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How to bid on a public tender in Quebec
Bidding is more than filling in a form. It is a sequence: find the right notice, check your eligibility, prepare the administrative documents, price the work, write the proposal, then submit according to the rules. A skipped step cannot be recovered after the deadline.
Updated on October 20, 2026 · Reading time 8 min
1. Find the notice and confirm it is still open
Public tenders in Quebec are published on SEAO. Filter by region, category and organization, then open the notice: check its status, the deadline and whether addenda exist. A notice can be relaunched, postponed or cancelled; working from an old version is the most expensive mistake.
2. Obtain the official documents
Viewing the notice is free; downloading documents may be charged. Get the whole dossier — specifications, plans, annexes, forms, price schedule — and keep the dated version. The documents are the only enforceable source: an email from a contact does not replace a clause in the specifications.
3. Check eligibility before preparing anything
Depending on the subject and the organization, the notice may require an RBQ licence, tax attestations, a CNESST attestation, an authorization to contract from the Autorité des marchés publics, insurance or specific references. Check every requirement against your actual situation. An ineligible company does not save time by writing.
4. Understand the award method
Two logics coexist: lowest compliant price and quality-price evaluation. In the first, compliance is a switch; in the second, the quality of the technical proposal makes the difference. Identify the weighting, thresholds and point formula before deciding where to invest effort.
5. Prepare the administrative documents first
Attestations requested from third parties take time. Start with them: company register, tax attestations, CNESST, insurance, signed references. Order the documents as the form requires and check validity dates. An attestation that expires on submission day is a missing attestation.
6. Complete the price schedule methodically
Respect the units, quantities and structure of the schedule without adding or removing lines. Check subtotals, taxes and indirect costs. If the notice allows variants or options, identify them clearly. The submitted price is binding: a line error is hard to correct after opening.
7. Write the technical proposal for the evaluator
Answer the criteria in the order of the grid, with verifiable evidence: understanding of the mandate, methodology, team, schedule, references. A brilliant proposal that does not follow the grid loses points for lack of correspondence. Use the same words as the specifications when a criterion is named.
8. Ask questions within the allowed period
Most dossiers provide a question period and an answer date. Ask through the indicated channel, early enough to receive an answer before submission. Never assume an ambiguity will be interpreted in your favour: request written clarification.
9. Submit as required, before the deadline
The notice specifies the submission method: SEAO electronic platform, delivery of documents, or both. Prepare the submission the day before, check file formats and size limits, and keep proof of transmission. A bid submitted one minute late is rejected, whatever its quality.
10. After opening: keep evidence and request feedback
Keep the exact submitted version, acknowledgements and addenda. If you are not selected, request the evaluation report or the reasons provided by the procedure. That feedback is the best preparation for the next bid.
Prepare your bid on verifiable ground
TenderAIHUB extracts requirements, criteria, mandatory documents and deadlines from your dossier, with the source of every item. The decision and validation remain human.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bid without a SEAO account?
Viewing is public, but electronic submission and the download of certain documents go through SEAO and require the provided access. Check the submission method stated in the notice before planning.
Which attestations are required in a Quebec public tender?
It depends on the notice and the organization: RBQ licence, tax attestations, CNESST, insurance, authorization to contract, references. No universal list replaces reading the dossier's requirements.
What happens if the price schedule contains an error?
Depending on the dossier, an error may be corrected on request, invalidate the offer or be treated as a qualification. The only reliable strategy is to check the schedule line by line before submission, with a second reader.