Scope and Coverage of Public Procurement in Canada

• Public procurement is gaining increased public attention.

• In 2003, the federal government purchased approximately CDN$12.6 billion worth of goods and services on behalf of a variety of government clients.

The total value of contracts worth less than CDN$25,000 each was $1.1 billion, the value of those worth over CDN$25,000 each amounted to CDN$8.5 billion, and the value of amendments to existing contracts totalled CDN$3 billion. While PWGSC was involved in procuring 9% of the above government contracts, that 9% represented 81% of the total value of government contracts awarded.

This information was taken from "Federal Government Purchasing Processes: A Guide", Presentation by John J.D. Read, Director, Acquisition Policy and Process, Acquisitions Branch, PWGSC, at a conference by the Canadian Institute.

• The top ten federal government departments and agencies for whom PWGSC acted as the government's central purchasing agency in 2003 included:

  • Department of National Defence (contracts totalling CDN$5.3 billion)

  • Department of Public Works and Government Services Canada (contracts totalling CDN$2.6 billion)

  • Treasury Board (contracts totalling CDN$1 billion)

  • Canadian Commercial Corporation (contracts totalling CDN$659 million)

  • Royal Canadian Mounted Police (contracts totalling CDN$217 million)

  • Canadian Customs and Revenue Agency (contracts totalling CDN$186 million)

  • Correctional Services of Canada (contracts totalling CDN$176 million)

  • Human Resources Development Canada (contracts totalling CDN$170 million)

  • Health Canada (contracts totalling CDN$142 million)

  • Citizenship and Immigration Canada (contracts totalling CDN$134 million).

This information was taken from "Federal Government Purchasing Processes: A Guide", Presentation by John J.D. Read, Director, Acquisition Policy and Process, Acquisitions Branch, PWGSC, at a conference by the Canadian Institute.

• The most common commodities which were procured by PWGSC for the above clients included:
  
  • Automatic Data Processing Equipment (contracts totalling CDN$1.6 billion)

  • Transport Services (contracts totalling CDN$1.3 billion)

  • Telecommunications Services (contracts totalling CDN$879 million)

  • Air Transport Services (contracts totalling CDN$714 million)

  • Aircraft Components (contracts totalling CDN$421 million)

  • Architectural and Engineering Services

  • Government Owned Facilities

  • Communication Services

  • Communications Equipment (contracts totalling CDN$570 million)

  • Fuels (contracts totalling CDN$383 million)

This information was taken from "Federal Government Purchasing Processes: A Guide", Presentation by John J.D. Read, Director, Acquisition Policy and Process, Acquisitions Branch, PWGSC, at a conference by the Canadian Institute.