Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

About AECL

Doing Business with AECL

It is AECL’s objective to conduct its procurement activities in a transparent and fair manner, with due consideration of value for money for the organization, and in a manner that is consistent with applicable legislation, trade agreements and internal policies.

Procurement Practices

It is the policy of AECL to contract for goods and services with the objective of attaining the best overall value. AECL contracts with those suppliers who satisfy its objectives of competitively obtaining quality goods and services in a timely manner while meeting the needs and specifications of AECL.

In so doing, AECL, as a matter of principle, conducts its procurement activities with due regard to applicable laws, regulations, international agreements and conventions, internal policies and competitive procurement processes.

Throughout the procurement and expenditure contracting process, AECL:

  1. Establishes and maintains productive business relationships with suppliers who are committed to providing quality products and services to its customers, and who reflect their commitment to excellence through their business relations with AECL;

    And

  2. Demonstrates the value it places on such business relations with its suppliers by visibly continuing its commitment to fair, transparent, professional and ethical conduct in all aspects of its procurement activities.

As a Crown corporation, AECL’s procurement is conducted in compliance with the requirements of all applicable national and international trade agreements, including, for example, the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT). Purchases subject to these Agreements are published via MERX. Bid packages for procurements subject to these agreements must be ordered through MERX.

Sourcing Suppliers

For purchases not subject to the international agreements, requests may be published on MERX. AECL may also elect to use a list of suppliers.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of the types of goods and services typically procured by AECL in its standard course of business:

Contact Us

Interested suppliers are invited to provide their company information to: communications@aecl.ca

• IT support/services
• IT equipment
• print services
• office supplies
• office furniture
• professional/consulting services

• legal support services
• accounting services
• third-party audit services
• translation services
• shipping services
• recruitment support services

Suppliers interested in providing the above or similar products and/or services to AECL are invited to email their company and contact information to communications@aecl.ca.

Issuance of Contract

In general, all contracts are issued by AECL’s Contracts Management Office following the formal evaluation process. No AECL employee outside of the Contracts Management Office is authorized to enter into agreements with suppliers. Suppliers are not to supply goods or services before a purchase order/contract is in place, and they should not perform work beyond the scope of the existing contract without the prior written consent of the AECL authorized procurement representative.

GoCo Contract Renewal

AECL delivers its mandate through a Government-owned, Contractor-operated (GoCo) model, whereby a private-sector organization, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), is responsible for managing and operating AECL’s sites.

Under the GoCo model, AECL owns the sites, facilities, assets, intellectual property and responsibility for environmental remediation and radioactive waste management. CNL is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the sites.

The current GoCo contract term ends in September 2025. AECL is entering into a competitive process to continue the management and operation of CNL beyond this date. For more information on this process, please consult the GoCo Contract Renewal.

Contact Us

Interested suppliers are invited to provide their company information to: communications@aecl.ca