For a specialty contractor, a bid rejected at the BSDQ means hours of takeoff down the drain. For the general contractor, it means a trade missing from the price. Most rejections have nothing to do with the price itself: they come from a rule that was misunderstood. These are the seven rules of the Bureau des soumissions déposées du Québec (BSDQ) bid depository code that we check before every filing.
1. Know whether your trade is covered
The Code applies automatically when the owner requires it, whatever the value of the work. Otherwise, four conditions must be met: the work is in Quebec, more than one bid is requested, the price for the covered trade is at least $20,000, and the documents allow for comparable bids. The coverage table (Schedule I of the Code) shows which trades are covered in each territory.
2. Never split a contract to stay under $20,000
Dividing a contract to stay under the threshold is prohibited. If your trade comes in over $20,000, it goes through the BSDQ.
3. Include the bid security
From $100,000 up, bid security is mandatory. It equals 10% of the amount, unless the tender documents say otherwise. A bid without security is rejected: it’s one of the most common mistakes, and one of the easiest to avoid.
4. File with the BSDQ, not with the contractor
A covered bid must go through the BSDQ only. Sending it straight to the general contractor doesn’t count.
5. Respect the 8-business-hour withdrawal deadline
The withdrawal deadline expires eight business hours before the closing time for the general contractors’ bids. After that, your bid and your security become irrevocable for the entire validity period. If the documents don’t set a period, the bid stays valid for 45 days after the BSDQ closing.
6. Build your price with the filing guide
The filing guide for your trade decides what you must include. The method comes down to four steps:
- list the specification sections for your trade and include all of their work;
- add the work your guide includes, even if it’s in another trade’s section;
- remove the work covered by the other guides that apply in the project’s territory;
- remove the work your guide specifically excludes.
A takeoff organized by specification section makes this a lot easier. That’s how we organize the quantities we prepare for subcontractors.
7. Know the general contractor’s obligations
A general contractor who takes possession of the bids must award the work to the lowest compliant bidder, and can no longer do that work itself. If it turns the bids down, it has to carry out the entire trade with its own workforce and materials. For subcontractors, that’s a protection: the lowest compliant price gets the contract.
Our advice
Build your checklist before you start the takeoff: threshold, bid security, filing guide, closing date and time, withdrawal deadline. And keep time for the final check: a complete, compliant bid is worth more than a low price that gets rejected.
Does the BSDQ apply to private projects?
Yes, when the conditions of the Code are met or when the owner requires it. It isn’t limited to public projects.
Can a bid that’s already been filed be corrected?
Yes, by withdrawing it before the BSDQ closing. After the withdrawal deadline, it becomes irrevocable.
This article summarizes general rules and does not replace the official text of the BSDQ code.
Sources (in French): ACQ, BSDQ bids – frequently asked questions; ACQ, checklist on filing guides.
