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Doing business with BC Hydro

BC Hydro works with businesses of all sizes — from large national suppliers to small, local companies.

How our procurement process works

  1. Find an opportunity
    Public procurement opportunities are generally advertised through BC Bid, the Province of British Columbia's public-sector procurement platform.
  2. Decide if it's a fit
    Review the opportunity details to understand the scope of work, required qualifications, and whether your business can meet BC Hydro’s requirements.
  3. Prepare a response
    Submission requirements vary depending on the competitive sourcing process used. Each solicitation document clearly outlines what must be submitted. Refer to the section below for more information on the different sourcing processes.
  4. Evaluation & award
    BC Hydro evaluates submissions based on the criteria set out in the solicitation document and awards contracts in accordance with the stated process.
  5. Contracting & payment
    Successful suppliers enter into a formal contract with BC Hydro outlining key terms, deliverables, and payment conditions.

Supplier Interaction Guidelines and Code of Conduct

Input from BC Hydro employees and suppliers during the 2010 Supplier Engagement Review helped produce a set of helpful Supplier Interaction Guidelines [PDF, 1.5 MB].

These guidelines also incorporate values identified in our Environmental Responsibility Policy, Social Responsibility Policy and Respectful Workplace Policy.

BC Hydro Code of Conduct [PDF, 209 KB], which is applicable to BC Hydro contracts, complements the Guidelines.

We strongly recommend reviewing both our Supplier Interaction Guidelines [PDF, 1.5 MB], BC Hydro Code of Conduct [PDF, 198 KB] and Contractor Standards for Ethical Conduct [PDF, 59 KB].

Competitive sourcing processes

We use different procurement methods to meet the needs of BC Hydro. Common methods are:

  • Request for Proposal (RFP) – An RFP is a formal procurement document used to invite suppliers to propose how they would meet a business need, including their approach, timeline, and pricing. We use RFP’s to seek creative solutions from proponents. The basis for an award in an RFP process is normally the highest score with the best overall value to BC Hydro.
  • Request for Supplier Qualifications (RFSQ) – An RFSQ is used to assess supplier qualifications and capabilities in advance of future opportunities. Successful respondents may be prequalified and invited to participate in subsequent competitive processes.
  • Request for Information (RFI) – An RFI is used to gather general information from the supplier market to better understand available options, capabilities, and emerging trends. It helps inform planning, strategy, or future procurement approaches and does not represent a commitment to proceed with a competitive process or contract award.
  • Request for Tender (RFT) – An RFT is a formal procurement document used to invite qualified suppliers to submit priced bids to deliver clearly defined goods or services. It is typically used when requirements, scope, and evaluation criteria are well defined with little opportunity for innovation, and contract award is strictly based on price.

Safety and cybersecurity

Safety information for contractors

Access safety policies and guidelines that apply to working with us a contractor. Includes the Life Saving Rules, alcohol and drug policy, Power System Safety Protection and more.

Cybersecurity requirements for suppliers related to the bulk electric system

Review cybersecurity requirements by BC Hydro and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) for our power system which our suppliers must abide by.

Vendor complaint review process

BC Hydro provides an accessible, consistent, fair, impartial and timely process for vendor complaints.

The Vendor Complaint Review Process [PDF, 124 KB] is a formalized 3-step process for voicing your concerns related to procurement processes, competition, and awards. The process is defined by the Vendor Complaint Review Policy.

The complaint review process doesn't cover disputes arising out of actual contracts. In those situations the contract itself will govern resolution.

The informal review allows vendors to work with BC Hydro personnel to resolve any issues. If you have completed a competitive bid process and have questions about the outcome of the submission, you can request a debrief from the procurement representative listed in the solicitation document.

Contact information for the official contract representative is in the contract document.

The formal process should be used if the informal process hasn't resolved the issue or if the vendor has no procurement or contract representative to contact. To start a formal review, download and fill out the Vendor Complaint Form [PDF, 58 KB] and return it to BC Hydro by mail or by email at VCRP@bchydro.com.

Ensure that your form is filled out according to the instructions contained within it. Incomplete forms can slow the review process.

For email submissions, the maximum total file size for attachments is 10 MB per email. If supporting files exceed the 10 MB limit, clearly indicate that additional documents will be sent in another email. We recommend that you send all supporting documents as a zip file attachment.

Download the Vendor Complaint Form [PDF, 58 KB]

If you don't agree with the response provided, you may appeal the response in writing to the Office of the Chief Supply Chain Officer (OCSCO). The OCSCO will investigate and respond to the complainant with a decision within 30 days, unless otherwise notified.

Download the Vendor Complaint Review Process [PDF, 104 KB] for more information.