Bidding for federal contracts has been simplified. "Smaller businesses don't generally have the resources to wade through complex forms and processes," says Marshall Moffat, Director General of the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises. "We've tried to make the system much more accessible and we continue to look at how it can be improved." Suppliers today see a more user-friendly template for standing offers and easier to understand bid documents that use plain language.

Staff at OSME headquarters and six regional offices consult with small and medium businesses and industry associations every day to better understand the challenges of dealing with the federal government. They also provide in-person information briefings where they explain how to identify niche opportunities and navigate the federal government procurement system.

Brooks Industrial Metals Ltd., based in Brooks, Alberta, gained a new client in the Government of Canada after attending an event offered by the local Chamber of Commerce that included a PWGSC information session on business opportunities with the federal government. The business with 40 employees took a close look at the government electronic tendering system, MERX, at http://www.merx.com, and found a bid opportunity. It won the contract to provide up to $105,000 of tubing to an employment skills program at Correctional Services Canada.

Williams Direct Dryers, a four-person company in Langley, B.C., also expanded its market niche after talking to the OSME Pacific Region Office. The company made its first sale of dryers to the Esquimalt Graving Dock in December 2006, receiving an order for another dryer within two months.

Here are three easy steps to help you get started:

• Register your company (http://www.contractscanada.gc.ca/en/regist-e.htm)
• Search for opportunities (http://www.merx.com)
• Market your product (http://www.contractscanada.gc.ca/en/key-e.htm)