City of Winnipeg clarifies social procurement requirements in tenders

Those bidding on construction tenders piloting social procurement clauses this year will not have to provide specific hiring targets for diverse workers employed on a project at time of bid submission.

At a webinar held by the City of Winnipeg, to explain social procurement requirements, it was noted that the specific diversity percentage will have to be provided only by the contractor the City is recommending for contract award.

The contractor will have to state the intended percentage of diverse workforce on the project within a “social procurement plan”, which must be submitted within five days of the contract administrator requesting it.

 This and other details were provided at the February 28 webinar.

The City is planning to pilot projects with social procurement clauses starting in March and through the construction season. The pilots will not set specific hiring thresholds – it is up to the bidders to determine what percentage of the project’s workforce will be drawn from the defined “equity groups” that include Indigenous, women, racialized, newcomers and LGBTQI2S+.

At the end of the year, the data collected from the pilots, including information from debriefs of successful bidders, will be compiled by the City and used in subsequent construction tenders.

Click here to see City documents explaining the process, including a sample of a hypothetical tender.

The City also noted Sec. 11 of the Manitoba Human Rights Code C.C.S.M. c. H175  provides for hiring for affirmative action, which covers the requirements of the Social Procurement Action Plan.