16. A public body must evaluate the quality of a tender to award a professional service contract; the public body must request a price, if required, and a quality demonstration based on predetermined evaluation criteria.

The price and the quality demonstration must be presented separately so that the first paragraph of section 26 may apply.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 16.

17. The provisions of section 10.1 apply to a professional service contract.

The public body publicly opens the tenders in the presence of a witness at the designated place and on the closing date and time fixed in the tender documents.

At the public opening, the public body discloses the names of all the service providers, including the name of any provider who transmitted electronically a tender whose integrity has not been ascertained, although such information is subject to verification.

The public body publishes, within 4 business days, the result of the public opening in the electronic tendering system.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 17; O.C. 430-2013, s. 6; O.C. 293-2016, s. 12.

§ 3 . — Evaluation of tenders and contract awarding

O.C. 533-2008, Sd. 2; O.C. 1747-2023, s. 3.

18. The provisions of section 12 apply to professional service contracts.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 18.

19. The public body must evaluate the quality of tenders as provided in Schedule 1 or Schedule 2, as the case may be.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 19.

20. Where an evaluation is based on a minimum level of quality, the public body must apply the evaluation conditions in Schedule 1 and award the contract to the service provider who submitted the lowest price.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 20.

21. Where an evaluation is based on measurement of the level of quality followed by calculation of the price-quality ratio, the public body must apply the evaluation conditions in Schedule 2 and award the contract to the service provider who submitted the lowest adjusted price.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 21.

22. Where an evaluation is based solely on measurement of the level of quality, the public body must apply the evaluation conditions in sections 1 to 7 of Schedule 2 and award the contract to the service provider whose acceptable tender obtained the highest final score.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 22.

23. A public body may solicit only a quality demonstration if a tariff applicable to the contract concerned exists and has been established under an Act or approved by the Government or the Conseil du trésor.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 23.

24. (Revoked).

O.C. 533-2008, s. 24; O.C. 873-2008; S.Q. 2018, c. 10, s. 21; O.C. 1747-2023, s. 4.

25. A public body may make a public call for tenders in 2 stages in order to award a contract.

At the first stage, the public body selects service providers by soliciting only a quality demonstration. The tender documents must indicate whether every selected service provider or only a limited number of them will be invited to take part in the second stage.

The public body opens the tenders only in the presence of the secretary of the selection committee or its representative at the designated place and on the date and time fixed in the tender documents and applies the provisions of section 10.1.

The public body evaluates the tenders received, ensuring that the service providers are eligible and their tenders are compliant.

The selection committee evaluates the quality of a tender according to the following conditions and procedure:

(1)  if all the selected service providers are invited to take part in the second stage, the quality of a tender is evaluated in accordance with the evaluation conditions in Schedule 1 and all the providers who meet at least the minimum quality level are retained;

(2)  if only a limited number of service providers are invited to take part in the second stage, the quality of a tender is evaluated in accordance with the evaluation conditions in sections 1 to 7 of Schedule 2 and only those who obtain the highest final scores are retained.

If the public body rejects a tender because the service provider is ineligible or the tender is non-compliant, the public body so informs the service provider and gives the reason for the rejection at the time of sending selected service providers their invitation to take part in the second stage.

The public body publishes in the electronic tendering system the names of the service providers who took part in the first stage within 4 working days following the public opening of the tenders filed during the second stage.

At the second stage, the public body invites the selected service providers to submit a tender that includes only a price or a quality demonstration with or without a price.

If only a price is required, sections 10 to 15.1 apply and, where the quality level of a tender is evaluated, sections 16 to 23 and 26 to 28 apply.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 25; O.C. 430-2013, s. 7; I.N. 2016-01-01 (NCCP); O.C. 293-2016, s. 13; O.C. 1747-2023, s. 5.

26. Tenders are to be evaluated by a selection committee set up for that purpose by the public body. If a price is submitted, the committee must evaluate quality without knowing the price submitted.

The selection committee must be composed of a secretary in charge of coordinating activities and of at least 3 members.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 26.

27. The provisions of sections 14 to 15.1 apply to a professional service contract, except that the condition in subparagraph 1 of the second paragraph of section 15 is that only one service provider must have submitted an acceptable tender.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 27; O.C. 430-2013, s. 8.

28. The public body must inform each tenderer of the results of the tender quality evaluation for each of the stages including such evaluation in which the tenderer participated. Such communication takes place at the time of sending to the tenderers retained after the first stage an invitation to participate in the second stage or within 15 days of the contract awarding, as the case may be.

If Schedule 1 applies, the particulars sent to tenderers are

(1)  confirmation that their tender was accepted or not; and

(2)  as the case may be, the names of the tenderers qualified for the second stage or the name of and price submitted by the successful tenderer.

If Schedule 2 applies, the particulars sent to tenderers are

(1)  confirmation that their tender was accepted or not;

(2)  in the case of an evaluation based only on the measurement of the level of quality of the tenders, their quality score and rank according to the quality score and, as the case may be, the names of the tenderers qualified for the second stage or the name and quality score of the successful tenderer;

(3)  in the case of an evaluation based on the measurement of the level of quality of the tenders followed by calculation of the price-quality ratio, their quality score, their adjusted price and their rank according to the adjusted prices and, as the case may be, the names of the tenderers qualified for the second stage or the name, quality score and price of the successful tenderer, and the resulting adjusted price;

(4)  in the case of an evaluation based on the measurement of the level of quality of the tenders followed by an appraisal of the submitted price, their quality score, their final score including the evaluation of the price of the tender and their rank according to their final score, and the name, quality score, submitted price and final score of the successful tenderer including the evaluation of the submitted price.

Moreover, on the written request of a tenderer sent within 30 days after the communication made under the first paragraph, the public body must present to the tenderer the results of the tender evaluation for each criterion used to evaluate the quality, and briefly set out the reasons justifying the fact that the tender was not accepted. That feedback must be provided, as the case may be, within 30 days after the date of receipt of the tenderer’s request if the request was sent after the awarding of the contract, or within 30 days after the awarding of the contract if the request was sent before that date.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 28; O.C. 873-2008; O.C. 293-2016, s. 14; O.C. 1747-2023, s. 6.

29. Except for contracts for financial or banking services, section 16 and sections 18 to 28 apply where the public body evaluates the quality of a tender following an invitation to tender. However, the composition of the selection committee provided for in the second paragraph of section 26 may differ.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 29.

DIVISION IV.1 TENDERS WITH AN UNUSUALLY LOW PRICE

O.C. 430-2013, s. 9.

29.1. The price of a tender is unusually low if an extensive and documented analysis by the committee referred to in section 29.3 shows that the submitted price cannot enable the service provider to carry out the contract on the conditions set in the tender documents without jeopardizing the performance of the contract.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 9.

29.2. Where a public body observes that the price of a tender is unusually low, the public body requests to the service provider that it exposes in writing, within 5 days of receiving such request, the reasons warranting such price.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 9.

29.3. If the service provider fails to submit explanations within the time set in section 29.2 or if, despite the explanations provided, the public body still considers the price to seem unusually low, the public body forwards the tender to a committee set up for that purpose for analysis.

The committee is composed of the contract rules compliance monitor of the public body and at least 3 members designated by the chief executive officer of the public body who are not involved in the awarding process.

The contract rules compliance monitor supervises the committee’s work.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 9.

29.4. In analyzing the tender, the committee takes the following factors into account:

(1)  the gap between the tendered price and the public body’s estimate of the expenditure, which is confirmed by an adequate and rigorous audit;

(2)  the gap between the tendered price and the price tendered by the other service providers that have submitted a compliant tender;

(3)  the gap between the tendered price and the price paid by the public body, or by another public body, under a similar contract, taking into account the economic context; and

(4)  the representations made by the service provider concerning the existence of particular facts that have an influence on the tendered price, such as

(a)  the conditions for the carrying out of the services covered by the call for tenders;

(b)  the exceptionally favorable circumstances helping the service provider in the performance of the contract;

(c)  the innovative character of the tender;

(d)  the working conditions of the service provider’s employees or, if applicable, subcontractors; and

(e)  the government financial assistance received by the service provider.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 9.

29.5. The committee states in a report its conclusions and the reasons in support of the committee’s conclusions.

If the conclusions are that the tendered price is not unusually low, the contract rules compliance monitor sends a copy of the report to the chief executive officer of the public body.

If the conclusions are that the tendered price is unusually low, the contract rules compliance monitor sends a copy of the report to the service provider.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 9.

29.6. The service provider may, within 10 days of receiving the report referred to in section 29.5, send written comments to the contract rules compliance monitor of the public body.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 9.

29.7. Having taken cognizance of the comments, if any, the committee decides whether it upholds the conclusions of its report or not.

If the committee does not uphold the conclusions of its report, the contract rules compliance monitor sends a copy of the updated report to the chief executive officer of the public body.

If the committee upholds the conclusions of its report, the contract rules compliance monitor sends a copy of the updated report, if applicable, to the chief executive officer of the public body, who authorizes the rejection of the tender not later than before the expiry of the period of validity of tenders.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 9.

29.8. The public body informs the Conseil du trésor of the tenders rejected pursuant to this Division.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 9.

CHAPTER III SPECIAL RULES FOR AWARDING CONTRACTS

DIVISION I TASK ORDER CONTRACTS

30. A public body may enter into a task order contract with one or more service providers when the procurement requirements are recurrent and the number of requests, the rate or frequency at which they are to be performed are uncertain. In respect of architecture or engineering services relating to construction work, such a contract may be entered into only in accordance with the provisions of Subdivision 4 of Division IV.1 of Chapter IV.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 30; O.C. 1747-2023, s. 7.

31. The public body must indicate in the tender documents the extent of the services that the public body intends to request or, failing that, the approximate monetary value of the contract.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 31; O.C. 293-2016, s. 15.

32. If the task order contract is entered into with more than one service provider, the performance requests are made to the service provider who submitted the lowest price, unless the provider cannot perform the service, in which case the other providers are solicited according to their respective rank.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 32.

32.1. (Revoked).

O.C. 696-2009, s. 2; O.C. 430-2013, s. 10.

DIVISION II SERVICE CONTRACTS OF A TECHNICAL NATURE

33. Despite section 10, a public body may decide to evaluate the quality of a tender in order to award a service contract of a technical nature and must then apply the provisions of Division IV of Chapter II.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 33.

DIVISION III PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS

34. Despite section 16, a public body may decide to solicit only a price in order to award a professional service contract, except a contract referred to in Division IV.1 of Chapter IV; the public body must then apply the provisions of Division III of Chapter II.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 34; O.C. 1747-2023, s. 8.

CHAPTER IV SPECIAL CONTRACTS

DIVISION I LEGAL SERVICE CONTRACTS

35. A legal service contract may be entered into by mutual agreement.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 35.

36. For the public bodies referred to in subparagraph 1 of the first paragraph of section 4 of the Act, a legal service contract is entered into by the Minister of Justice or with the Minister’s consent, except if such a contract concerns only the activities on foreign soil of a delegation general, a delegation or another form of representation of Québec abroad, established pursuant to section 28 of the Act respecting the Ministère des Relations internationales (chapter M-25.1.1).

The consent mentioned in the first paragraph, given prior to entering into the legal service contract pertains to the choice of advocate or notary and to the fees that will be granted to him or her pursuant to the Regulation respecting the fees for certain legal services rendered to bodies of the Government (chapter C-65.1, r. 7.3).

O.C. 533-2008, s. 36; O.C. 1238-2018, s. 13.

DIVISION II FINANCIAL OR BANKING SERVICE CONTRACTS

37. A financial or banking service contract may be entered into by mutual agreement.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 37.

38. For the public bodies referred to in subparagraph 1 or 2 of the first paragraph of section 4 of the Act, a financial or banking service contract is entered into by the Minister of Finance or with the Minister’s consent.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 38.

DIVISION III ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN CONTRACTS

39. A public body may solicit only a quality demonstration to award an advertising campaign contract.

The amount indicated in the contract may not be greater than the amount predetermined in the tender documents.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 39.

DIVISION IV TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE CONTRACTS

40. In the case of engineering service contracts relating to transport infrastructure for which only a quality demonstration is solicited in accordance with section 23, the special awarding rules below may be applied with the authorization of the Minister of Transport:

(1)  following a single public call for tenders, contracts are awarded to more than one service provider, despite section 22;

(2)  a task order contract is awarded to more than one service provider, despite section 32.

For the purposes of subparagraph 1 of the first paragraph, contracts are awarded to the service providers whose acceptable tenders obtained the highest final scores. If the monetary value of the contracts differs, the contract with the highest value is awarded to the service provider whose acceptable tender obtained the highest final score, and so on.

For the purposes of subparagraph 2 of the first paragraph, the tender documents must indicate whether all or a limited number of the service providers who submitted an acceptable tender will be retained. In the case of a limited number, the service providers retained are those who obtained the highest final scores. Performance requests are then distributed among the service providers retained in a fair manner that takes into account the objectives set out in subparagraphs 2 and 6 of the first paragraph of section 2 of the Act.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 40; O.C. 873-2008; O.C. 1747-2023, s. 14.

DIVISION IV.1 ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING SERVICE CONTRACTS RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION WORK

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

In force: 2025-07-05

§ 1 . — Contracts awarded following an evaluation based on measurement of the level of quality of tenders followed by a negotiation of the price of the contract

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

In force: 2025-07-05

40.1. A public body may, to award an architecture or engineering contract relating to construction work, request a quality demonstration based on predetermined evaluation criteria in order to negotiate the price of the contract.

The public body opens the tenders only in the presence of the secretary of the selection committee or its representative at the designated place and on the date and time fixed in the tender documents and applies the provisions of section 10.1.

The public body evaluates the quality of a tender in accordance with the evaluation conditions in sections 1 to 7 of Schedule 2. If several service providers obtain identical final scores, the public body determines the ranking of the service providers concerned by a drawing of lots.

Within 15 days of the date of informing service providers of the result of the tender quality evaluation, the public body must begin negotiations on the price of the contract with the service provider whose acceptable tender obtained the highest final score, or who won the draw, where applicable.

The negotiation period to enter into a written agreement is 90 days. Not later than the 60th day of this period, if no agreement has been reached, the public body must inform the tenderer of the state of negotiations.

If the parties terminate negotiations or upon the expiry of the 90-day period, the public body negotiates the price of the contract, in accordance with the conditions in the fifth paragraph, with the subsequent service provider whose acceptable tender obtained the highest final score or who won the draw, where applicable. The public body proceeds in this manner until an agreement is entered into or until there are no more service providers whose tenders are acceptable.

The contract is awarded to the service provider with which the public body enters into a written agreement.

The public body publishes in the electronic tendering system the names of the service providers who filed tenders within 4 working days following the awarding of the contract.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

In force: 2025-07-05

40.2. Sections 15.1, 18, 26 and 28 apply to the contract awarding process performed under this subdivision.

In the case of an invitation to tender, the composition of the selection committee may differ from that provided for in the second paragraph of section 26. In addition, the communication to the tenderer provided for in subparagraph 2 of the third paragraph of section 28 of the tenderer’s quality score and rank must take place within 15 days of the evaluation of the quality of tenders.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

§ 2 . — Contract awarded following an evaluation based on measurement of the level of quality of tenders followed by an evaluation of the price submitted

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

40.3. A public body may, to award an architecture or engineering service contract relating to construction work, request a price and a quality demonstration.

Tenders are given a score out of a total of 100 points, including not less than 40 points and not more than 70 points for quality and not less than 30 points and not more than 60 points for the price.

The quality of a tender is evaluated in accordance with the evaluation conditions in sections 1 to 7 of Schedule 2.

The tendered price is evaluated on the basis of the gap between that price and

(1)  the median market price (MMP), which is calculated on the basis of the prices of acceptable tenders submitted and the contract price estimated by the public body at the time of the call for tenders;

(2)  the upper limit (UL) and lower limit (LL) of a price range determined on the basis of the median market price, which are calculated according to the following formulas:

LL = MMP × (1 - X)

UL = MMP × (1 + X)

where X is the proportion, expressed as a percentage, of the contract price estimated at the time of the call for tenders that the public body is prepared to pay in excess of that price, the proportion being not less than 40% and not more than 60%.

The maximum points relating to the price are attributed to the tender whose price is within the optimal market price range whose upper and lower limits are established by subtracting or adding, as the case may be, to the median market price an amount equivalent to 5% of the value of that median.

No points are attributed to a tender whose price is outside the price range determined in accordance with subparagraph 2 of the fourth paragraph.

In addition, the number of points attributed to a tender that is covered neither by the fifth nor the sixth paragraphs is calculated according to the following formula:

(Y - | MMP - P |)		× Z
(Y - (MMP × 5%))

where

P is the price submitted;

Y is the amount resulting from the difference between the upper limit of the price range and the median market price;

Z is the maximum points relating to price that can be attributed to a tender.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

40.4. The tender documents must indicate the proportion, expressed as a percentage, of the contract price estimated at the time of the call for tenders that the public body is prepared to pay in excess of that price.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

40.5. At the tender opening, the public body must disclose its estimate of the contract price at the time of the call for tenders. It must also publish that estimate in the electronic tendering system within 4 business days following the tender opening.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

40.6. The contract is awarded to the service provider whose tender obtained the highest final score.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

40.7. The second paragraph of section 16 and sections 17, 18 and 26 to 28 apply to the contract awarding process performed under this subdivision.

If several service providers obtain identical results, the contract is awarded to the service provider which submits the lowest price or, if the price is identical, by a drawing of lots. In the case of an invitation to tender, the composition of the selection committee may differ from that provided for in the second paragraph of section 26.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

§ 3 . — Contract awarded following a design competition

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

40.8. A public body may, to award an architecture or engineering service contract relating to construction work or a contract for both architecture services and engineering relating to such work, hold a competition where a jury selects a design.

For the purpose of this Regulation, the candidates and finalists of a competition under this subdivision are, depending on the context, service providers or tenderer, submissions and proposals are tenders, and the winner of such a competition is the successful tenderer of a public call for tenders.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

40.9. The public body constitutes a jury in charge of selecting one of the proposals submitted for the competition. The jury is made up of a selection committee established in accordance with section 26 and one or more persons of public renown. Those persons must be fewer than the members of the selection committee.

At least one of the jury members must be an architect for architecture service contracts and at least one of the jury members must be an engineer for engineering service contracts. For contracts involving both architecture and engineering services, the jury must include at least one architect and one engineer.

The public body may also invite any person with expertise to act as advisor to the jury at any stage of the competition.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

40.10. The public body determines the situations in which a conflict of interest is deemed to arise between candidates and the person or persons of public notoriety who are members of the jury. Candidates who are in one of those situations become ineligible.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

40.11. The public body conducts the competition by means of a two-stage public call for tenders.

At the first stage, the public body selects candidates by soliciting only a quality demonstration.

The public body opens the applications only in the presence of the secretary of the selection committee or its representative at the designated place and on the date and time fixed in the tender documents and applies the provisions of section 10.1.

The public body evaluates the submissions received, ensuring that candidates are eligible and their tenders are compliant.

The jury evaluates the quality of submissions in accordance with the evaluation conditions in sections 1 to 7 of Schedule 2. All submissions having the acceptable level of performance are retained. If only a limited number of candidates are invited to take part in the second stage, those having obtained the highest final scores are retained.

If the public body rejects a submission because the candidate is ineligible or the submission is non-compliant, the public body so informs the candidate, specifying the reason for the rejection, at the same time as the public body sends the selected candidates their invitation to take part, as finalists, in the second stage. At the same time, the public body publishes in the electronic tendering system the names of the candidates having taken part in the first stage as well as the names of the finalists among them.

At the second stage, the public body invites the finalists to submit a proposal that includes a quality demonstration. Despite section 9.2, the public body may allow finalists to submit a proposal that is not compatible with the electronic tendering system by a means that the public body indicates in that system. The public body ascertains the integrity of the proposal transmitted through that means.

To evaluate the quality of the proposal, the jury must take into account the extent to which the design that is the subject of the proposal is feasible and keeps to the estimated cost of the work. Proposals that do not reach an acceptable level of performance in regard to either of those 2 criteria are rejected.

The jury may invite the finalists to present the proposal and to interact with them. The mode of communication chosen must ensure that the members of the selection committee sitting on the jury remain anonymous.

The contract is awarded to the winner of the competition, that is the finalist whose proposal best meets all the criteria. The jury may also award prizes and honourable mentions to the other finalists.

The public body must pay, to each of the finalists, the compensation provided for in the tender documents. The compensation received by the winner of the competition represents an advance on the fees owed to the winner for carrying out the contract.

Sections 18 and 28 apply to a contract awarding process conducted according to the provisions of this subdivision. Where the quality of the proposals is not evaluated in accordance with the evaluation conditions in sections 1 to 7 of Schedule 2, the information that the public body must send to finalists pursuant to section 28 includes, where applicable, their quality score and corresponding rank, the name of the winner and, where applicable, the quality score of the winner.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

40.12. The public body must indicate in the tender documents

(1)  the name of the person or persons of public notoriety referred to in the first paragraph of section 40.9 as well as the rules aimed at preventing conflicts of interest between that person or persons on the one hand and the candidates and finalists on the other hand;

(2)  whether the number of candidates invited to participate in the second stage is limited;

(3)  the compensation payable to the finalists having completed the second stage and the compensation payable to finalists if the call for tenders is cancelled;

(4)  any prizes or honourable mentions awarded to the finalists, other than the winner of the competition, having completed the second stage;

(5)  fees payable to the winner of the competition for the performance of the contract.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

§ 4 . — Task order contract awarded following an evaluation based on the measurement of the level of quality of tenders

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

This Subdivision, insofar as it concerns task order contracts with more than one service provider, is not in force.

40.13. A public body may, when the procurement requirements are recurrent and the number of requests, the rate or frequency at which they are to be performed is uncertain, enter into a task order contract with a service provider for architecture or engineering services relating to construction work.

The public body must indicate in the tender documents the extent of the services that the public body intends to request or, failing that, the approximate monetary value of the contract.

The public body applies, as the case may be, the Architects’ Fees (Services to Government) Regulation (chapter C-65.1, r. 9) or the Engineers’ Fees (Services to Government) Regulation (chapter C-65.1, r. 12).

O.C. 1747-2023, ss. 10 and 15.

40.14. The Ministère des Transports and the Société québécoise des infrastructures may, when the procurement requirements are recurrent and the number of requests, the rate or frequency at which they are to be performed is uncertain, enter into a task order contract with one or more service providers for architecture or engineering services relating to construction work. The Ministère and the Société may only request a quality demonstration, which is evaluated in accordance with the evaluation conditions in sections 1 to 7 of Schedule 2, and all tenders that obtain the acceptable level of performance are retained.

The public body concerned must indicate in the tender documents the extent of the services that the public body intends to request or, failing that, the approximate monetary value of the contract, the criteria for distributing performance requests among service providers, as well as the applicable fees. Performance requests are distributed to the service providers retained in a fair manner that takes into account the objectives set out in subparagraphs 2 and 6 of the first paragraph of section 2 of the Act.

Where the Ministère des Transports or the Société québécoise des infrastructures enters into a contract under this section, it must publish, once a year, a notice in the electronic tendering system in order to enable the selection of one or more additional service providers for the purpose of carrying out the performance requests resulting from the contract. The notice must indicate, in addition to the estimated amount of the expenditure for the remaining period of the contract, the information provided for in the second paragraph of section 4, with the necessary modifications. The third paragraph of section 4 applies. In addition, the tender documents are adapted and used again for selecting one or more additional service providers.

Sections 15.1, 17, 18, 26 and 28 apply to a contract awarding process conducted according to the provisions of this section. However, pursuant to section 28, the public body does not send the tenderer its rank according to its quality score.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

In force: 2025-07-05

§ 5 . — Contracts awarded to more than one service provider following an evaluation based on the measurement of the level of quality of tenders

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

In force: 2025-07-05

40.15. The Ministère des Transports and the Société québécoise des infrastructures may make a public call for tenders by soliciting a quality demonstration in order to award architecture or engineering service contracts relating to construction work to one or more service providers. To that end, the quality of the tenders is evaluated in accordance with the evaluation conditions provided for in sections 1 to 7 of Schedule 2.

The tender documents must indicate the applicable fees.

Contracts are awarded to the service providers whose acceptable tenders obtained the highest final scores. If the monetary values of the contracts differ, the contract with the highest value is awarded to the service provider whose acceptable tender obtained the highest final score, and so on. In the case of identical final scores, the public body will determine the rank of the service providers concerned by a drawing of lots.

Sections 15.1, 17, 18, 26 and 28 apply to a contract awarding process conducted according to the provisions of this subdivision.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 10.

DIVISION V TRAVEL SERVICE CONTRACTS

41. A public body may solicit only a quality demonstration to award a travel service contract involving an expenditure equal to or above the public tender threshold.

In that case, the public body negotiates the amount of the contract with the service provider whose acceptable tender obtained the highest score for quality.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 41.

DIVISION VI SERVICE CONTRACTS FOR ACTIVITIES ON FOREIGN SOIL

42. A service contract for the activities on foreign soil of a delegation general, a delegation or another form of representation of Québec abroad, established pursuant to section 28 of the Act respecting the Ministère des Relations internationales (chapter M-25.1.1), may be entered into by mutual agreement even if it involves an expenditure equal to or above the public tender threshold provided for in section 10 of the Act. The contract is awarded in a manner consistent with the principles stated in section 2 of the Act.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 42.

DIVISION VI.1 CONTRACT RESPECTING THE PRODUCTION OF FOREST PLANTS

O.C. 430-2013, s. 11.

42.0.1. A contract respecting the production of forest plants may be entered into by mutual agreement with a forest plant producer covered by a joint plan established in accordance with the Act respecting the marketing of agricultural, food and fish products (chapter M-35.1).

O.C. 430-2013, s. 11.

DIVISION VI.2 DAMAGE INSURANCE CONTRACT

O.C. 430-2013, s. 11.

42.0.2. The premium of a damage insurance contract that involves an option to renew may be amended at the time of renewal if the tender documents set the terms and conditions allowing to determine the premium.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 11.

DIVISION VI.3 CONTRACT FOR THE REPAIR OF AN AIRCRAFT

O.C. 430-2013, s. 11.

42.0.3. A contract for the repair of an aircraft including the rental of spare components required during the repair may be entered into by mutual agreement where the evaluation of the work to be performed cannot be carried out before the beginning of the repair services.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 11.

DIVISION VII OTHER SERVICE CONTRACTS

O.C. 696-2009, s. 3.

42.1. A service contract for the hiring of an investigator, conciliator, negotiator, mediator, arbitrator, a physician or a dentist in matters of medical assessment related to their field or a person as an expert court witness may be entered into by mutual agreement.

O.C. 696-2009, s. 3.

42.2. The following contracts may be entered into by mutual agreement with a service provider when they are aimed at continuing the health services or social services currently provided by the service provider to vulnerable persons so as to keep them or integrate them in their natural environment:

(1)  contracts whose object is to provide employability development services and social assistance and support services intended exclusively for persons benefiting from government employment assistance measures;

(2)  contracts whose object is to provide accommodation and long-term care services to persons with decreasing autonomy;

(3)  contracts whose object is to provide accommodation services, including support services, to persons with adjustment problems, addictions, health problems or an impairment;

(4)  contracts whose object is to provide accommodation services or specialized services to support the social reintegration of offenders;

(5)  contracts whose object is the administration of a compensatory work program for persons who are unable to pay a fine;

(6)  contracts whose object is to provide reception and integration services to immigrants, with or without francization services.

The remuneration of service providers in the course of the performance of any of the contracts referred to in the first paragraph continues to be carried out in accordance with the applicable rules, where applicable.

O.C. 482-2014, s. 1.

CHAPTER V QUALIFICATION OF SERVICE PROVIDERS

43. A public body may qualify service providers prior to the acquisition process if

(1)  the qualification of service providers is preceded by a public notice to that effect on the electronic tendering system indicating, with the necessary modifications, the information provided for in subparagraphs 1, 2 and 4 to 6.1 of the second paragraph of section 4, except the period for receiving qualification applications that may not be under 25 days following the date of publication of the public notice of qualification, the period of validity of the list of qualified service providers and the means used to renew or cancel it or, if the period of validity is not specified, an indication of the method used to inform all interested persons of the time as of which that list will no longer be used;

(2)  a list of the qualified service providers is published on the electronic tendering system and every provider is informed of entry on the list or the reason for refusal if entry is denied;

(3)  a public notice of qualification is published again at least once a year inviting other service providers to qualify during the period of validity of the list;

(4)  the public notice of qualification must remain accessible in the electronic tendering system for the entire period of validity of the list;

(5)  a service provider may, at any time, apply for qualification, in which case the public body qualifies the service provider within a reasonable time.

The third paragraph of section 4, the first, third and fourth paragraphs of section 9 and Division II.1 of Chapter II apply, with the necessary modifications, to the qualification of service providers.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 43; O.C. 430-2013, s. 12; S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 239; S.Q. 2018, c. 10, s. 22.

44. Where the public body evaluates the quality of applications for qualification, it must set up a selection committee within the meaning of section 26 and apply the evaluation conditions in Schedule 1 or in sections 1 to 7 of Schedule 2.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 44.

45. Except in the cases described in section 13 of the Act, every contract subsequent to the qualification of service providers is limited to qualified providers only and, if such a contract involves an expenditure equal to or above the public tender threshold, it must be awarded through a call for tenders open only to those providers.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 45; O.C. 430-2013, s. 13; S.Q. 2018, c. 10, s. 23.

CHAPTER VI CONDITIONS TO BE MET PRIOR TO ENTERING INTO CONTRACTS

DIVISION I REQUIRED AUTHORIZATION

46. The authorization of the chief executive officer of the public body is required for every contract of a repetitive nature whose expected term, including any renewal, is greater than 3 years or, in the case of a contract referred to in the first paragraph of section 42.2, greater than 5 years. Despite the foregoing, the chief executive officer of the public body may not authorize a task order contract whose expected term, including any renewal, is greater than 5 years.

That authorization is also required before entering into a contract involving an expenditure equal to or above the public tender threshold if

(1)  only one service provider submitted a compliant tender; or

(2)  only one service provider submitted an acceptable tender following a quality evaluation.

In the case provided for in subparagraph 2 of the second paragraph, the selection committee must not know the price and the chief executive officer of the public body is to determine whether or not the awarding process should be continued.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 46; O.C. 430-2013, s. 14; O.C. 482-2014, s. 2.

DIVISION II AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM

47. This Division applies only to public bodies referred to in subparagraph 1 or 2 of the first paragraph of section 4 of the Act.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 47.

48. Where the amount of a service contract is $100,000 or more, or where the amount of a service subcontract is $100,000 or more, the contract or subcontract may not be entered into with a Québec service provider or subcontractor whose business employs more than 100 persons unless the service provider or subcontractor has made a commitment to implement an affirmative action program that complies with the Charter of human rights and freedoms (chapter C-12) and holds an attestation to that effect issued by the Chair of the Conseil du trésor.

If such a contract or subcontract is to be entered into with a service provider or subcontractor of another province or territory of Canada in respect of which an employment equity program is applicable, and that service provider or subcontractor employs more than 100 persons, the service provider or subcontractor must provide an attestation to the effect that the service provider or subcontractor has made a commitment to implement an employment equity program complying with the program of its province or territory.

If such a contract or subcontract must be entered into with a service provider or a subcontractor of Québec or of another province or territory of Canada, that is governed by the federal legislation, that employs more than 100 persons and in respect of which a federal employment equity program is applicable, the service provider or subcontractor must provide an attestation to the effect that the service provider or subcontractor has made a commitment to implement an employment equity program complying with the federal program.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 48; O.C. 430-2013, s. 15.

49. The Chair of the Conseil du trésor cancels the attestation issued to a service provider referred to in the first paragraph of section 48 who does not fulfill a commitment to implement an employment equity program.

Any service provider whose attestation referred to in section 48 has been cancelled may not enter into a service contract with a body referred to in section 47 or a service subcontract related to such contract as long as a new attestation has not been issued.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 49; O.C. 430-2013, s. 16.

DIVISION III QUALITY ASSURANCE, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT

50. A public body may require a quality assurance system, including an ISO standard, or a specification relating to sustainable development and the environment for the carrying out of a contract. The public body must specify the requirement in the tender documents.

If such a requirement unduly reduces competition, the public body must allow any service provider to submit a tender and grant to a service provider that fulfils the requirement referred to in the first paragraph a preferential margin not exceeding 10%. In the latter case, the price submitted by such a service provider is, for the sole purpose of determining the successful tenderer, reduced by the preferential margin, without any effect on the price for contract awarding purposes.

The percentage of the preferential margin to be applied must be indicated in the tender documents.

In the case of a contract whose quality evaluation is based solely on the quality measurement, the public body must ascertain that there is enough competition to allow the first paragraph to apply.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 50; O.C. 430-2013, s. 17.

DIVISION IV CERTIFICATE FROM REVENU QUÉBEC

O.C. 355-2010, s. 1; O.C. 848-2011, s. 1; S.Q. 2015, c. 8, s. 122.

50.1. Every service provider interested in entering into a service contract with a public body involving an expenditure equal to or greater than $25,000 must hold a valid certificate from Revenu Québec.

O.C. 355-2010, s. 1; O.C. 848-2011, s. 1; S.Q. 2015, c. 8, s. 123.

50.2. The certificate from Revenu Québec is issued to every service provider who, on the date indicated in the certificate, has filed the returns and reports that the provider had to file under fiscal laws and who has no overdue account payable to the Minister of Revenue, in particular when its recovery has been legally suspended or arrangements have been made with the provider to ensure payment and the provider has not defaulted.

O.C. 355-2010, s. 1; O.C. 848-2011, s. 1; S.Q. 2015, c. 8, s. 124.

50.3. The certificate of a service provider is valid until the end of the three-month period following the month in which it was issued.

In addition, the certificate of the service provider must not have been issued after the tender closing date and time or, in the case of a contract entered into by mutual agreement, after the contract award date.

The service provider’s holding a valid certificate issued in accordance with the second paragraph is considered to be an eligibility requirement within the meaning of section 6.

O.C. 848-2011, s. 1; S.Q. 2015, c. 8, s. 125.

50.4. A service provider may not submit a certificate from Revenu Québec that contains false or inaccurate information, produce on the service provider’s own behalf the certificate of a third party, or falsely declare that the service provider does not hold the required certificate.

O.C. 848-2011, s. 1; S.Q. 2015, c. 8, s. 126.

50.5. No person may help another person, by an act or omission, to contravene section 50.4, or encourage, advise, allow, authorize or order the person to contravene that section.

O.C. 848-2011, s. 1.

50.6. Section 50.1 does not apply to a service provider that does not have in Québec an establishment where activities are carried on on a permanent basis, clearly identified under the service provider’s name and accessible during regular business hours.

It does not apply either where a service contract must be entered into by reason of an emergency that threatens human safety or property.

O.C. 848-2011, s. 1.

CHAPTER VII INFORMATION TO BE PUBLISHED

DIVISION I CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO FOLLLOWING A PUBLIC CALL FOR TENDERS

O.C. 430-2013, s. 18.

51. Following a public call for tenders, the public body publishes in the electronic tendering system, within 15 days of the conclusion of the contract, the initial description of the contract. That description contains at least

(1)  the name of the service provider or, in the case of a task order contract involving several service providers, the name of the selected service providers;

(2)  the nature of the services covered by the contract;

(3)  the date of conclusion of the contract;

(4)  one of the following amounts, as applicable:

(a)  the amount of the contract;

(b)  if a tariff is applicable, the estimated amount of the contract in relation to the payment method selected, that is, a lump sum, on a percentage basis or according to an hourly rate;

(c)  in the case of a task order contract, the estimated amount of the expenditure;

(d)  in the case of a task order contract involving several service providers, the price submitted by each, respectively;

(5)  in the case of a contract that involves options, their description and the total amount of the expenditure that will be incurred if all options are exercised;

(6)  in the case of a contract awarded following an evaluation based on measurement of the level of quality of tenders followed by an appraisal of the price submitted, the median market price.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 51; O.C. 430-2013, s. 18; O.C. 1747-2023, s. 11.

51.1. The public body publishes in the electronic tendering system any additional expenditure resulting from an amendment to the contract, within 60 days of the amendment, if the initial amount of the contract referred to in section 51 is increased by more than 10%.

The public body then publishes the amount of the additional expenditure, including the expenditures accumulated prior to the expenditure exceeding 10% of the initial amount of the contract and publishes thereafter each additional expenditure.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 18.

51.2. The public body also publishes in the electronic tendering system, within 90 days of the end of a contract referred to in section 51, the final description of the contract. That period is extended to 120 days for a contract entered into following a joint call for tenders referred to in section 15 of the Act.

The final description of the contract contains at least

(1)  the name of the service provider, the date of the end of the contract and the total amount paid;

(2)  in the case of a task order contract involving several service providers, their respective name and the total amount paid to each of them;

(3)  in the case of a contract that involves options, the type and number of options exercised and the total amount paid following their exercise.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 18.

51.3. If a task order contract involving several service providers involves a price list whose scope or layout does not make it possible to publish the results in accordance with sections 51 to 51.2, the public body indicates in the electronic tendering system how to obtain the information related to the results.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 18.

In force: 2025-07-05

DIVISION I.1 TASK ORDER CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO WITH MORE THAN ONE SERVICE PROVIDER FOR ARCHITECTURE OR ENGINEERING SERVICES RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION WORK

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 12.

In force: 2025-07-05

51.4. Each year, after task order contracts are entered into with more than one service provider for architecture or engineering services relating to construction work, the Ministère des Transports or the Société québécoise des infrastructures must make public at least the following information:

(1)  the name of the service provider or providers;

(2)  the date of conclusion of the contract with the service provider or providers;

(3)  the number of task orders completed by the service provider or providers and the nature of the services requested;

(4)  the amount paid for each task order completed;

(5)  the estimated amount of the expenditure corresponding to the remaining period of the contract.

O.C. 1747-2023, s. 12.

DIVISION II CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO BY MUTUAL AGREEMENT OR FOLLOWING AN INVITATION TO TENDER

O.C. 430-2013, s. 18.

52. The public body publishes, in the electronic tendering system, within 30 days of entering into a contract involving an expenditure equal to or greater than $25,000 and entered into by mutual agreement or following an invitation to tender, an initial description of the contract. That description contains at least

(1)  the method for awarding the contract;

(2)  the name of the service provider or, in the case of a task order contract involving several service providers, the name of those that were retained;

(3)  the nature of the goods covered by the contract;

(4)  the date of conclusion of the contract;

(5)  one of the following amounts, as applicable:

(a)  the amount of the contract;

(b)  if a tariff is applicable, the estimated amount of the contract in relation to the payment method selected, that is, a lump sum, on a percentage basis or according to an hourly rate;

(c)  in the case of a task order contract, the estimated amount of the expenditure;

(d)  in the case of a task order contract involving several service providers, the price submitted by each, respectively;

(6)  in the case of a contract that involves options, their description and the total amount of the expenditure that will be incurred if all options are exercised; and

(7)  in the case of a contract entered into by mutual agreement and involving an expenditure equal to or above the public tender threshold, the provision of the Act or of this Regulation under which the contract was awarded and, in the case of a contract awarded pursuant to subparagraph 4 of the first paragraph of section 13 of the Act, the date of publication of the notice of intention and a statement of the reasons invoked in support of excluding the contract from the public call for tenders.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 52; O.C. 430-2013, s. 18; S.Q. 2017, c. 27, s. 240.

52.1. The public body publishes in the electronic tendering system any additional expenditure resulting from an amendment to the contract, within 60 days of the amendment, if the initial amount of the contract referred to in section 52 is increased by more than 10%.

The public body then publishes the amount of the additional expenditure, including the expenditures accumulated prior to the expenditure exceeding 10% of the initial amount of the contract and publishes thereafter each additional expenditure.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 18.

52.2. The public body also publishes, in the electronic tendering system, within 90 days of the end of a contract referred to in section 52, a final description of the contract. That period is increased to 120 days for a contract entered into for the benefit of joint public bodies referred to in section 15 of the Act.

The body also publishes, within the same time, the final description of any contract that, at the time of its conclusion, was to involve an expenditure lower than $25,000, but for which the total amount paid is equal to or greater than $25,000.

The final description of a contract must contain at least

(1)  the name of the service provider, the date of the end of the contract and the total amount paid;

(2)  in the case of a task order contract involving several service providers, their respective name and the total amount paid to each of them;

(3)  in the case of a contract that involves options, the type and number of options exercised and the total amount paid following their exercise; and

(4)  in the case of a contract referred to in the second paragraph, the other information provided for in paragraphs 1 and 3 to 5 of section 52.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 18; O.C. 293-2016, s. 16.

52.3. If a delivery order contract involving several service providers involves a price list whose scope or layout does not make it possible to publish the results in accordance with sections 52 to 52.2, the public body indicates in the electronic tendering system how to obtain the information related to the results.

O.C. 430-2013, s. 18.

53. Despite sections 52 to 52.3, no publication is required in the case of a contract involving confidential or protected information within the meaning of subparagraph 3 of the first paragraph of section 13 of the Act or a contract for which no waiver of professional secrecy has been obtained.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 53; O.C. 430-2013, s. 18.

CHAPTER VIII CONTRACT MANAGEMENT TERMS

O.C. 533-2008; O.C. 293-2016, s. 17.

DIVISION I SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES

54. The public body and the service provider must attempt to amicably settle any difficulty that may arise out of a contract by resorting to the dispute resolution clauses in the contract, if any.

If the matter cannot be settled in that manner, it may be referred to a court of justice or an adjudicative body, as the case may be, or to an arbitrator. In the latter case, a general or special authorization from the Minister of Justice is required for public bodies referred to in subparagraph 1 or 2 of the first paragraph of section 4 of the Act.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 54.

DIVISION II PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

55. A public body must record in a report the evaluation of any service provider whose performance is considered to be unsatisfactory.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 55.

56. The public body must complete its evaluation not later than 60 days after the end of the contract and send a copy of the evaluation to the service provider.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 56.

57. A service provider may forward comments in writing on the report to the public body within 30 days following receipt of a report of unsatisfactory performance.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 57.

58. Within 30 days after the expiry of the time in section 57 or following receipt of the service provider’s comments, as the case may be, the chief executive officer of the public body is to uphold or cancel the evaluation and inform the service provider of the decision. If the chief executive officer fails to act within the prescribed time, the service provider’s performance is considered to be satisfactory.

O.C. 533-2008, s. 58.

CHAPTER VIII.1 OFFENCES

O.C. 848-2011, s. 2.

58.1. A violation of section 50.4 or 50.5 constitutes an offence.

O.C. 848-2011, s. 2.

CHAPTER IX TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL

59. (Revoked).

O.C. 533-2008, s. 59; O.C. 755-2010, s. 1; O.C. 430-2013, s. 19.

60. (Omitted).

O.C. 533-2008, s. 60.

61. (Omitted).

O.C. 533-2008, s. 61.

62. (Omitted).

O.C. 533-2008, s. 62.

62.1. The Minister of Revenue is charged with the application and enforcement of sections 50.2, 50.4, 50.5 and 58.1.

O.C. 848-2011, s. 3.

63. (Omitted).

O.C. 533-2008, s. 63.

SCHEDULE 1

(ss. 19, 20, 25, 28, 44)

Quality evaluation conditions for a contract award based on the lowest price

(1) At least 3 criteria are required for quality evaluation.

(2) The public body must specify in the tender documents, for each criterion, the elements of quality required to reach an “acceptable level of performance”, which corresponds to the public body’s minimum expectations for the criterion.

(3) An acceptable tender in terms of quality is a tender that, for each criterion, meets the “acceptable level of performance”. A tender that does not reach that level of performance in respect of any criterion is rejected.

O.C. 533-2008, Sch. 1.

SCHEDULE 2

(ss. 19, 21, 22, 25, 28, 44)

Quality evaluation conditions for a contract award based on the lowest adjusted price or based on the final score for the highest quality

(1) The evaluation grid must have at least 3 quality evaluation criteria.

(2) The public body must specify in the tender documents, for each criterion, the elements of quality required to reach an “acceptable level of performance”, which corresponds to the public body’s minimum expectations for the criterion.

(3) Each criterion in the evaluation grid is weighted on the basis of its importance for the carrying out of the contract. The total weight of the criteria is 100%.

(4) Each criterion is evaluated on a scale of 0 to 100 points, the “acceptable level of performance” corresponding to 70 points.

(5) At least 70 points may be required in respect of any criterion described in the evaluation grid. A tender that does not reach that minimum is rejected.

(6) The final score for the quality of a tender is the total of the weighted scores obtained in respect of each criterion; the weighted scores are determined by multiplying the score obtained for a criterion by the weight of that criterion.

(7) An acceptable tender in terms of quality is a tender whose final score is at least 70 points.

(8) The price of each acceptable tender is adjusted according to the following formula:

Adjusted price = Price submitted

__________________________________

Quality adjustement factor

The quality adjustment factor is equal to:

Final score for quality - 70

1 + K (________________________________)

30

where

“K” is the additional percentage that the public body is willing to pay to move from a 70-point tender to a 100-point tender, for all criteria.

(9) The public body determines in the tender documents the value of K, which must range from 15% to 30%.

O.C. 533-2008, Sch. 2.

TRANSITIONAL

2023

(O.C. 1747-2023) SECTION 13. Contract award procedures begun before the coming into force of the provisions of this Regulation that apply to them are continued in accordance with the provisions in force on the date of the beginning of the procedures.

In addition, any contract in progress on the date of coming into force of the provisions of this Regulation that apply to it is continued in accordance with the provisions that are in force on the day before that coming into force.

2016

(O.C. 293-2016) SECTION 18. Despite the second paragraph of section 7 of the Regulation respecting certain service contracts of public bodies (chapter C-65.1, r. 4), as amended by paragraph 2 of section 5 of this Regulation, the transmission, until 31 May 2019, of a same tender electronically and in paper form does not amount to filing more than one tender.

SECTION 19. Until 31 May 2019, when a service provider transmits, under a call for tenders, a same tender electronically and in paper form, the tender transmitted in paper form must be considered by the public body only if the public body cannot ascertain the integrity of the tender transmitted electronically at the opening of tenders, being understood that section 7.0.1 of the Regulation respecting certain service contracts of public bodies, made by section 6 of this Regulation, does not apply in such case.

SECTION 20. Until 31 May 2019, the second sentence of the third paragraph of section 11 of the Regulation respecting certain service contracts of public bodies, as amended by paragraph 2 of section 10 of this Regulation, applies only when a tender whose integrity could not be ascertained was not also transmitted in paper form.

SECTION 21. The provisions of sections 2 to 15 and 18 to 20 apply only to calls for tenders for which a notice is published as of 1 June 2016.

2013

(O.C. 430-2013) SECTION 20. Section 32.1 of of this Regulation, as they read on 22 May 2013, continues to apply to task order contracts entered into with several service providers before 23 May 2013 and whose object is the rental of heavy machinery with operator.

SECTION 21. Despite sections 9.1, 15.1 and 32 of this Regulation, the following rules apply to calls for tenders concerning a task order contract with several service providers whose object is the rental of heavy machinery with operator and to the resulting contract:

(1) tender documents and, if applicable, any addendum amending them, may be obtained free of charge from the public body making the call for tenders. The documents must contain clauses relating to the management of the contract to be entered into;

(2) the registered machines are attached to an establishment of the service provider situated in Québec in one of the administrative subdivisions determined in the tender documents or, if there is no such establishment in Québec, in the administrative subdivision situated the nearest to their establishment outside Québec;

(3) a service provider that has not taken part in the call for tenders may, on the conditions provided in the tender documents, register his or her machinery after the date on which the contract is entered into;

(4) a service provider that has registered his or her machinery may, on the conditions provided for in the tender documents, register a new machine after the date on which the contract is entered into;

(5) a service provider may, on the conditions provided for in the tender documents, replace registered machinery by a machine of another class or subclass;

(6) a service provider may, on the conditions provided for in the tender documents, replace a registered machine without changing its class or subclass but by indicating lease conditions different from the conditions applicable to the machine replaced;

(7) the registration of a machine may be transferred to the name of another service provider where the transferor has replaced it by a new machine;

(8) a registered machine may be attached to another establishment of the service provider situated in another administrative subdivision;

(9) where any of the situations described in subparagraphs 3 to 8 of this paragraph occurs, the machinery involved is registered with a “late” notation;

(10) the public body may, to determine the lowest tenderer, take into account, in addition to the hourly rate submitted for the machine, the machine’s age and hourly transportation cost and the operator’s travelling and boarding expenses and thus the performance requests are made on the basis of the weighted coefficient determined for each machine;

(11) in the administrative subdivision where the service is required, the performance requests are made to the service provider that has a machine registered therein according to paragraph 2 and whose machine has obtained the lowest weighted coefficient, unless the provider cannot perform the service, in which case the other providers that have a similar machine registered according to paragraph 2 and situated in that same administrative subdivision are solicited according to their respective rank;

(12) if no machine referred to in subparagraph 11 is available, the machines registered with a “late” notation and situated in the administrative subdivision where the service is required may then be considered. The public body makes the performance request to the service provider whose machine has obtained the lowest weighted coefficient, unless the service provider is unable to perform the service, in which case the other service providers that have a similar machine are solicited according to their respective rank.

For the purposes of this section,

(1) “weighted coefficient” means the quotient obtained by dividing the sum of the hourly rate submitted for the machine, the machine’s hourly transportation cost, the operator’s hourly travelling expenses and boarding expenses, where applicable, by the maximum total hourly rental rate in effect, as indicated in the booklet Taux de location de machinerie lourde, published by the Centre d’acquisitions gouvernementales;

(2) “hourly rate submitted for the machine” means the hourly rate indicated by the service provider or, if that rate is higher than the maximum total hourly rental rate in effect or if the machine is registered with a “late” notation, the maximum total hourly rate.

This section applies only to call for tenders issued within 3 years of 23 May 2013 and to contracts entered into following those calls for tenders.

S.Q. 2020, c. 2, s. 77

SECTION 22. Sections 1 to 4, 6, 7, 9 and 11, to the extent that that section concerns section 42.0.2 of this Regulation, apply only to calls for tenders issued as of 23 May 2013.

Section 12 applies only to qualification proceedings issued as of that date.

Section 18, insofar as it concerns sections 51, 51.2, 51.3, 52, 52.2, 52.3 and 53 of this Regulation, applies to contracts in progress on 15 September 2013, regardless of the periods indicated therein, and to contracts entered into from that date.

Section 18, insofar as it concerns sections 51.1 and 52.1 of this Regulation, applies to any additional expenditure resulting from an amendment to the contract made as of 15 September 2013.

2011

(O.C. 848-2011) SECTION 4. A violation of section 50.4 or 50.5 committed between 15 September 2011 and 15 March 2012 inclusively will result in the issue of a warning to the offender rather than a statement of offence.

SECTION 5. This Regulation applies only to calls for tenders issued and contracts entered into by mutual agreement by a public body as of 15 September 2011.

2010

(O.C. 355-2010) SECTION 2. Despite the third and fourth paragraphs of section 50.1 of this Regulation, a service provider remains eligible to submit a tender for a call for tenders whose tender closing time is prior to 1 October 2010 even if the provider’s attestation is issued after tender closing time.

SECTION 3. The Chair of the Conseil du trésor is to report to the Government about the first year of application of section 50.1 of this Regulation.

SECTION 4. The Division IV of this Regulation applies only to call for tenders issued and contracts entered into by mutual agreement as of 1 June 2010.

REFERENCES

O.C. 533-2008, 2008 G.O. 2, 2099

O.C. 873-2008, 2008 G.O. 2, 4617

O.C. 696-2009, 2009 G.O. 2, 1862A

O.C. 355-2010, 2010 G.O., 1109

O.C. 755-2010, 2010 G.O. 2, 2565

S.Q. 2010, c. 31, s. 175

O.C. 680-2011, 2011 G.O. 2, 1588

O.C. 848-2011, 2011 G.O. 2, 2545

O.C. 430-2013, 2013 G.O. 2, 1087

O.C. 482-2014, 2014 G.O. 2, 1171

S.Q. 2015, c. 8, ss. 122 to 126

O.C. 293-2016, 2016 G.O. 2, 1807

S.Q. 2018, c. 10, ss. 17 to 23

O.C. 1238-2018, 2018 G.O. 2, 4507

S.Q. 2017, c. 27, ss. 236 to 240

S.Q. 2022, c. 18, ss. 140 and 141

O.C. 1747-2023, 2023 G.O. 2, 3363