Purchasing

The Regional Municipality of Durham procures a wide range of goods and services, including but not limited to:

• Public Works: Road, traffic, watermain, and sewer maintenance and materials.
• Water & Wastewater: Water and sewage plant maintenance, chemicals, waste, and recycling.
• Facilities & Infrastructure: Construction, repairs, maintenance, janitorial services, landscaping, snow clearing, and security systems.
• Professional Services: Consulting in finance, business, medical, engineering, and architecture.
• Technology: Computers, networks, software, phones, cellular and two-way radios.
• Vehicles & Equipment: Fleet vehicles, parts, and services for Works and Durham Region Transit (DRT).
• Medical & Health: Supplies and equipment for Paramedic Services, nursing, public health, dental, and laboratory needs.
• Office & Administrative: Furniture, supplies, stationery, printing, promotional materials, and forms.
• Utilities & Energy: Fuels, energy systems, and related storage and dispensing.
• Food Services: Food, beverages, kitchen supplies, equipment, and catering.
• Childcare: Daycare supplies and equipment.
• Laundry Services: Equipment, maintenance, linens, and supplies for RDPS.
• Logistics: Transportation, customs clearance, and moving services.
• Workplace Essentials: Work clothing, uniforms, hardware, electrical, plumbing, and safety supplies.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) Certification refers to formal recognition by an independent third-party organization that a contractor has successfully implemented an accredited occupational health and safety management system.

The Region will accept any of the following as valid OHSMS Certification:

1. Certificate of Recognition (COR®) issued by the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA);
2. ISO 45001 certificate issued by a certification body that is accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF); and/or
3. Any other OHSMS Certification accredited by the Chief Prevention Officer under s.7.6.1 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

OHSMS Certification will be a mandatory requirement on all Regional construction projects that are estimated to be of a particular value, in accordance with the Region’s phased implementation timeline.

It should be noted that this threshold is subject to review and may be adjusted as the phased approach evolves.

The applicability, threshold, and any updates to the OHSMS Certification requirement (if applicable) for each project will be clearly specified in the corresponding bid documents.

At this time, the OHSMS Certification requirement only applies to contractors who will have a direct contract with the Region if they are the successful bidder. Contractors that hire subcontractors as part of their contract with the Region are responsible for determining the appropriate health and safety requirements of their subcontractors. Contractors will not be required to provide proof of OHSMS certification of subcontractors to the Region at this time. 

A bidder will be required to confirm and submit proof that it has obtained OHSMS Certification at the time of bidding. Bidders must review and comply with the submission requirements contained in the bid documents issued for each tender.

Bidders must submit a copy of one of the following documents as proof of OHSMS Certification:

1. Certificate of Recognition (COR®) issued by the IHSA
2. ISO 45001 certificate issued by a certification body that is accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF); and/or
3. Any other OHSMS Certification accredited by the Chief Prevention Officer under s.7.6.1 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

• For COR® certification, equivalency or reciprocity details, contact IHSA at 1-800-263-5024 or visit ihsa.ca
• For ISO 45001:2018 details, contact the International Organization for Standardization at customerservice@iso.org or visit iso.org
• For information on ISO 45001:2018 accredited certification bodies, visit the IAF website at iafcertsearch.org
• For further details related to the OHSMS certification accredited by the Chief Prevention Officer under section 7.6.1 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, please visit ontario.ca

Tenders and proposals will be called, received, evaluated, accepted and processed in accordance with the Purchasing By-law 16-2020 and tendering/proposal procedures.

The Regional Municipality of Durham’s Standard Terms and Conditions outline the legal and procedural requirements for all purchases made by the Region. This document ensures transparency, consistency, and accountability in our procurement process, and sets clear expectations for suppliers and contractors.

The debriefing process is to assure respondents that the Region has properly evaluated their proposal(s) and made the award determination in accordance with the RFP terms and conditions. The debriefing also provides feedback to respondents to assist them in improving future proposal submissions.

The Vendor Performance Evaluation Policy establishes a process that allows the Region to assess Vendor performance and, where appropriate, apply Corrective Measures identified in the Policy where Vendors fail to meet their contractual obligations.

The vendor dispute resolution process is a mechanism that allows vendors to put forward concerns they have relating to the bidding process, and any other matter related to the procurement of goods and services, for review, and where appropriate for senior Finance management to implement changes.

The Disqualified Vendor List contains the names of companies that are disqualified from performing work for the Region of Durham as per Purchasing By-law 16-2020. Companies who have been disqualified by the Region may not be engaged on any Region of Durham contract as a contractor or subcontractor.

The Staffing Agency Guidelines outline the Region’s expectations and procedures for working with temporary staffing agencies. They help ensure consistency, compliance, and quality in temporary staffing arrangements.

The Staffing Agency Agreement outlines the standard contractual terms for temporary staffing services with the Region. Agencies are expected to review and align with this agreement when providing temporary personnel.

The Regional Municipality of Durham is a proud member of the Durham Purchasing Cooperative – a collaborative group of public sector organizations working together to issue bids collectively. Since many agencies require similar goods and services, combining their needs into a single bid process helps save time, reduce duplication and improve efficiency.

To learn more about how this cooperative works, please refer to the Durham Region Purchasing Cooperative Guide.

These are the members of the Durham Purchasing Cooperative:

• Ajax
• Brock
• Clarington
• Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA)
• Durham Region
• Durham District School Board
• Durham Non-Profit Housing
• Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC)
• Ontario Tech University and Durham College
• Oshawa
• Pickering
• Scugog
• Uxbridge
• Whitby

Supply Chain Canada is the national association for supply chain professionals in Canada. It provides education, certification, and professional development, including the respected Supply Chain Management Professional (SCMP™) designation. The organization supports members across various industries by promoting best practices, ethical standards, and innovation in supply chain management.

To learn more about Supply Chain Canada, please visit: Who We Are - Supply Chain Canada

The National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP), also known as NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement, is a leading professional association dedicated to advancing the public procurement profession across North America. NIGP’s mission is to develop, support, and promote public procurement as a vital function that ensures transparency, efficiency, and value in government purchasing.

To learn more about NIGP, please visit: About NIGP

The Ontario Public Buyers Association (OPBA) is a non-profit professional association that represents public procurement professionals across Ontario. It promotes ethical and effective public spending and supports excellence in procurement through education, certification programs, networking, and advocacy.

To learn more about the OPBA, please visit: About - Ontario Public Buyers Association