Tender Process

To clearly delineate who does what during the tendering process, the following procedures have been adopted:

The user department initiates the tender process by preparing tender and specification documents with input and assistance from the Purchasing Co-ordinator if required.
All tenders must be assigned a tender number from the Tender Number Registry maintained by the Purchasing Co-ordinator.
All tenders prior to printing, must be submitted to the Purchasing Co-ordinator for review to ensure that all provisions other than specifications have been included in the proper format. Reproduction of tender documents is the responsibility of the user department.
The Purchasing Co-ordinator will advertise public tenders and distribute invitational tenders. The usual length of time allowed for a public tender is fifteen working days from the time of the announcement of the tender. However, a tender may be closed in a shorter or longer period of time depending on the urgency or complexity of the item being tendered. Central Purchasing will notify the Corporate & Financial Services Department of the date of a tender closing and will book a suitable venue for the tender opening.
All tender submissions must be addressed to the Municipal Clerk of the Town of Aurora. The Corporate & Financial Services Department will receive all tender submissions and will issue a date and time-stamped receipt. Also, Corporate & Financial Services will refuse to accept any tender submission after the 12:00 noon closing deadline.
The Town has established 12:00 noon as the common closing time for tenders. The opening of the tender submissions follows as 12:10 p.m., with a representative from the user department, Corporate & Financial Services and the Purchasing Co-ordinator in attendance. If more than one tender is closing on the same day, the tender submissions will be opened in numeric order. Purchasing staff will answer tender result inquiries; maintain and return tender deposits as appropriate.
For tenders which require a deposit, a two envelope system of tender submission has been formulated. Envelope #1, the tender deposit envelope, must contain either a bid bond or a certified cheque for 10% of the total amount bid. Envelope #2, the tender documents envelope, must contain all other required tender documentation. Both tender envelopes must be sealed. If not sealed, the tender submission will be rejected and returned to the bidder. The tender deposit envelope must be affixed to the outside of the tender documents envelope. If not, the tender will be rejected and returned unopened to the bidder. If, upon opening the tender deposit envelope, it is evident that it does not contain the required deposit (bid bond or certified cheque) the tender submission will be returned unopened.
Any member of the public may witness the opening of a tender, but it is more common for representatives of companies that submitted bids to be in attendance.
All tender deposits, except those accompanying the three lowest acceptable tenders, will be returned within seven working days after the tender opening. When the successful tenderer has entered into a formal agreement with the Town, the remaining tender deposits will be returned to the respective tenderers, including that of the successful tenderer.
The user department will submit a report to Council recommending the award of a tender where required in this policy. The user department will ensure the formal agreement is signed (WSIB Certificate of Clearance, Insurance Certificate, and Performance Bond). When received, the documentation, together with three copies of the agreement signed by the successful bidder, are forwarded to Corporate & Financial Services for execution by the Clerk and the Mayor.
The user department is responsible for the administration of contracts, maintenance of insurance and preparation of payment certificates. The Certificate of Substantial Performance to contractor (at least 97% of work completed); the final payment certificate and the approval of release for holdbacks will be issued and given by the user department.
Records will be maintained in accordance with this policy and the Records Retention By-law. Tenders are considered to be public records, and must be available for public review.