New GNWT contracts website goes live
Site allows vendors to download documents and bid online
GNWT functional analyst Brad Tremblay, left, public works and services senior procurement officer Rebekah Clarke and SAM (system, accountability and management) sustainment manager Jason Doiron stand with the territorial government's new online procurement website for vendors and contracts. Doiron was the project manager and the new system was put online on Oct. 31. - Karen K. Ho/NNSL photo |
Karen K. Ho
Northern News Services
Monday, November 2, 2015
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
After a year of development, the GNWT rolled out its new online procurement website on Oct. 31
Jason Doiron, manager of SAM Sustainment at the GNWT's Department of Finance said the new website will allow vendors to download and bid on GNWT contracting opportunities online. Vendors will also be able to sign up for notifications of new opportunities in specific business sectors of interest as they come online.
"This online, interactive approach has been adopted by all other Canadian provinces and territories," he stated in an e-mail to News/North. "This new approach replaces the previous approach of a non-interactive listing of GNWT tenders and proposals.
Additionally, advertisements on the new website for tenders and proposals will now be in both French and English."
Doiron said the website was the result of 17th Legislative Assembly's priority of fostering modern management in the GNWT. He also said the Legislative Assembly also approved a total of $275,000 in capital funding for the eProcurement Project and approximately 50 people were involved.
In the past, vendors were not able to digitally download tender and proposal documents or bid online.
"With the new GNWT Contract Event Opportunities website, documents will be available for download once a vendor has registered as a bidder," he said. "Additionally, registered bidders will be able to bid online."
When it came to other provinces or territories that the GNWT looked to as examples of updated websites similar to the one that was rolled out on Oct. 31, Doiron said the procurement websites of the Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon governments "are regarded as systems that function well and provide good service to vendors."
So far, Doiron said the biggest challenges have been effectively managing change and training users has been the biggest challenge.
"However, to date, both internal and external users are responding well," he said.
