The Honourable Patricia J. Mella, Minister of Provincial Treasury, today announced that her department, on behalf of the Government of Prince Edward Island, has signed a contract with Cebra Inc. to provide a new electronic service to advertise Government of Prince Edward Island goods and services contract opportunities to suppliers.
MERX, Cebra Inc.'s Internet-based national electronic tendering service, will use today's cost-effective technology to reduce costs to users and provide powerful search tools. In addition to Government of Prince Edward Island requirements, the system will advertise high-value federal, provincial and other public-sector contracting opportunities to prospective contractors and suppliers across Canada.
The Governments of Canada, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick have signed contracts with Cebra for the MERX electronic tendering of their respective contracting opportunities. Many PEI suppliers already subscribe to the service.
"This new system will be an essential element of the government's efforts to ensure that its procurement process is accessible, fair and transparent, while providing best value for taxpayers," Minister Mella said. "I am confident that PEI suppliers, particularly small businesses, will find the system to be an effective, user-friendly, low-cost tool for obtaining information on government business opportunities."
The system will replace BATE, PEI's current electronic tendering bulletin board, which has provided access to Atlantic Canada government tender opportunities since 1992. MERX will still permit PEI tender opportunities below the trade agreement thresholds to be restricted to regional or provincial competition.
Cebra Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank of Montreal, was selected by the National Electronic Tendering Working Group (NETWG) as the successful bidder to establish a common electronic tendering system for the federal, provincial and territorial governments. All provinces, along with the federal government, participated in the Request For Proposal development and subsequent bid evaluation.
"This is an excellent example of intergovernmental cooperation and a significant step towards one-stop shopping for Canadian companies wanting to sell to all levels of government in Canada," said Minister Mella. "Advertising government procurement needs via an easy-to-access online system makes it easier for PEI suppliers to compete for public sector business."
PEI tenders will begin to appear on MERX April 1, 1998, and there will be a two-month, phase-in period, during which MERX and BATE will both operate. This will ensure continuity of service to users, while allowing for an orderly transfer to the new system for BATE users. While PEI construction opportunities may be advertised on MERX, no changes are initially contemplated for tender distribution.
During the transition to the new system, Cebra will work with users, especially small business, to explain the "user-friendliness" of the software and search features of the MERX system. In addition, Cebra will provide interested business and industry associations with the opportunity to access the system.
To ensure that small businesses which do not have access to a computer continue to have access to public sector business opportunities, MERX access will be available at PEI Government Regional Service Centres. Cebra will also establish public access points across Canada, and provide telephone access to its services. Cebra's national call centre for all MERX services is provided by Watts Communications in Charlottetown.
Cebra provides the MERX system and services free of charge to participating governments. The company earns revenues through the provision of services to suppliers.
More information on the MERX Service is available at 1-800-964-MERX (6379), and access to basic information on current tender opportunities is available on the Internet at www.merx.cebra.com.