Hydro-Québec Tenders in 2026: How the Process Works

Published October 23, 2026 · Updated October 23, 2026

Hydro-Québec describes itself as one of Québec's largest buyers: its purchases of goods and services amount to about $4 billion a year, and it has a pool of more than 9,000 suppliers [HQ1]. It buys almost everything: electrical and mechanical grid equipment, information technology, operating services, construction work, logistics and professional services [HQ1]. Here is how its procurement process works in 2026, step by step.

Informational guide. Rules can change: always refer to hydroquebec.com/suppliers and to each call's documents.

1. What's new in 2026: SAP Business Network

Hydro-Québec is modernizing its procurement systems. On August 3, 2026, it asked suppliers ("action required") to create their SAP Business Network account and announced that invitations from @eusmtp.ariba.com would be sent in waves [HQ1]. During the transition, calls may be published on either SAP Business Network or Ivalua; you log in to whichever system the call uses [HQ5]. Calls from the SEBJ (Société d'énergie de la Baie James) are listed separately [HQ5]. Hydro-Québec also publishes calls for tenders on SEAO: SEAO open data shows, for September 2026 alone, 15 new tender notices with Hydro-Québec as the buyer (for example cybersecurity penetration testing and work at the Hull administrative centre) [SEAO-OD].

2. Becoming a supplier in three steps

According to Hydro-Québec [HQ2]:

1. Create an SAP Business Network account. The account is unique to your company and works for all your customers on that platform. A free standard account is available. Once created, you can browse Hydro-Québec's public calls ("sourcing events") on SAP Business Network – Discovery.
2. Activate your account with Hydro-Québec. Hydro-Québec first validates your company's eligibility through a form; allow up to three business days for the checks. This step is required to bid.
3. Sign up for call notifications.

Hydro-Québec's tip: add every contact in your company who will handle calls, orders or invoicing to the account [HQ2].

3. Types of calls

Hydro-Québec uses several methods [HQ3]:

• Call for proposals: Hydro-Québec may negotiate the proposals or accept them as submitted. It can be open or limited (by invitation only).
• Call for interest: to explore a market by gathering information from companies.
• Call for qualification: to build a list of eligible candidates for later procurements; for some goods it includes technical homologation.

4. Qualified markets

In markets with long-term recurring needs, only qualified companies can bid [HQ4]. Criteria include workforce quality, experience and capacity to deliver. To qualify you must [HQ4]:

• check that your goods or services belong to a "qualified" market (list published by Hydro-Québec);
• have created and activated your SAP Business Network account;
• file a qualification request during each market's annual public notice, published in the list of current calls.

Qualifications are generally open-ended; Hydro-Québec gives written notice when it ends one [HQ4].

5. Requirements before you bid

Hydro-Québec requires, among other things [HQ7]:

• a Revenu Québec certificate for all goods, services and construction contracts of $25,000 or more (an "Absence of establishment in Québec" form for out-of-province firms);
• an AMP authorization to contract for works and services contracts whose value (including options) exceeds the LCOP thresholds, including for out-of-province suppliers;
• no listing on RENA (for you and your subcontractors);
• no listing on the RBQ restricted licence list;
• compliance with the Charter of the French language (s. 152.1): a company with 25 or more employees in Québec for 6 months or more must hold an OQLF francization compliance document;
• the bonds and insurance required by the call.

Hydro-Québec warns that some certificates take time: plan ahead [HQ6][HQ7].

6. Trade agreements and thresholds

Hydro-Québec states it complies with the EQO, QOTCA (ACCQO), CFTA (ALEC) and CETA (AECG) [HQ3]. For 2026-2027 [T][T2]:

Above these thresholds, Hydro-Québec cannot restrict a call to Québec firms only. Conversely, some calls require an establishment in a specific Québec administrative region; such conditions are stated under "Avis important" [HQ5]. See our 2026-2027 thresholds guide.

7. Responding to a call

Hydro-Québec's steps [HQ6]: select the call, check the requirements, acknowledge the confidentiality agreement (if required), review the details, confirm your participation, then prepare, validate and send your bid. Also read the clauses and the "Renseignements et instructions aux intéressés à soumissionner" (RIIS) for your market.

To plan ahead, Hydro-Québec publishes an annual project plan (overhead and underground distribution, telecommunications, specialized works and services), which does not cover all projects and may change without notice [HQ5]. Afterwards, it publishes the list of companies that won recent open calls, except where confidentiality applies [HQ8].

Complaints about an ongoing call covered by an intergovernmental or international agreement can be filed online [HQ6].

8. Get notified fast

See our Hydro-Québec tenders page and the weekly pages (French) for construction, supplies and equipment and IT. 14-day free trial, no card · Pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Where does Hydro-Québec publish its tenders in 2026?

On SAP Business Network or Ivalua during the transition period, and some of its tender notices also appear on SEAO; SEBJ calls are listed separately.

How long does supplier account activation take?

Allow up to three business days for Hydro-Québec's eligibility validation.

Does an SAP Business Network account cost money?

A free standard account is available.

What is a qualified market?

A market with recurring needs where only companies qualified through the annual public notice can bid.

Is the Revenu Québec certificate mandatory?

Yes, for all goods, services and construction contracts of $25,000 or more.

Which CETA threshold applies to Hydro-Québec?

$736,000 for goods and services and $9,200,000 for construction, from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027.

Sources

• [HQ1] Fournisseurs (accueil) : https://www.hydroquebec.com/fournisseurs/
• [HQ2] Enregistrer son entreprise : https://www.hydroquebec.com/fournisseurs/devenir-fournisseur/enregistrement-entreprise.html
• [HQ3] Démarche d'approvisionnement : https://www.hydroquebec.com/fournisseurs/devenir-fournisseur/demarche-approvisionnement.html
• [HQ4] Qualification et marchés qualifiés : https://www.hydroquebec.com/fournisseurs/devenir-fournisseur/qualification-et-marches-qualifies.html
• [HQ5] Occasions d'affaires (appels au marché en cours) : https://www.hydroquebec.com/fournisseurs/soumissionner/appels-au-marche-en-cours.html
• [HQ6] Trois étapes pour soumissionner : https://www.hydroquebec.com/fournisseurs/soumissionner/comment-repondre-appel-au-marche.html
• [HQ7] Nos exigences : https://www.hydroquebec.com/fournisseurs/soumissionner/conformite-exigences.html
• [HQ8] Attribution de contrats : https://www.hydroquebec.com/fournisseurs/soumissionner/attribution-des-contrats.html
• [T] SCT, Info-marchés publics vol. 28 n° 1 (janv. 2026) : https://cdn-contenu.quebec.ca/cdn-contenu/adm/org/sous-secretariat-marches-publics/bulletins-info-marches-publics/2026/volume28-numero1-janvier2026.pdf
• [SEAO-OD] Données Québec, jeu de données « Système électronique d'appel d'offres (SEAO) », publié par le Secrétariat du Conseil du trésor ; fichier mensuel_20260901_20260930.json (acheteur « Hydro-Québec. », id OP-25648 ; ex. ocds-ec9k95-20168737 → https://seao.gouv.qc.ca/avis-resultat-recherche/consulter?ItemId=ad3c18ee-9530-4195-8fe5-ad5aab13deb7) : https://www.donneesquebec.ca/recherche/dataset/systeme-electronique-dappel-doffres-seao
• [T2] SCT, tableau synthèse des seuils (1er janv. 2026) : https://www.tresor.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/PDF/faire_affaire_avec_etat/cadre_normatif/accords/tab_synthese_seuils_accords.pdf

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