5 compliance mistakes that get a bid rejected (before it's even read)

In public procurement, compliance comes before price. A non-compliant bid is set aside without even being evaluated — dozens of hours of work lost over a missing signature or a badly worded bond. Here are the five mistakes that come up most often, and how to eliminate them.

1. The missing or misplaced signature

The silliest and most frequent mistake. Bid forms often require several signatures (price schedule, declarations, appendices) and sometimes initials on every page. A single oversight can be enough for rejection. Have the final assembly reviewed by someone who didn't work on the file.

2. The non-compliant bond

Wrong amount, a homemade form instead of the required form, an unaccredited surety: the bid bond is grounds for automatic rejection. Check the required percentage, the mandated form and the validity period — and allow for your broker's issuance time, which can take several days.

3. Expired certificates

Revenu Québec certificate, authorization to contract (AMP) when required, RBQ licence for construction: these documents have expiry dates. Keep a table of your certificate deadlines and renew them before you need them — not the night before a submission.

4. Ignoring the addenda

An addendum published three days before closing can change the price schedule or push back the date. Bidding on the original version of the documents when an addendum has modified it leads to rejection. Check for addenda right up to submission day and acknowledge receipt when required.

5. The last-minute submission

A bid received at 2:01 p.m. for a 2:00 p.m. closing is rejected, period. Electronic submissions can fail, files can be too large, platforms can slow down. Aim for a complete submission 24 hours before closing; use the last day to check, not to finish.

The final 48-hours checklist

• All addenda downloaded and integrated, receipts acknowledged.
• All signatures and initials in the required places.
• Compliant bond (amount, form, validity) in hand.
• Valid certificates attached (Revenu Québec, AMP, RBQ as applicable).
• Complete price schedule, with no blank cells or crossings-out.
• Submission made at least 24 h before the closing time.