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Ontario Tenders Portal (OTP)

CHSS uses the electronic tendering system called Ontario Tenders Portal (OTP).

Information for Vendors

Vendors who wish to review CHSS procurement documents will be required to register at www.ontario.ca/tenders. There is no cost for registration to view the opportunities or to respond to tenders on the OTP.

The system is user-friendly and features:

  • The ability to download procurement opportunities and respond to tenders at no cost to vendors
  • The United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC) system, a widely-used commodity and service coding system to assist vendors in identifying opportunities of interest

For more information visit the Ontario Tenders Portal

GHX (Global Healthcare Exchange)

Regional Software Solution (GHX)

The regional software solution selected by CHSS is the GHX suite of tools which includes:

  • Spend Analytics including consumption, usage, and pricing reports.
  • Centralized Item eCatalog, containing the item master and vendor master, and maintained through electronic updates from contracted GPOs, and other vendors as much as possible.
  • Contract Management capabilities such as centralized contracts, GPO contract and pricing updates.
  • Regional purchasing history including regional consumption and usage.
  • Reporting capability for service performance reports, vendor management, contract compliance.
  • Ability to be remotely accessible for sourcing specialists from across the hospitals in the region.
  • Interfaces to the local hospital systems feeding item and vendor master into the local system and collecting purchase history information from the local system.
  • Interfaces to contact GPOs (and through GHX, to other vendors) to support the import of regional item master information.

The GHX solution is a single, completely integrated offering, which addresses the end-to-end strategic sourcing cycle, from opportunity identification to contract execution and ongoing performance management.

BPS Procurement Directive

Ontario Broader Public Sector (BPS) Procurement Directive (updated as of April 1st, 2024)

The purpose of the Directive is:

  • To ensure that publicly funded goods and services, including construction, consulting services, and information technology are acquired by BPS organizations through a process that is open, fair, and transparent;
  • To outline responsibilities of BPS organizations throughout each stage of the procurement process; and
  • To ensure that procurement processes are managed consistently throughout the Ontario Broader Public Sector.

This Directive applies to all designated broader public sector organizations as provided for under section 12 of the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010.

Timeline / Sector

April 1, 2011

  • Hospitals
  • School boards
  • Colleges
  • Universities
  • Community Care Access Corporations
  • Children's Aid Society

January 1, 2012

  • Publicly funded organizations that received Public funds of 10 million dollars or more in the previous fiscal year of the Government of Ontario

Trade Agreements
Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)

The Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) is an intergovernmental agreement signed by Canadian First Ministers that came into force on July 1st, 2017. The CFTA builds upon, modernizes, and replaces the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT). The CFTA's purpose, like the AIT before it, is to foster improved interprovincial trade by addressing obstacles to the free movement of persons, goods, services and investments within Canada. The CFTA will apply to all procurements commenced on or after July 1, 2017, while the AIT will continue to apply to all procurements commenced before July 1, 2017. Chapter 5 of the CFTA has a specific purpose -- "The purpose of this Chapter is to establish a transparent and efficient framework to ensure fair and open access to government procurement opportunities for all Canadian suppliers."

The Ontario-Quebec Trade and Cooperation Agreement (OQTCA)

The OQTCA purpose is to promote further integration of the Ontario and Quebec economies. This trade agreement was originally signed in 2009 and revised in September 2015. The revised OQTCA will come into effect for organizations in the broader public sector on September 1, 2016. Reporting and single point of access requirements will be effective at a later date.

Chapter Nine of the OQTCA addresses public procurement. The objective of this chapter, "is to ensure equal access to procurement by all Ontario and Quebec suppliers in order to contribute to a reduction in purchasing costs and the development of a strong economy in a context of transparency and efficiency; and foster a climate of collaboration in public procurement in order to respond to public demand for governments to be environmentally, economically and socially responsible" (OQTCA, p52).

The Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

The purpose of CETA is to provide expanded market access for Canadian suppliers to EU markets and EU suppliers gain expanded access to Canadian market. This agreement was signed on October 30, 2016, and entered into force on September 21, 2017. Chapter 19 of CETA sets out the procedural rules and market access commitments that both Canada and EU members must abide by.

A procurement is covered by CETA if: its value is equal to or greater than the relevant threshold; if the type of requirement is covered; if the entity for which the procurement is being done is covered, and if there is no specific exception applicable or invoked. All four criteria must be met in order for the procurement to be covered by CETA.

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA)

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) provides a right of access to records held by public bodies and regulates how public bodies manage personal information. FIPPA also provides an independent review process for people who disagree with access and privacy decisions made by public bodies under the Act.

FIPPA’s privacy section has the underlying principles that are similar to other privacy laws, like the Personal Health Information Protection Act, which already applies and will continue to apply to hospitals. FIPPA's section on freedom of information, however, represents a significant change for hospitals. Under FIPPA, individuals have the right to request access to records held by government organizations unless the information falls under an exemption or is otherwise excluded from that Act.

Hospitals are subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act ("FIPPA") as of January 1, 2012. As a Shared Service Organization, CHSS is considered an agent of its hospitals; CHSS acts on behalf of its members but hospitals have control/ownership of the documents. CHSS is not subject to FIPPA requests directly. If a FOI (Freedom of Information) request is made directly to CHSS, it will forward the request to the hospital with the largest vested interest in the subject at hand. However, CHSS might be asked by hospitals to retrieve tender or contract information in our possession, under a FOI request.

Vendors are considered independent service providers and are not subject to FIPPA. Documentation provided to hospitals and/or CHSS by vendors may be eligible for access under FIPPA and be subject to 3rd party notices.