June 10, 2009

Bid depository deal reached in British Columbia

VANCOUVER

The BC Construction Association (BCCA) has completed negotiations with Defence Construction Canada (DCC) for a new BC Bid Depository protocol.

Warren Perks, VP and director of industry practices for the BCCA, said the most significant part of the new protocol is the decision by the BCCA to remove the Exclusion of Liability clause in the rules.

The BCCA and DCC have also agreed that the capacity for more trades, to close through the bid depository, will increase when more trades can meet the security clearance.

“They (DCC) are saying a bid depository is in effect and there is a list of trades on the general contractors bid form,” said Perks.

Due to on-site security clearance requirements that must be met by the named bidders at the time of closing, he said that only structural steel, mechanical, and electrical trades have been named at this point.

The depository is unique compared to others that exist elsewhere in the country.

“One of the things that we have that is different than any other place in Canada is we are centrally managed by the BCCA,” explained Perks. “We have the capacity to do all the things the government wants. We can issue a pre-bid interpretation. All of this was in the DCC’s documents before.”

According to Perks, another unique thing about the BC Bid Depository is that it is controlled and managed by someone who can read the bid documents and make a scope of work interpretation.

This is due to the fact that the program administrator has a construction industry background. BC Bid Depository information is available on MERX. A BCCA member, who has access to an online plan room can also have access to MERX information.

In some jurisdictions, this is included as part of the membership fee, but for other areas there is a separate charge. The bid depository is a system for the reception of sealed bids from trade contractors to enable those receiving the bids to obtain firm quotations in writing and adequate time to accurately compile their tenders.

As such, general contractors enter into a contract with selected bidders, whose bids have been properly deposited and which will be used for sub-contract purposes.

— RICHARD GILBERT

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