Contracting public opinion research
Learn about the contracting methods and procurement tools the Government of Canada uses to contract for public opinion research services.
Standing offers
Standing offers are an inventory of pre-qualified suppliers that federal departments can use to obtain a contract to get their research projects up and running. Solely Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is allowed to issue call-ups against these standing offers.
These offers are the result of an open and transparent competitive process designed to:
- encourage the participation of a wide variety of public opinion research suppliers with operations in Canada, including small, medium and large businesses, and joint ventures
- ensure that the Government of Canada has access to suppliers with a broad range of subject matter expertise and research specializations with various target groups
- give access to a variety of research methodologies and new research technologies
- support the Government of Canada’s needs for custom qualitative research and quantitative research, in both official languages
Effective date: From April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2025
Contract amount: Up to $300K (applicable taxes included)
Standing offer series
Four series of public opinion research services are available on these standing offers. When the research project requires services from more than one series, the selection of the supplier is based on those holding standing offers in all the applicable series.
Series A: Fieldwork and data tabulation for online surveys
This standing offer may be used for the following services:
- programming
- pretesting
- collecting data
- tabulating data
- providing pre-test and end results
Standing offer holders
- Advanis Inc.
- Ekos Research Associates Inc.
- Elemental Data Collection Inc.
- Forum Research Inc.
- Ipsos Limited Partnership
- Léger Marketing
- Maru/Blue Canada Inc.
- Nanos Research Corporation
- Narrative Research Inc.
- The Logit Group Incorporated
Series B: Fieldwork and data tabulation for telephone surveys
This standing offer may be used for the following services:
- programming
- pretesting
- interviewing
- tabulating data
- providing pre-test and end results
Standing offer holders
- Advanis Inc.
- Ekos Research Associates Inc.
- Elemental Data Collection Inc.
- Ipsos Limited Partnership
- Léger Marketing
- Maru/Blue Canada Inc.
- Nanos Research Corporation
- The Logit Group Incorporated
Series C: Qualitative research
This standing offer may be used for the following services:
- developing the research design
- conducting the research
- analyzing the results
- presenting the results
- reporting the results
Some examples of qualitative methodologies that may be used to serve the research objectives of specific projects include:
- dyads, triads or one-on-one interviews
- focus groups
- group sessions
- surfing sessions in specialized facilities
- other online techniques such as:
- virtual focus groups
- bulletin board groups
- one-on-one interviews
- any other qualitative techniques
Standing offer holders
- Abacus Data Inc.
- Advanis Inc.
- Earnscliffe Strategy Group GP
- Ekos Research Associates Inc.
- Entegrité Consulting
- Environics Research Group Limited
- Forum Research Inc.
- Gregg, Kelly, Sullivan & Woolstencroft: The Strategic Counsel
- Ipsos Limited Partnership
- Léger Marketing
- Maru/Blue Canada Inc.
- Nanos Research Corporation
- Narrative Research Inc.
- Patterson, Langlois Consultants with Element54 Inc, in joint venture
- Phoenix SPI
- Pollara
- PRA Inc.
- Probe Research Inc.
- Quorus Consulting Group Inc.
- Sage Research Corporation
- Synopsis Recherche Marketing Inc.
Series D: Quantitative research
This standing offer may be used for the following services:
- developing the research design
- conducting the research
- analyzing the results
- presenting the results
- reporting the results
Some examples of quantitative methodologies that may be used to serve the research objectives of specific projects include:
- telephone and online surveys
- mail and in-person surveys
Standing offer holders
- Abacus Data Inc.
- Advanis Inc.
- Earnscliffe Strategy Group GP
- Ekos Research Associates Inc.
- Environics Research Group Limited
- Forum Research Inc.
- Gregg, Kelly, Sullivan & Woolstencroft: The Strategic Counsel
- Ipsos Limited Partnership
- Léger Marketing
- Nanos Research Corporation
- Phoenix SPI
- Pollara
- Probe Research Inc.
- Quorus Consulting Group Inc.
Supply arrangements
When the estimated contract value of a project is not exceeding $3M (applicable taxes included), the contract can be awarded through supply arrangements.
Contracting individual public opinion research requirements under the supply arrangements requires conducting a competitive process. Solely PSPC is allowed to conduct bid solicitation processes and issue contracts against these supply arrangements.
The list of suppliers that have been issued supply arrangements can be used for soliciting bids for public opinion research requirements when a call-up under the standing offers is not possible (for example, if the requirement exceeds the call-up limit of $300K applicable taxes included).
Effective date: April 1, 2022
Contract amount: Up to $3M (applicable taxes included)
Supply arrangements series
Four series of public opinion research services are available on these supply arrangements.
Series A: Fieldwork and data tabulation for online surveys
This supply arrangement may be used for the following services:
- programming
- pretesting
- collecting data
- tabulating data
- providing pre-test and end results
Supply arrangement holders
- Advanis Inc.
- Ekos Research Associates Inc.
- Elemental Data Collection Inc.
- Forum Research Inc.
- Ipsos Limited Partnership
- Léger Marketing
- Maru/Blue Canada Inc.
- Nanos Research Corporation
- Narrative Research Inc.
- The Logit Group Incorporated
Series B: Fieldwork and data tabulation for telephone surveys
This supply arrangement may be used for the following services:
- programming
- pretesting
- interviewing
- tabulating data
- providing pre-test and end results
Supply arrangement holders
- Advanis Inc.
- Ekos Research Associates Inc.
- Elemental Data Collection Inc.
- Forum Research Inc.
- Ipsos Limited Partnership
- Léger Marketing
- Mainstreet Research
- Maru/Blue Canada Inc.
- Nanos Research Corporation
- The Logit Group Incorporated
Series C: Qualitative research
This supply arrangement may be used for the following services:
- developing the research design
- conducting the research
- analyzing the results
- presenting the results
- reporting the results
Some examples of qualitative methodologies that may be used to serve the research objectives of specific projects include:
- dyads, triads or one-on-one interviews
- focus groups
- group sessions
- surfing sessions in specialized facilities
- other online techniques such as:
- virtual focus groups
- bulletin board groups
- one-on-one interviews
- any other qualitative techniques
Supply arrangement holders
- Abacus Data Inc.
- Advanis Inc.
- Earnscliffe Strategy Group GP
- Ekos Research Associates Inc.
- Entegrité Consulting
- Environics Research Group Limited
- Forum Research Inc.
- Gregg, Kelly, Sullivan & Woolstencroft: The Strategic Counsel
- Ipsos Limited Partnership
- Léger Marketing
- Maru/Blue Canada Inc.
- Nanos Research Corporation
- Narrative Research Inc.
- Patterson, Langlois Consultants with Element54 Inc, in joint venture
- Phoenix SPI
- Pollara
- PRA Inc.
- Probe Research Inc.
- Quorus Consulting Group Inc.
- Sage Research Corporation
- Synopsis Recherche Marketing Inc.
Series D: Quantitative research
This supply arrangement may be used for the following services:
- developing the research design
- conducting the research
- analyzing the results
- presenting the results
- reporting the results
Some examples of quantitative methodologies that may be used to serve the research objectives of specific projects include:
- telephone and online surveys
- mail and in-person surveys
Supply arrangement holders
- Abacus Data Inc.
- Advanis Inc.
- Earnscliffe Strategy Group GP
- Ekos Research Associates Inc.
- Environics Research Group Limited
- Forum Research Inc.
- Gregg, Kelly, Sullivan & Woolstencroft: The Strategic Counsel
- Ipsos Limited Partnership
- Léger Marketing
- Nanos Research Corporation
- Phoenix SPI
- Pollara
- Probe Research Inc.
- Quorus Consulting Group Inc.
Public tenders
For requirement falling outside the scope of the standing offer or supply arrangement, an alternative contracting method that can be used is an open public tender process.
Solely PSPC is allowed to post public tenders for public opinion research services on Buyandsell.gc.ca on behalf of federal departments, thereby allowing interested suppliers to bid for the project described in a research statement of work. This process is also called a Request for proposals (RFP). After a rigorous technical and financial evaluation, the supplier with the best proposal wins the contract.
Effective date: Ad hoc
Contract amount: Up to $37.5M (applicable taxes included)
Sole-source contracts up to $40K
A contract valued at a maximum of $40K (applicable taxes included) can be awarded through a process called sole sourcing. Solely PSPC can issue sole-source public opinion research contracts. This simplified approach does not require a competitive process due to the project’s low monetary value.
Effective date: Ad hoc
Contract amount: Up to $40K (applicable taxes included)
Subscriptions to syndicated studies
A syndicated study is not performed specifically for the Government of Canada. It is developed by research suppliers for their paid subscribers.
Similar to a subscription, the contract gives the Government of Canada access to the findings of an independent research study, which are then shared with all departments.
Because the costs are shared among subscribers, syndicated studies are an economical way of obtaining evidence-based information on important issues to Canadians.
Research firms can submit information about the syndicated research studies that they have available for purchase on Buyandsell.gc.ca.
Related links
- Find opportunities on Government of Canada Tenders
- Submit information about the syndicated research studies on Buyandsell.gc.ca
- View the Government of Canada Standards for conducting public opinion research
More information
For more information on these procurement tools or to submit information about a syndicated public opinion research study to the Government of Canada, please contact Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Acquisitions Branch: