Purchasing and Risk Management

Purchasing is responsible for acquiring goods and services and managing the disposal of surplus materials for the City in a responsible, professional and cost-effective manner. As well as the acquisition of goods and service, Purchasing oversees other functions like risk management and the City’s purchasing card program.

How To Sell To The City

The City does not maintain a bidder’s list. Interested parties may submit company information and available products or services via email only to purchasing@portcoquitlam.ca. The information will be passed along to the appropriate departments or divisions.

It is suggested that suppliers register with BC Bid to receive alerts based on their respective industry for notification of when competitive bids are posted by the City.

Purchasing of Goods and Services

The City uses phone and email quotations, and formal tenders and proposals to obtain goods and services with an annual value of greater than $10,000.

You may view current opportunities via the link below or by visiting the BC Bid website to view opportunities.

View Current Opportunities
Purchase Order Terms & Conditions (pdf)
General Supply Agreement (pdf)
Business Consulting & Professional Services - GSA (pdf)
Professional Consulting Services (Construction Related - GSA (pdf)
Required Supplier Documentation

Contractors or service companies doing business on City property:

    1. Must have a valid City of Port Coquitlam or Tri-Cities Inter-municipal Business License. For more information visit the City’s Business Licensing web page
    2. Will be required to give proof of an active and in good standing WorkSafe BC account by submission of a Clearance Letter from WorkSafe BC.
    3. Must have a Safety Program in place that meets with the requirements of WorkSafe BC.
    4. Must provide the required Certificate of Insurance
      • Standard  – is used for most of the business conducted with the City. It contains the requirements for Commercial General Liability Insurance, Auto Third Party Liability, and may specify additional coverages that are required. Please read your contract carefully and consult with your insurance broker to ensure that all risks associated with the work contracted by the City of Port Coquitlam are covered under the insurance policies that you have in place.
      • Professional and Consulting – contains provisions for providing Errors and Omissions (E&O) or Professional Liability insurance coverages. Consultants must read their contract carefully to ensure that you not only comply with the Professional Liability insurance requirement, but they may also be obligated to provide coverage for Commercial General Liability insurance, particularly if you also have a project management or other function outside the scope of your E&O policy.
    5. Must sign and provide a Prime Contractor Designation form as required
Stores

Purchasing also operates Stores, which supplies maintenance, repair and operational items used by City departments.

The City of Port Coquitlam maintains a strict purchasing policy coupled with practices recognized by the Supply Chain Management Association.

How does the City go about purchasing goods and services?

The City of Port Coquitlam advertises on its website and on the BC Bid website. BC Bid is administered by the Provincial Purchasing Commission and lists business opportunities from BC Government Departments and many other Public Sector organizations.

The method of purchasing depends upon many circumstances: the value and quantity of the product or service, availability of suppliers, the urgency to meet our requirements, the length of contract period and many other factors.

In all cases, the Purchasing adheres to the City of Port Coquitlam’s Purchasing Policy and other governing regulations.

How does a supplier get on the City of Port Coquitlam bidder's list?

The City does not retain a bidder’s list or bidders registry. Companies are invited to submit their marketing information via email to: purchasing@portcoquitlam.ca for distribution to the appropriate department(s).

What if I am a contractor or service company doing business with the municipality or on municipal properties?

Ethics Statement

Open and honest dealing with everyone involved in the purchasing process

Includes all businesses with which the City of Port Coquitlam contracts or from which it purchases goods or services, as well as all members of the purchasing staff and of the public who utilize the services of Purchasing.

Fair and impartial award recommendations for all contracts and tenders

The City of Port Coquitlam will not extend preferential treatment. Not only is it against the law, it is not good business practice, since it limits fair and open competition for all vendors and is therefore a detriment to obtaining the best possible value for each tax dollar.

Continuous development of purchasing skills and knowledge

All members of Purchasing are encouraged to take advantage of the many opportunities provided to further their knowledge of good public purchasing principles and to maintain excellent skills.

Co-operation with other public agencies in order to obtain the best possible value for every tax dollar

The City of Port Coquitlam is a member of the Vancouver Regional Co-operative Purchasing Group. This group, made up of over 20 public agencies between Whistler and Chilliwack, pools its expertise and resources in order to practice good value analysis and to purchase goods and services in volume and save tax dollars.

An irreproachable standard of personal integrity on the part of all those designated as purchasing agents for the City of Port Coquitlam

No gifts or favours are accepted by Purchasing staff in return for business or the consideration of business. Also, the purchasing staff do not publicly endorse one company in order to give that company an advantage over others.

General Inquiries

Tel 604.927.5232
Email purchasing@portcoquitlam.ca

Location and Mailing Address

Public Works
1737 Broadway Avenue
Port Coquitlam BC  V3C 2M9

Business Hours: 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays)