Indigenous Procurement Program

Alberta’s single point of contact for procurement-ready Indigenous businesses.

The Indigenous Procurement Program is designed to support procurement-ready Indigenous businesses in successful participation in the Government of Canada’s procurement process. The program maintains a database of procurement-ready Indigenous businesses and matches those businesses to relevant federal contracts.

Assistance in the bidding process is an integral piece of the program, as well as support on ensuring Indigenous businesses that utilize our services meet all the requirements to become procurement-ready. We are always up to date on available procurement opportunities and processes through the Federal Government for potential matching with a suitable Indigenous business.

What we do:

  • Educate Indigenous businesses on the federal procurement process
  • Advise Indigenous businesses on available opportunities with the federal government
  • Position Indigenous businesses for economic opportunities
  • Open house opportunities with communities to highlight the Indigenous Procurement Program and other Business Link Indigenous Services

Check out these links to begin the process of becoming procurement ready:

  • Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business (PSAB) – become familiar with the Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business, aimed at increasing federal contracting opportunities and to gain access to the overall federal procurement process for Indigenous businesses.
  • Buyandsell.gc.ca – official Government of Canada website where Indigenous suppliers can register their business.
  • Government of Canada Tenders – official and free-source suppliers should rely on this source to find Government of Canada tenders. Suppliers can search for new contract opportunities and view previous contracts awarded.

Past Programs

Indigenous Arts and Entrepreneur Program

Creating prosperous self-employment opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs.

This first of its kind program offers 24 weeks of in-depth entrepreneur curriculum to Indigenous individuals who aspire to start their own business and is conducted in a classroom setting. Participants of the program graduate with a fully developed business plan that has been reviewed by our amazing staff, a completed marketing plan, finalized financial forecasts and in-depth market research.

This unique program also provides traditional Indigenous arts and crafts training. Our partner SAAMIS offers the arts and crafts knowledge in conjunction with our entrepreneurship instruction, with the goal of participants graduating with not only business expertise, but an inventory of product. Contact our Indigenous Services team for more information on possible collaboration opportunities for comprehensive entrepreneur programming: [email protected]. To see the first cohort of graduates and learn more about their businesses, read our blog.

This program was funded by the Government of Canada.