BSDQ (Bureau des soumissions déposées du Québec)

The BSDQ is the Quebec bureau that receives and safeguards sealed construction bids — submissions — until they are opened, operating under its Code de soumission (submission code). It exists to give construction contractors a confidential, uniform channel for depositing bids on private and institutional projects, protecting price information from leaking between competitors before opening.

What it is

The BSDQ is a private organization created in 1967, run for the benefit of construction contractors who sign its user engagement — described by the BSDQ itself as a collective contract among users toward a common goal: equality of access to markets by standardizing and easing the bid submission process. Its published mission is to receive and forward contractors' submissions. On government-side tenders, the public channel is the SEAO, the government's electronic tendering system — and SEAO notices for construction work routinely reference subcontractors subject to the BSDQ, which is how the two channels interlock on a project.

How the Code de soumission works

Under the BSDQ's system, a contractor deposits its bid electronically through the BSDQ rather than handing a sealed envelope to the owner; the submission stays confidential until opening, and its integrity is established by the electronic system. Specialties and projects subject to the BSDQ are organized by region, and the BSDQ publishes which specialties are covered, the related deposit guides, the engaged contractors, and open projects. The BSDQ also runs a learning centre demystifying the Code de soumission and its electronic deposit system, plus monthly webinars recognized for continuing education by the RBQ, CMEQ and CMMTQ.

What it means for contractors

If you bid construction work in Quebec, you will meet the BSDQ on institutional, commercial and industrial projects even when the client is private. Sign the user engagement before you need to deposit, learn the deposit guides for your specialties and regions, and treat the BSDQ deadline discipline the same as an SEAO deadline — a submission that misses the deposit window does not exist. For public-sector construction calls, check the notice: the owner will state whether submissions go through the SEAO, the BSDQ, or both channels for trade contractors.

Common questions

Is the BSDQ part of the Quebec government?

No. It is a private organization created by and for the construction industry in 1967. The government's own tender channel is the SEAO.

Why deposit through the BSDQ instead of handing in a sealed bid?

Confidentiality and equal treatment. The BSDQ holds every submission under the same conditions until opening, so no competitor or owner sees your price early — the anti-collusion logic behind the Code de soumission.

Related definitions

SEAO · RBQ licence · LCOP · MERX vs. SEAO · Tender opening