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Tenders

IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO VENDORS SUBMITTING INVOICES BY MAIL AND/OR RECEIVING PAYMENT BY CHEQUE


Dear Vendor,

Please forward this message to your Invoicing or Accounts Receivable Department. This communication applies only to vendors that meet one or both of the criteria (otherwise, no action required):

  1. You are currently sending invoices to Metrolinx via mail (hard-copy); and/or
  2. You are receiving payment from Metrolinx via cheque

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Metrolinx is requesting all of its vendors to send invoices and receive payments electronically. This action will ensure that Metrolinx continues to pay your invoices on-time because manual processes to receive hard-copy invoices or issue cheques may be delayed due to reduced staff working on-premises.

The following changes are to be implemented immediately:

  1. All invoices* must be sent electronically.
  2. All payments from Metrolinx to its vendors will be made by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). If you are not currently set-up to receive payment by EFT, please contact Metrolinx at: Vendorform@metrolinx.com

*To enable efficient processing of your invoice, please ensure that complete and accurate information is included. For example, purchase order number and primary Metrolinx contact, where applicable.

Any questions regarding payments by EFT can be directed to Vendorform@metrolinx.com. Questions regarding sending invoices electronically can be directed to your Metrolinx Business Unit, Project contact, or payablesrequest@metrolinx.com, as applicable.

Thank-you for your support and cooperation.

Sincerely,
Accounts Payable

Important COVID-19 Vendor Travel Information

Metrolinx is actively monitoring the ongoing global COVID-19 situation. Given the international nature of Metrolinx’s suppliers, contractors and vendors and with the Government of Canada advising that all non-essential travel be avoided, including non-essential travel across the Canada- U.S. border, we are asking you to take precautions to ensure the health and safety of your employees as well as that of Metrolinx employees and customers.

Under the direction of the Government of Canada, all travellers arriving in Canada will have an enforced 14-day self-isolation period.

Vendors with staff who will be travelling to Canada for business critical work related to a Metrolinx project are asked to consider whether this travel is absolutely necessary and if possible explore other ways to deliver these services.

Vendors are asked to ensure there are mechanisms in place for your employees who are in Canada to report any changes in health status, especially potential symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms can include fever, cough, muscle aches and tiredness and difficulty breathing. Any contractor, supplier or vendor visiting or working at Metrolinx facilities is expected to follow the same health and safety protocols as all Metrolinx employees. Specific safety concerns should be raised with your primary Metrolinx contact.

Should an employee start experiencing symptoms while within Canada on business, they should contact the local public health unit (Ontario: 1-866-797-0000; Toronto Public Health: 1-416-338-7600) or the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 hotline: 1-833-784-4397.

If you have any questions about the steps Metrolinx is taking, or for further direction please contact your normal Metrolinx contact.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding.



All tender information and documents (electronic or hard copy) are now available exclusively through the MERX website at www.metrolinx.merx.com, either for a flat, per-opportunity access fee or on an annual membership fee basis.

To obtain response information on tenders which were opened publicly in the past two (2) weeks. Please visit www.metrolinx.merx.com for individual tenders. All prices listed are exclusive of taxes.

This information is preliminary in nature and unverified. All tender submissions are subject to an administrative and technical review prior to acceptance by Metrolinx.

METROLINX RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY OR ALL TENDERS; THE LOWEST OR ANY TENDER WILL NOT NECESSARILY BE ACCEPTED

Basic information on publicly tendered projects is available in French on the MERX site here. All Metrolinx tender documents on MERX are currently available in English only. If you wish to obtain information about our tenders in French, please call 416-869-3600. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Metrolinx will no longer post tender results 24 hours after closing, but will now post tender awards after contract execution on Merx.

Tender Results and Awards

Metrolinx’s procurement strategies and practices are designed to ensure protection of the public interest, to maximize competitive bidding, to reflect public sector purchasing best practices, and to promote accessibility by qualified vendors to this agency’s business and procurement processes.

For all procurements an award notice is posted on the Metrolinx MERX Portal after Contract Execution.

Prior to January 1, 2017, Metrolinx made available limited award result information. This historical data will remain accessible for archive purposes but will not be further updated.

For any further inquiries, please contact vendors@metrolinx.com

UPDATE TO IMPORTANT MESSAGE ON SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND STANDARD

On June 15th, after 12 months of extensive consultation, Metrolinx released the revised standard for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The compliance date for this is September 15th, 2020. After receiving recent feedback that some contractors are experiencing supply chain issues, we are extending the compliance date to January 31st, 2021. The purpose of the main changes to our PPE requirements is to increase visibility of personnel and vehicles when working in the rail corridor and in proximity to vehicles, machinery and equipment, in order to better protect all of our people and our customers. This is in line with international best safety practice and I would ask that where possible, you implement these changes with urgency and encourage contractors and sub-contractors to do the same.

Personal Protective Equipment Standards

As part of Metrolinx’s continuous safety improvements, and as of June 26 2020, we are implementing changes to our requirements for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that will impact construction workers and on-site visitors. These changes will increase the visibility of personnel to avoid incidents. This standard is being released in conjunction with a new Vehicle Beacon Safety Standard, to increase the visibility of both vehicles and people in the rail corridor. This is important in protecting people and critical infrastructure in safety critical environments where sightlines and the quality of light and visibility vary during safety critical operations and activities.

Full compliance to the PPE Standards is required by September 15, 2020. Where a “Constructor” is managing a construction project for Metrolinx as “Constructor” for the project, the policies and standards of the Constructor must meet or exceed this PPE Standard and the Constructor shall enforce same at the construction project.

A full copy of the PPE Standard is attached with this communication. For additional information on the new PPE Standard, please refer to the accompanied PPE Standard Q&A or contact your Metrolinx contract administrator.

Vehicle Beacon Safety Standard

As part of Metrolinx’s continuous safety improvements, and as of June 26 2020, we are implementing a Vehicle Beacon Safety Standard to all Metrolinx workers, Contractors, Constructors and visitors, accessing or working in the Metrolinx Railway Corridor, including rail/maintenance/layover yards and other rail infrastructure while operating a non-revenue vehicle or motorized equipment. This standard will increase the visibility of vehicles to enhance protection for people and against physical hazards in the railway corridor such as other vehicles, moving equipment and train movements.

Full compliance to the Vehicle Beacons Safety Standards is required by September 15, 2020. Where a “Constructor” is managing a construction project for Metrolinx as “Constructor” for the project, the policies and standards of the Constructor must meet or exceed this Standard and the Constructor shall enforce same at the construction project.

A full copy of the Vehicle Beacons Safety Standard is attached with this communication.

For additional information on the new Vehicle Beacons Safety Standard, please refer to the accompanied standard FAQ sheet or contact your Metrolinx contract administrator.

Important Vendor Information

Doing Business with Metrolinx

Metrolinx is an agency of the Government of Ontario reporting through the Ministry of Transportation. As a public sector entity, we maximize the use of competitive processes to obtain goods and services for the corporation. Metrolinx rigorously adheres to the guiding public sector principles of conducting all procurement activities in a fair, open and transparent manner in accordance with Provincial directives and our own policies and procedures. There are the two different ways to participate in bidding on Metrolinx goods and services supply opportunities.

One is to bid on publicly advertised projects. Initiatives that meet this requirement are regularly posted on the Merx e-tendering website. There you will find a list of all current opportunities related to Metrolinx contracting events. Any firm can obtain documents and, as appropriate to the requirement, bid on these opportunities. Check there regularly to see if there are any projects that might be of interest to your firm.

You will be able to see vendor lists under each tender opportunity on MERX showing what other companies have downloaded documents and may also be considering bidding on this project. In order to see the bidder listing, you will need to register first (free of charge to do so, just your basic company information is required). If you only want to “look” at a bidders list, then select “Pay As You Go” when requested to select a “Subscription type”. This will not require you to provide any credit card or payment information. This is the option that allows you to see Plan Taker’s lists for free. You can also download tender documents either on a Merx Pay As You Go Subscription or on an Annual Subscription. The latter allows unlimited document downloads for a 12-month period for all public Metrolinx Tenders, but this type of subscription should only be selected if you plan to download multiple opportunities per year.

Also, as an Agency of the Government of Ontario, we have access to the Provincial Vendor of Record agreements established by the Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Services which gives us access to volume pricing discounts on a variety of services currently used within the Provincial Government. Learn more about the VOR agreements (administered by the Government of Ontario).

2020/21 Annual Procurement Plan

The Metrolinx Annual Procurement Plan (APP) comprises estimates of what each business unit plans to procure throughout the coming fiscal year. Despite best efforts to forecast for the year, the static list may not accurately reflect tenders eventually issued by/on behalf of Metrolinx, including those managed by Infrastructure Ontario.

The plan supports:

  • continuous alignment and integration with the Metrolinx Business Plan
  • resource planning
  • transparency and general opportunity outlook for sharing with vendors, associations

For any questions on the Annual Procurement Plan, please contact us at vendors@metrolinx.com

Authorized Engagement of Vendors

Before any Vendor is engaged to do work for Metrolinx, the Business Unit which requires the work must obtain internal approval and ensure a contract, purchase order, or an amendment to either is formalized, and that it documents price, scope of work, schedule and other terms related to the work (“Formal Agreement”). Without the required approval and a Formal Agreement in place, Business Units are not authorized to engage Vendors to do work.

All Metrolinx Vendors are being instructed not to proceed with work without a fully executed Formal Agreement, or Vendors risk not being paid for work performed.

Implementing a Formal Agreement prior to commencing work is mandatory and protects both parties while reducing Metrolinx and a Vendor’s financial risk.

If you require additional information, please contact vendors@Metrolinx.com.

Additional Information


Last updated 15/10/2020