If you are a vendor or contractor selling to governments, the NWPTA establishes low thresholds above which government entities are obligated to have open and non-discriminatory procurement. This provides additional bid opportunities to vendors looking to supply governments in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The NWPTA requires open and non-discriminatory procurement where the anticipated costs are at or above the established threshold amounts.

The NWPTA applies at or above the thresholds indicated below for procurements by:

1. Provincial government departments, ministries, agencies, boards, councils, committees, or commissions:
  • $10,000 or greater for goods
  • $75,000 or greater for services
  • $100,000 or greater for construction.

2. Provincial Crown corporations, government owned commercial enterprises and other entities that are owned or controlled by a NWPTA provincial government:

  • $25,000 or greater for goods
  • $100,000 or greater for services
  • $100,000 or greater for construction.

3. Municipalities, school boards, health regions and publicly-funded post-secondary institutions (the MASH sector) as well as corporations or entities owned or controlled by one of the preceding:

  • $75,000 or greater for goods
  • $75,000 or greater for services
  • $200,000 or greater for construction.

Procurement Exceptions

There are certain exceptions to procurement under the NWPTA, including the following:

  • Procurement of health and social services, and services provided by lawyers and notaries
  • Purchases from philanthropic institutions, prison labour or persons with disabilities
  • Purchases from a public body or non-profit organization
  • Goods required to respond to an unforeseeable situation of urgency
  • Goods intended for resale to the public

For the complete list, refer to Part V (Exceptions)  of the NWPTA.

How to Access Procurement Opportunities
Vendors can access these procurement opportunities through the procurement websites of each Party:

Bid Protest Mechanism

A bid protest mechanism (BPM) is available for procurements covered by several trade agreements, including the NWPTA. A BPM is an administrative review process which provides suppliers with an independent arbitral process to resolve complaints that a specific procurement by a government entity was not conducted in compliance with the rules of one or more agreements.

Frequently Asked Questions


You have reached the official website of the New West Partnership Trade Agreement.
A partnership among the Governments of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba
Copyright 2016 Government of British Columbia / Government of Alberta / Government of Saskatchewan / Government of Manitoba, Canada

The user agrees to the terms and conditions set out in the Copyright and Disclaimer Statement