Before award
A Canadian company helps a prime contractor strengthen its bid-stage value proposition by contributing a useful Canadian economic story, capability, or strategic transaction concept.
Best when procurement timing is still open
Requires clear VP relevance and strong positioning
Can be valuable when your capability helps the prime score stronger economic points
After award
A Canadian company supports a prime contractor after contract award by participating in transactions that help fulfill ITB obligations.
Best when a prime already holds an ITB obligation
Can involve direct work, indirect work, R&D, exports, supplier development, or related strategic activity
Often depends on being transaction-ready and commercially easy to use
What primes usually need from Canadian partners
A clear capability and commercial use case
A company profile that aligns to one or more VP pillars
Low onboarding risk and enough operational maturity
Why companies struggle to enter
They know their technology but not their procurement-language fit
They cannot explain KIC alignment clearly
They have not thought through CCV or transaction structure
They approach defence partners too early or too vaguely
SMB threshold
The source material defines an SMB as a Canadian company with fewer than 250 full-time personnel.
15% requirement
The orientation materials describe a requirement for work activities with SMBs equal to a minimum of 15% of contract value.
CCV boost and multipliers
Certain SMB transactions and innovation-related investments can become more attractive through crediting tools and multipliers.
Want to know which pathway is more realistic for your company?
We can help determine whether you should focus on bid-stage positioning, post-award fulfillment, or a longer supplier-readiness sequence first.
Frequently asked questions
What are the two main ITB supplier pathways?
Pre-award teaming, where a company is written into a prime’s value proposition before the bid closes, and post-award participation, where a company is brought into the supply chain while the prime delivers on obligations already committed.
Which pathway is stronger?
Pre-award commitments are generally more durable because they are part of what the prime was evaluated on. Post-award routes are more numerous and remain open for the life of a long obligation period.
When should a supplier start engaging?
As early as the procurement is visible. Value propositions are built during the bid, so conversations after award are limited to whatever room remains in the prime’s plan.
Does a supplier need a defence track record?
Not necessarily. Primes also need commercial, industrial and technology capabilities. What matters is that the capability is documented, certifiable where required, and deliverable at the volume and quality asked for.