For substantive issues relating to public procurement obligations contained in one of the international trade agreements, please contact Global Affairs Canada: the proposed notices of purchase, also known as tender notices, must be published for purchases subject to free trade agreements. Crown departments, agencies and some companies are required to publish through the Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS), provided by Utilities and Supply Canada via the “Offers” page on the Buyandsell.gc.ca website. The thresholds applicable between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 for contracts subject to free trade agreements in which the federal government participates are listed below. Below is a table listing the dollar thresholds in which each of the trade agreements applies. This table covers the province, including ministries, crown companies and the MASH sector, which consists of municipalities, academic institutions, social services and health sector organizations. Other broader public sector organizations may have different thresholds. Subject: Updated thresholds for free trade agreements The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is required, in accordance with Executive Order 12260, to set U.S. dollar thresholds for the WTO Public Procurement Agreement and Free Trade Agreements. U.S. obligations under these agreements apply to covered purchases above or above U.S. dollar thresholds.

The thresholds are adjusted every two years. As part of Canada`s free trade agreements with Chile, Colombia and Ukraine, there are “increased transparency” obligations to provide suppliers with information on purchases that they cannot provide, but for which a procedure (1) is applied to open tendering, and (2) the supply value exceeds US$124,000 for Chile and Ukraine and US$150,000 for Colombia. Every two years or so, the thresholds for trade agreements for the World Trade Organization Agreement on Public Procurement (WTO) and free trade agreements (FTAs) are adapted according to pre-defined formulas under the agreements. These thresholds will come into effect on January 1, 2020. On December 23, 2019 (84 FR 70615), the U.S. Trade Representative issued new thresholds for contracting. The U.S. Trade Representative has set the following new thresholds: this final rule transposes the new thresholds into the FAR 25.4 subsection, trade agreements and other sections of the FAR that contain thresholds for trade agreements (i.e. 22.1503, 25.202, 25,603, 25.1101 and 25.1102). In December 2019, the USTR set the applicable supply thresholds from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. Every two years, the thresholds are updated in free trade agreements.

This notice amends the thresholds set out in the 2018-01 Contract Policy Notice to provide new thresholds expressed in Canadian dollars. All thresholds are valid for the period from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021.