Vendor Information

City of Nanaimo’s bid opportunities website: bids&tenders 

View bidding opportunities

Vendors must register as a Plan Taker for any opportunity they are interested in; this will enable the vendor to download the Bid Document, receive Addenda email notifications, and download all documents without the “preview” watermark.  

Vendors who are interested in doing business with the City of Nanaimo are required to create a free account at https://nanaimo.bidsandtenders.ca and will receive an email alert when any new solicitations are issued regarding City procurements matching the vendor’s commodity code selection.

The vendor is fully responsible for keeping their account information up to date in the Bidding System.

Watch the bids&tenders online training for vendors.

Solicitations, Awards and Bidder Notification 

Price-driven solicitations (Request for Bids (RFB) and Invitation to Tenders (ITT)) generally have specific mandatory requirements and are evaluated on price. Award is given to the lowest priced compliant submission, considering the nuanced costs that may impact the lowest price.  

Value-driven solicitations (Request for Proposals (RFP), Negotiated Request for Proposals (NRFP), and Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFSOQ)) use evaluated weighted criteria and price to determine the highest-ranked. Vendors preparing submissions should consider the criteria and the specific weighting to ensure they meet the requirements. The best value may include many characteristics, including but not limited to availability, suitability, experience, serviceability, transportation, required training, warranty, design, overall life cycle cost implications, and other significant applicable characteristics. With each purchase, these characteristics can change. 

Awards will be determined based on the specific award requirements in the applicable solicitation document. Awards are made to either the lowest-priced compliant bidder or highest-ranked compliant proponent. No award is guaranteed until execution of a contract or the City’s purchase order.

Successful bidders

Successful bidders will be notified by email if the bid was successful.  

Unsuccessful bidders

Will be notified through the bids&tenders system by email.

Debriefs

A vendor debriefing is an opportunity for the City to provide constructive feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of the Vendor’s submission and receive information from the vendor on the procurement process. Debriefings are conducted as soon as possible after contract award or project cancellation, but no later than 30 days after contract award. 

Contact the Purchasing Department at purchasinginfo@nanaimo.ca to schedule a debrief.

Vendor Performance Review

The Vendor Performance Review intends to incentivize good performance from vendors and encourages frequent communication throughout the contract. Contracts issued with a Vendor Performance Evaluation requirement are subject to review. The process is designed to develop and maintain a vendor base that meets accepted standards. If a vendor is not performing to expected standards, the Vendor Performance Evaluation process allows the City to work with the vendor and encourage improvement.

Goods

Provide a packing slip or proof of delivery with every delivery of goods made to City facilities and work sites.  This document must outline:

  • The goods delivered
  • Their quantities
  • The items that are on backorder (if applicable)

Before we accept your delivery, we verify the goods delivered with the packing slip.

Services

Provide the services to the city department and send a draft of the invoice or service ticket to the department to ensure they agree with the services provided. Include: 

  • The services provided
  • Progress to date (if applicable)
  • Hours consumed (if applicable)
  • Rate charged (if applicable)
  • Total charges

Invoice Requirements

After delivering the goods or completing the services, email the invoice directly to the Finance Division mailbox: Finance.Division@nanaimo.ca 

To email your invoice, save each invoice and any attachments as a single PDF file.

  • Only PDF files are accepted. All other file types are deleted
  • Only one invoice per PDF file (including attachments)
  • Have multiple invoices? Attach multiple PDF files to your email

If the service work is complete and this is the final invoice, please mark the invoice with the words “final invoice”.

Avoid payment delays: Do not send or drop off the invoice to the City Department. 

What to show on your invoice

Include the following information on your invoice:

Vendor nameLegal name of the vendor that provides the goods or services (Purchase Order, Invoice, Bank Account must be in the same legal company name)
Invoice dateDate that you issue your invoice to the City (on or after the date of shipment or service completion)
Purchase order number (PO#)
Purchase order number given to the vendor at the time of ordering.
No PO#? Contact the City department you worked with before issuing your invoice.
Contact informationEmail address and name of the City employee that received your goods or services
Department nameName of City department that receives your goods or services
Subtotal (before taxes) Dollar subtotal of the goods or services provided before taxes
GST/HST Separate line for GST/HST
PST Separate line PST only
Total Invoice total for all goods or services including applicable taxes 

Electronic Funds Transfer

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) allows the City to deposit payments directly into your bank account. These EFT payments are faster and eliminates lost cheques.

Common Vendor Questions

Contact Us

Purchasing 2020 Labieux Road, Nanaimo, BC V9T 6J9
250-756-5319
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
purchasinginfo@nanaimo.ca

Last updated: August 23, 2023

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