GATINEAU, QUEBEC, NOVEMBER 15, 2004 -- The Honourable Scott Brison, Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), announced today the elimination of user fees for federal opportunities on the Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS) by April 1, 2005. "I strongly believe that electronic access to government procurement opportunities needs to be open and less onerous for business - particularly small and medium-sized Canadian businesses," said Minister Brison. "Improving GETS is an important part of our "smart buying strategy" to provide best value for taxpayers." /p> This announcement follows on PWGSC's recent efforts to better manage purchasing so the Government can take advantage of economies of scale and achieve savings and efficiencies. The elimination of the monthly subscription fee was announced in the 2004 federal budget. In June 2004, a new contract with Mediagrif Interactive Technologies Inc., which provides the MERX service, went into effect and included a 27 percent reduction in monthly fees for annual subscribers. Currently, the annual subscription fee is equivalent to $21.95 monthly. "We are pleased to be able to now provide significant further reduction in the financial burden for suppliers, while providing fair and equal access for all," said Minister Brison. GETS provides suppliers across Canada with access to billions of dollars of opportunities each year. GETS also includes business opportunities presented by provinces, territories and other levels of government. Typically, there are 1,500 opportunities posted at any given time. GETS particularly helps small businesses, as statistics show that over 80% of GETS users belong to organizations with a workforce of fewer than 50 employees. GETS is part of the Government's sustainable development initiative as it encourages procurement to be less reliant on paper-transactions and move to an expanded electronic service. GETS is an important element of the Government's overall vision to develop Canada as a world leader in electronic commerce. Together with the Government of Canada Marketplace, it is a key component of the federal Electronic Supply Chain Program. - 30 - For further information please contact: Office of the Minister Renee David Press Secretary (819) 997-5421 or PWGSC Mario Baril Manager Media Relations (819) 956-2315
