CanadaBuys is the Government of Canada's official service for federal tender opportunities and the single national portal where suppliers register a vendor account to view and bid on federal opportunities. Registration is done through the SAP Business Network (formerly SAP Ariba); a supplier may hold only one SAP Business Network account per Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number. A CRA business number is not required to submit a bid, but is required before a contract, standing offer, or supply arrangement can be awarded, and businesses of any location wanting to sell to the Government of Canada will ultimately need one. Foreign (non-resident) firms are eligible and register for a non-resident CRA business number, though their eligibility to be awarded a given contract depends on whether an applicable trade agreement covers the procurement, and, as of July 14, 2025, on the Interim Policy on Reciprocal Procurement.
CanadaBuys (SAP Business Network / SAP Ariba)
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
Foreign companies eligibleNo local entity required to bid
No Canadian legal entity or local incorporation is required to register or bid. Businesses located outside Canada register for a non-resident CRA business number (CanadaBuys 'How to register your business': 'For businesses outside of Canada: Register for a non-resident CRA business number'; 'Businesses of all sizes, no matter their location, wanting to sell goods or services to the Government of Canada will need a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number'). However, eligibility to be AWARDED a specific contract is conditional on an applicable trade agreement covering the procurement and, since July 14, 2025, on the Interim Policy on Reciprocal Procurement, under which suppliers that are neither Canadian suppliers nor suppliers of an applicable trading partner may be excluded.
Determine whether your country has a government-procurement trade agreement with Canada, since a foreign supplier's eligibility to compete for or be awarded a contract depends on whether an applicable trade agreement covers the specific procurement. As of July 14, 2025, under the Interim Policy on Reciprocal Procurement, a supplier that is not a Canadian supplier or a supplier of an applicable trading partner may not be eligible. Applicable agreements include CFTA (domestic), WTO-GPA (covers the U.S.), CETA (EU), CPTPP (covers Mexico and Pacific-Rim partners), plus several bilateral FTAs. Each individual tender lists which trade agreements apply.
Businesses of any location that want to sell to the Government of Canada need a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number (BN), a 9-digit number. Non-resident (foreign) businesses register for a non-resident CRA business number using the online Non-Resident Business Registration form, or by filing Form RC1 (Request for a Business Number and Certain Program Accounts), or by phoning the non-resident registration line (1-866-453-0452, or collect 1-613-221-3039 from outside Canada/U.S.). Note: a BN is NOT required to submit a bid, but IS required before a contract, standing offer, or supply arrangement can be awarded; CanadaBuys recommends entering it during registration.
Register your business on the SAP Business Network (the web-based bidding tool used by PSPC), accessed via CanadaBuys. You may hold only one SAP Business Network account per CRA business number. After submitting, you receive an activation email and click the 'Activate' link to confirm your email. CanadaBuys recommends entering your CRA business number when registering, as it is needed if you win a contract. A registration checklist and step-by-step guide are provided on CanadaBuys.
Complete your company profile in SAP Business Network and fill out the Government of Canada's required questionnaire before you can submit a bid. Per CanadaBuys, questions must be completed to submit a bid and the final question is mandatory to complete full registration. This enables you to receive opportunity notifications and submit bids electronically.
Historically, suppliers obtained a Procurement Business Number (PBN) by first registering in the Supplier Registration Information (SRI) system (which requires a CRA BN first); the PBN was required for bids not processed through SAP Ariba and for certain methods of supply such as the Centralized Professional Services System (CPSS) / ProServices. IMPORTANT: PSPC has announced the SRI system is being retired and will no longer be available after July 3, 2026, with suppliers directed to register in SAP Business Network instead. Suppliers may also prequalify for standing offers and supply arrangements where those apply to their commodity.
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Create free accountNot documented — verify on the official portal.
Varies per tender — not a fixed registration time.
Federal procurement governed by the Financial Administration Act, Government Contracts Regulations, and Treasury Board Directive on the Management of Procurement; supplier/foreign access governed by trade agreements listed by CanadaBuys (CFTA, WTO-GPA, CETA, CPTPP, CUSMA and several bilateral FTAs) and by the Interim Policy on Reciprocal Procurement effective July 14, 2025 (https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/buy-canadian-policy/interim-policy-reciprocal-procurement).
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This guide is grounded in official sources, last verified 2026-07-20.