ESTIMATED QUANTITY
To be delivered as and when required for the period indicated at the request of the department. Quantities or dollar values stated are an estimate made in good faith and may vary considerably. The Province of N.B. reserves the right to purchase more or lesser amounts depending on requirements.
This procurement is subject to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement.
When stating "Unit Price" on bid submissions, vendors are required to quote pricings no more than four (4) digit positions after the decimal point. More than 4 digit positions after the decimal point will be rounded-off to the fourth position.
PAYMENT OF INVOICES
Payment of invoices is the responsibility of the department or organization to whom the goods are shipped or services are supplied.
New Brunswick Manufacturer
By stating YES in the input box, I confirm that I am a Manufacturer of goods with a place of business in New Brunswick. Place of business means an establishment where a manufacturer regularly conducts its activities on a permanent basis, is clearly identified by name and is accessible during normal business hours.
New Brunswick Vendor
By stating YES in the input box, I confirm that I am a Vendor of goods with a place of business in New Brunswick. Place of business means an establishment where a vendor regularly conducts its activities on a permanent basis, is clearly identified by name and is accessible during normal business hours.
PAPER AND PAPERBOARD
SCOPE
Estimated Quantity Contract for the supply and delivery of letterheads on an as and when required basis, to various locations, from the date of award to February 28, 2027, with four (4) one (1) year mutually agreeable optional renewals. If a vendor chooses not to accept the option year, GNB reserves the right to re-tender, re-award or delete the items in question.
The quantities indicated are based on previous year's sales and are approximate. If government requirements change the projected amounts may vary considerably.
AWARD CRITERIA
This tender will be awarded to the lowest compliant total bid price for all items and consideration of other cost savings incentives, which ever provides the best overall value to the Province of New Brunswick. (Best overall value will be determined at the sole discretion of GNB and all decisions are final.)
The Province of New Brunswick reserves the right to negotiate pricing, value added and other savings opportunities with the successful proponent at time of award and throughout the contract. Acceptance of any price changes or award of the option year is solely the discretion of GNB. GNB reserves the right to negotiate lower pricing with vendors in the option year. GNB may consider price increases in the option year if deemed to be reasonable and based on market conditions, should not exceed CPI.
REQUIREMENTS
Vendors are required to submit a bid on the item listed below. The intent of this tender is to award to only one vendor who is capable of bidding on the item listed. This will help increase efficiencies in ordering and deliveries.
Vendors will be required to adhere to the letterhead design over the duration of the contract. See attachments for the 2026 letterhead template.
HOW TO SUBMIT PRICING
Bidders are invited to submit their UNIT PRICE--the price for a single product within the Tender Item--under the 'Unit Price Including Discount' column. Bidders should then multiply their unit price by the 'Quantity/Unit' to calculate the 'Extended Price'. The 'Unit Price Including Discount' and 'Extended Price' column directly on this Invitation to Tender. The "Total including all charges" should not include taxes.
Unit pricing MUST include all shipping charges, fuel charges and delivery costs.
Vendors should bid directly on the "INVITATION TO TENDER" document and pricing must include shipping charges and delivery costs.
The quantities indicated are based on previous year's purchases and are only approximate.
If government requirements change, the projected amounts may vary considerably. If bidding an alternate unit of measure/package size vendors are requested to add their package size and pricing in the space provided. If there is a discrepancy in the two prices the price in the unit price column prevails.
When stating "Unit Price" on bid submissions, vendors are required to quote pricings no more than four (4) digit positions after the decimal point. More than 4-digit positions after the decimal point will be rounded-off to the fourth position.
ORDER PLACEMENT
The successful vendor(s) must inform Clients at the time of order placement when products are on back order and/or out-of-stock.
There is a $75 minimum orders quantity for this contract (this would be for one order, encompassing all items on contract, and not per item). Vendors should also include any additional charges that may apply to orders that are below the $75 minimum order. This information will be used in selecting the best overall pricing structure for award.
The successful vendor is to make available a toll-free number for enquiries.
DELIVERY
Delivery will be on an as and required basis, to various locations throughout the Province of New Brunswick. Delivery time after receipt of order should be clearly indicated on the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document and SHOULD NOT EXCEED 10 BUSINESS DAYS.
Vendors must be able to delivery to the entire province in order to be considered for an award. Deliveries will be to approximately 250 locations including government departments' schools. For informational purposes only, below is a breakdown of annual sales volumes by region. Vendors are encouraged to use this information when determining their shipping costs.
- Campbellton, Bathurst, Miramichi and Rexton Regions: 6%
- Fredericton, Oromocto and Woodstock Regions: 62%
- Sussex St John and St Stephen Region: 14%
- Moncton, Dieppe Riverview and Region: 16%
- Grand Falls, Edmundston, Saint-Quentin and Kedgwick Regions: 6%
SAMPLES
When Samples are requested by the Province, the Samples will remain the Property of the Province of N.B. for a one (1) year period. If vendors want the sample returned after the one (1) year period, this must be requested in writing on the packing slip, attached to each individual sample, when submitted. On this request the vendor must state the method of return that will be charged to their company.
PACKAGING
Vendors proposed package sizes must be in scope with the unit of measure/package size requested in this tender. Package sized bid outside of the tender scope may be rejected. The intent is to ensure that package size/case quantities remain consistent with the unit of measure stated in this tender. The successful vendor(s) is expected to ship/delivery in the unit of measure indicated on this tender.
Letterhead Packaging: 2,500 /pkg mandatory or shipment will be returned collect for repackaging.
RETURNS
The successful vendor(s) must carry all cost incurred by the client(s) for the return of any and all products. The successful vendor(s) shall:
- not charge any restocking fees for goods ordered in error or otherwise returned to the Supplier;
- establish return authorization and claim processing procedures for the return of defective or damaged goods acceptable to the client(s) through e-mail, Internet portal, etc.;
- Defective products will be returned to the Supplier to be replaced at no cost, including freight charges, to the Client(s).
- accept and process all claims within two (2) Business Day of claim submission by Client for all items reported as damaged, defective, not received or otherwise returned to the Supplier in the manner in which payment was received; and - pick-up items returned by the Client and for which a claim has been submitted within five(5) Business Days of the claim submission.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Substitutions will not be delivered without the pre-authorization of Strategic Procurement.
In the case of new product development or acquisition of new brands by the vendor, GNB
reserves the right to accept substitute products of equivalent quality, with better unit
pricing during this contract. (Any such product must be previously sampled and approved by GNB.)
The Province of New Brunswick reserves the right to add additional items, which fall
within the product category, during the term of the contract, if deemed necessary by the
Province.
INVOICES
The product numbers and brands indicated on the invoice and packing slip must match the product codes and brands on the purchase order. To ensure prompt payment, invoices should be submitted within 30 days of delivery.
Vendors are encouraged to read the good invoice guide, posted on the GNB Website to satisfy themselves as to invoicing requirements.
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/services/services_renderer.201152.Electronic_Invoicing.html
BIDDER QUESTIONS
All inquiries should be received five (5) calendar days prior to the closing date; any inquiries received less than five (5) calendar days prior to the closing date cannot be guaranteed a response. Please reference the tender number and closing date within your communications to ensure a prompt and accurate reply.
BIDDING REQUIREMENTS
BIDDERS ARE REQUIRED TO SIGN AND DATE THEIR BID IN THE SPACE PROVIDED BELOW.
This is a tender notice only. In order to submit a bid, you must obtain official tender documents from the New Brunswick Opportunities Network, another authorized tendering service or as indicated in the tender notice.
Instructions for Bid Submission
1. Bids will only be accepted by electronic transmission as follows:
a. By e-bidding through NBON (when e-bidding is possible); OR
b. By fax to: (506) 444-4200 (fax to dedicated mailbox).
Note: Proposals in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP) will not be accepted by fax; OR
c. By email to NBBids@snb.ca or SoumissionsNB@snb.ca (do not submit bids to any other email).
Click here
Instructions for Bid Submission by Email for important instructions on how to submit bids by email.
d. Please refrain from submitting your bid through multiple electronic channels to avoid duplicate bids.
2. All bids must be properly signed by an authorized person.
a. For bids submitted by email or fax: typed signatures (in any font) that are not on the bid itself (i.e. in the body of the email or on the fax cover sheet) will NOT be accepted.
3. All bids must be legible, properly completed and contain the proper solicitation number.
4. The proponent is solely responsible for ensuring that the bid submission in its entirety, including all attachments, is received before Closing Date and Time as indicated on the solicitation documents.
a. The proponent bears all risk associated with delivering its bid by electronic submission, including but not limited to delays in transmission between the Proponent's computer and the Province's Electronic Mail System, NBON or fax.
b. The date and time of official receipt of the bid will be the time of receipt recorded in the NBON system (for e-bids) or the time of receipt in the Province's Electronic Mail System (for fax and email bid submissions).
5. All bids must be stated in Canadian Funds. Sales taxes should not be included in the unit, extended or total prices.
6. All tenders must be DDP (delivery duty paid), per Incoterms 2020 DDP. The seller bears all costs and risks until the goods are delivered to the buyer at the named place of destination, ready for unloading, and cleared for import, including all duties and taxes.
7. This Invitation is being conducted under the provisions of the Procurement Act and Regulation 2014-93 as of the date of the issuance of the Invitation.
QUESTIONS:
Written questions relating to this opportunity may be submitted to the address provided below via email by clicking on Questions. Please be sure to include the solicitation/tender number in the subject line.
EMAIL ADDRESS: bidquestionssoumissions@snb.ca
NOTE:
This email account is strictly for the receipt of questions on open opportunities. This email is not for the submission of bids.
Excluded Jurisdictions
1. In accordance with section 162.1 of Regulation 2014-93 under the Procurement Act, US Bids for this solicitation may be refused at the sole discretion of the Government of New Brunswick. Refused bids will not be returned and there will be no further notification to refused bidders.
2. For the purpose of this section:
2.1 "US Bid" means a bid submission from:
a) a US Entity, or
b) a joint venture, syndicate, partnership or other business combination or cooperative arrangement in combination with a US Entity that is submitted from a Place of Business within the United States of America.
2.2 "US Entity" means
a) a business or professional organization, including without limitation a corporation, partnership, joint venture, professional corporation, limited liability company, sole proprietorship, trust or association or other commercial organization, that is created, established, formed or incorporated in any jurisdiction in the United States of America; and
b) any entity that is owned or controlled by an entity listed in paragraph 2.2(a); and
2.3 "Place of Business" means an establishment where a vendor or manufacturer conducts activities on a permanent basis, is clearly identified by name and is accessible during normal business hours.
Tariffs Price Adjustments
Suppliers should prepare bid submissions based on information and costs known at the time of submission. If the price of any goods included within this solicitation is affected by new, previously undisclosed tariffs or duties implemented after the bid submission period has closed, the awarded supplier(s) may request a price increase from the Government of New Brunswick (GNB) to offset the increased costs (a "Tariff Price Adjustment") as outlined in this section.
Before requesting a Tariff Price Adjustment from GNB, suppliers should first seek refund or relief from applicable federal and provincial/territorial government applicable tariff relief programs.
If the supplier is unable to obtain financial relief or support from federal and/or provincial/territorial governments, suppliers may request a Tariff Price Adjustment from GNB for the affected goods, after providing sufficient evidence that financial relief or support was denied.
Suppliers must substantiate any Tariff Price Adjustment request with supporting information and documentation satisfactory to GNB in its sole discretion, including but not limited to: 1) A detailed description of the goods on which a price increase is sought, the associated HS codes, and the applicable tariffs; 2) Detailed breakdown of how tariffs have impacted the supplier's operations and/or supply chain, including raw materials, production, and shipping; 3) A cost comparison before and after
the tariffs, showing how they directly impact the supplier's pricing, and the supplier's plans to mitigate cost pressures; 4) Evidence demonstrating the supplier's inability to source the goods or substitutes from non-US suppliers, or other factors preventing the sourcing of the goods or substitutes from non-US suppliers (e.g., contractual obligations); and 5) Any supportive or corroborative information, such as communications from the supplier's supply chain or logistics partners, which
confirms the impact of tariffs on the supplier's costs.
Requests for Tariff Price Adjustments should be sent to the contact person on the Purchase Order or Contract. Acceptance of any price increase is solely at the Government of New Brunswick's discretion, and subject to any conditions imposed at the time of approval.
All bids will be deemed to have been submitted in contemplation of the above noted potential adjustments to price. By submitting a bid, each supplier acknowledges that the other suppliers who have submitted bids may obtain a Tariff Price Adjustment in accordance with the requirements noted above, and waives any claim, action or proceeding against GNB relating to a Tariff Price Adjustment to any contract arising from this solicitation.
A bidder must obtain official solicitation documents from a distribution service, authorized by the Minister of Service New Brunswick, in order to submit a bid. The current authorized distribution services are the
New Brunswick Opportunities Network (NBON) (operated by Service New Brunswick, Province of NB),
BIDSAlert (operated by Tendering Publications Ltd.) and
MERX (operated by Mediagrif Interactive Technologies). Bids should be submitted on the official bid documents
obtained from these authorized distribution services.
The Atlantic Provinces
Standard Terms & Conditions for Goods and Services apply to this procurement and are considered to be incorporated into this document. By submitting a bid, you agree and accept these terms and conditions. Current "Atlantic Provinces Standard Terms and Conditions" are available on the New Brunswick Opportunities Network, the Council of Atlantic Premiers' Website or from an authorized service provider.
Solicitation documents will be provided in either of the Province of New Brunswick's two official languages; English or French upon request.
The province of New Brunswick reserves the right to negotiate pricing, value added and other savings opportunities with the successful proponent at time of award and throughout the contract.
All suppliers engaged to deliver services on behalf of the Government of New Brunswick must ensure compliance with the
Official Languages Act in the delivery of those services. For more information, please refer to the
Official Languages Act.
All discounts quoted will be considered to be without limitations.
Under Canadian law (and international agreements), your Bid must arrive separately and independently, without conspiracy, collusion or fraud; see http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/home for further information.
Award of contracts: no contract shall be awarded and no payment shall be made to a vendor unless authorized by the Minister or his delegates. The Minister may make an award to the preferred vendor conditional on the negotiation and acceptance of a detailed contract between the Province and the vendor. In such cases, should the detailed contract negotiations not be completed in a reasonable period of time, the Province reserves the right to discontinue negotiations with the vendor and
subsequently enter into negotiations with the second preferred vendor.
Pay Equity
Does your organization have 50 or more employees?
The Government of New Brunswick is committed to encouraging and incentivizing the adoption of pay equity by employers doing business with government.
Prior to the award of procurements for goods and services valued over $1,000,000, suppliers, with fifty (50) or more employees will be required to complete the Pay Equity Learning Module developed by the Women's Equality Branch. Suppliers should provide a copy of their certificate of completion with their bid submission.
To complete the online module and obtain your certificate, please click here
Pay Equity Learning Module. For questions, please contact the Pay Equity Bureau toll free: (877) 253-0266 or by Email: peb-bes@gnb.ca.
No right or duty, in whole or in part, of the vendor under a contract issued may be assigned or delegated without the prior consent of the Strategic Procurement Branch.
Unless indicated otherwise in this tender notice or attached documents, all prices must be extended and totalled.
All Suppliers engaged to deliver goods or services to the Government of New Brunswick must ensure compliance with the Designated Materials Regulation in the provision or delivery of those goods obligated under that Regulation. Please refer to
Recycle NB's website and the
Designated Materials Regulation for specifics.
Direct Deposit
The Province of New Brunswick uses Direct Deposit as the standard method of issuing payments. Suppliers are encouraged to send a completed Direct Deposit Form to Service New Brunswick (e-mail address is indicated on the form).
Please click on the link below to view the Direct Deposit Form.
https://www2.snb.ca/content/dam/snb/Procurement/DirectDepositVirementDirect.pdf
PAYMENT OF INVOICES
Payment of invoices is the responsibility of the department or organization to whom the goods are shipped or services are supplied.
NB Preferential Treatment
Where trade agreements don't apply, or where permissible under the applicable trade agreements and the regulations under the Procurement Act, Service New Brunswick reserves the right to apply preferential treatment in the evaluation of bid submissions from a prospective New Brunswick supplier or contractor, in accordance with the New Brunswick First Procurement Policy. To learn more about eligibility, conditions, and how preferential treatment is applied, see the
New Brunswick First
Procurement Policy.
