Shared Services Canada (SSC) believes that diversity and inclusion are key drivers of a prosperous and competitive economy for Canadian businesses. Today, SSC is proud to announce the expansion of its ScaleUp social procurement initiative to other government departments and agencies, reinforcing its commitment to fostering supplier diversity in federal government contracts.

The ScaleUp program encourages the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and businesses led by women, visible minorities, and Indigenous Canadians in responding to federal calls for tender. This initiative aims to diversify the pool of suppliers receiving federal government contracts.

ScaleUp is an integral part of SSC's Agile Procurement Process 3.0, streamlining IT procurement to level the playing field for businesses of all sizes seeking Government of Canada contracts. Key Achievements of ScaleUp:

Over 15 contracts have been awarded through the ScaleUp initiative.

An additional 8 companies have been prequalified.

80% of contractors are first-time contractors for the Government of Canada.

32% of contractors are micro businesses (with 4 employees or less), while 68% are small businesses.

68% of contractors are owned or led by visible minorities.

52% of contractors are owned or led by women.

8% of contractors are owned or led by persons with a disability.

12% of contractors are Indigenous businesses.

Contract values range from $10,000 to $238,000, marking many of these suppliers' first contracts with the Government of Canada.

By actively encouraging suppliers from diverse communities to participate in federal calls for tender, SSC promotes innovation and creativity, ensuring a more responsive approach to meeting the needs of Canadians.

“By simplifying our procurement process and encouraging suppliers from diverse communities to be part of the supply chain, we are improving services for Canadians and achieving our inclusivity goals. ScaleUp is now available to more departments and organizations, which is great news for all of us." Said, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada and Shared Services Canada "

Shared Services Canada (SSC) actively promotes supplier diversity and social procurement, in alignment with Public Services and Procurement Canada's Policy on Social Procurement. SSC's Center of Expertise in Agile and Innovative Procurement was established in 2019. The ScaleUp initiative simplifies IT procurement processes, increasing efficiency and participation from underrepresented supplier groups.

In the fiscal year 2022-2023, SSC awarded approximately $1.2 billion in contracts, with 99.6% going to Canadian SMEs. Additionally, SSC granted 198 contracts and 37 contract amendments to Indigenous businesses, totaling around $433 million. These initiatives reflect SSC's commitment to supplier diversity and economic opportunities for underrepresented communities in Canada.