Awarding of contracts

Last updated March 15, 2023

Want to know how city contracts are awarded? What by-laws apply or how to attend a bid opening? Here is what you need to know.

Each year, Montréal awards several hundred contracts for goods, general and professional services, or for the execution of work.

Awarding methods

There are several methods of awarding contracts, depending on the type of contract.

Lowest compliant bidder

  • The bids received are analyzed to confirm that they comply with the administrative and technical requirements.
  • Among the bids that are compliant, the contract is awarded to the bidder with the lowest bid.

One-envelope weighting and evaluation system

  • The bids received are analyzed to confirm that they comply with the administrative and technical requirements
  • Compliant bids are then evaluated using a weighting and evaluation grid including price, and a final score is assigned.
  • Among the bids that are compliant, the contract is awarded to the bidder with the highest score.

Two-envelope weighting and evaluation system

  • The bids received are analyzed to confirm that they comply with the administrative and technical requirements.
  • Compliant bids are evaluated based on qualitative criteria using a weighting and evaluation grid, and an interim score is assigned.
  • The second envelope containing the price is opened only for bids with an interim score of 70 per cent or higher. A final score is assigned through a formula that takes into account the bid price.
  • Among the bids that are compliant, the contract is awarded to the bidder with the highest final score.

By-law on contract management

This by-law provides for measures that apply to all municipal contracts.

It aims to prevent any situation that could:

  • Interfere with the impartiality and objectivity of the bidding process and the resulting contracting
  • Harm the efficiency or integrity of the procurement and contracting process, such as influence peddling, intimidation, corruption, collusion or conflict of interest.

It reinforces the principles of fair competition, efficiency, ethics, transparency and equity in the city’s relationship with its suppliers.

Register of offenders who have been declared ineligible

Offenders whose names appear on this list cannot respond to a call for tenders, nor can they enter into a subcontract or a contract by mutual agreement with the city.

Opening of bids

Any interested person may attend the bid opening.

  • In the case of one-envelope contract awarding, the names of each bidder and their respective bid amounts are read aloud.
  • In the case of the two-envelope contract awarding (quality/price), only the names of the bidders are read aloud.

Following the analysis of the bids received, recommendations are submitted to the decision-making bodies in order to award the contract to the successful bidder.

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