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The BC Construction Association (BCCA) has issued a province-wide industry alert following the confirmation of cases of removal of “Contract A” from the procurement process by a growing list of public owners, including some municipalities, school districts, universities, and crown corporations. In the absence of “Contract A”, general contractors and trade contractors should not assume that they will be treated fairly and probably have no legal recourse for being treated unfairly.
In Canadian contract law, “Contract A” ensures fairness, openness and transparency between the owner and each compliant bidder who responds to a procurement call. “Contract A” typically includes terms and conditions such as deadlines, evaluation criteria, privilege clauses and often the requirement for bid security. It serves to protect the legitimate expectations and interests of all parties.
The absence of “Contract A” undermines the integrity of the procurement process, and may result in:
“Contract A” is a legal convention that was created in 1981 by the Supreme Court of Canada in The Queen (Ont.) v. Ron Engineering. This landmark decision is the cornerstone for fair, open and transparent procurement, providing a mechanism to protect both owners and bidders from unfair practices. It forms the basis of an understanding that all owners have a duty of fairness towards compliant bidders. Through the use of the “Contract A” bidding contract, Ron Engineering has brought certainty to the procurement process.
BCCA recommends construction firms proceed with extreme caution in the face of the unprecedented implications of the removal of “Contract A”. Contractors are advised to:
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