bids&tenders Frequently Asked Questions

What is bids&tenders?

Bids&tenders is a user-friendly electronic tendering platform that allows suppliers to review tenders and submit bids online from anywhere. The real-time technology ensures easy access to view tenders and up-to-date information throughout the bidding process, including addenda reminders and more.

Is there a cost to vendors?

Suppliers can choose to pay to participate in a single procurement opportunity or pay an annual subscription fee for unlimited participation in procurement opportunities. Supplier pay plans - bids&tenders.com  The annual subscription gives suppliers unlimited access to any organization using the bids&tenders system. 

Your subscription to bids&tenders will allow you to:

  • Track and manage bids at a glance with a custom, vendor dashboard
  • Select personalized categories
  • Receive automated email notifications of new bid opportunities
  • Work on a bid/proposal, save work, and see the bid closing countdown in real-time
  • Withdraw and change bids, then resubmit if desired
  • Receive automated confirmations when bids have been submitted, received, or withdrawn
  • Eliminate mathematical errors with the built-in calculator
  • Submit complete and compliant bids every time with the built-in compliance checker
  • Receive reminders if a bid/proposal has been started but not submitted 24 hours before bid close

Is there a limit to the size or amount of documents that can be attached to my submission?

There will be a limit to the amount of documents that can be attached to each submission.  The number of allowable attachments in each bid opportunity will be tailored to the requirements.    There is a 500MB size limit, however Bidders can zip files to compress them before attaching to the submission.

Can I be emailed by the City of Sudbury Purchasing Department of new procurement opportunities?

No, the City of Greater Sudbury does not send notifications. Suppliers may sign up through bids&tenders to receive notification of procurement opportunities. There is no cost to create a free account and receive notifications. Please visit the account set up page: bids&tenders

Notifications provided by bids&tenders include

  • Bid post notice
  • Bid closing notice
  • New bid opportunities (by commodity category)
  • Addendum notices
  • Site meeting reminders
  • Bid status changes
  • Award or regret letters

What if I have questions about the bid opportunity? What do I do?

Yes you can still ask questions utilizing the Submit a Question Feature. The City will not respond to questions that are:

  • sent other than through the Submit a Question Feature when the bid opportunity was posted on Bids&Tenders.
  • received after the Deadline for Questions, as defined in the bid document
  • directed to anyone other than the Procurement Representative

How quickly will bid solicitation results be posted?

Immediately after a bid solicitation closes, at a minimum, the name of the companies who submitted a response to the bid solicitation will be listed.  

What is the no bid feature? What is it used for?

The City is utilizing the “no bid” feature to identify opportunities to identify improvements in the City’s process to encourage additional participation. Suppliers providing information as to why they are not participating are asked to provide information to the City to improve its’ processes on a go forward basis.

What does the Emergency vendor option do?

Suppliers that say Yes to being an Emergency vendor may be contacted when an emergency situation occurs. The City does not commit to making any purchases. 

Who do I call for help?

For questions regarding specific procurement opportunities, contact the Official Point of Contract in bids&tenders or contract the Purchasing Department at:

For bids&tenders system issues you can: