The Canadian International Trade Tribunal and the Office of the Procurement Ombud (OPO) work closely together to help you direct your complaint to the right place.
The Tribunal’s procurement complaint form guides you on how to file a complaint.
Who does what?
The Tribunal reviews procurement complaints under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement and international free trade agreements. However, the procurements must be over a certain amount. There are threshold amounts for goods, services and construction contracts.
Both Canadian and foreign suppliers can file complaints with the Tribunal.
OPO handles complaints by Canadian suppliers about procurements below these thresholds.
| Organization responsible for handling the complaint | Goods | Services* and construction |
|---|---|---|
| Tribunal | $33,400 and above | $133,800 and above |
| OPO | Below $33,400 | Below $133,800 |
*The threshold for filing a complaint with the Tribunal for services relating to the Canada–Korea Free Trade Agreement is $100,000 and above.
The two organizations work closely together under a memorandum of understanding to help you file your complaint on time and with the right organization. If you file a complaint with the wrong organization, you’ll be redirected to the right organization.
If you file a complaint with one organization, it doesn’t result in an automatic filing with the other. File with the other organization as soon as possible, as deadlines won’t be extended if you file with the wrong organization.
Deadlines for filing your complaint
There are strict deadlines for filing your complaint. If you miss them, unfortunately, neither organization can respond to it.
Typically, you have
- 10 working days to file a complaint with the Tribunal,
- 30 working days to file a complaint with OPO.
Getting help
Staff of the Tribunal and OPO are available to guide you. They can explain the process to you and provide you with the required information.
They may ask you to explain your situation in writing or to fill out certain parts of the complaint form you’ve missed. They may also ask you to provide additional documents.
If you need help, contact the Registry of the Tribunal by telephone at 613-993-3595 or by email at citt-tcce@tribunal.gc.ca, or OPO by telephone at 1-866-734-5169 or by email at ombudsman@opo-boa.gc.ca.