Overview
Supplier Pathways
The source materials point to two routes: helping a prime before award with the value proposition, or helping a prime after award fulfill ITB obligations.
Pathway 01
Canadian Funding Partners
Two practical routes into the ITB ecosystem for Canadian companies.
The source materials point to two routes: helping a prime before award with the value proposition, or helping a prime after award fulfill ITB obligations.
Funding guidance
The details that matter.
Before award
A Canadian company helps a prime contractor strengthen its bid-stage value proposition by contributing a useful Canadian economic story, capability, or strategic transaction concept.
Best when procurement timing is still open
Requires clear VP relevance and strong positioning
Can be valuable when your capability helps the prime score stronger economic points
Pathway 02
After award
A Canadian company supports a prime contractor after contract award by participating in transactions that help fulfill ITB obligations.
Best when a prime already holds an ITB obligation
Can involve direct work, indirect work, R&D, exports, supplier development, or related strategic activity
Often depends on being transaction-ready and commercially easy to use
What primes usually need from Canadian partners
A clear capability and commercial use case
A company profile that aligns to one or more VP pillars
A credible Canadian-content story
Low onboarding risk and enough operational maturity
Why companies struggle to enter
They know their technology but not their procurement-language fit
They cannot explain KIC alignment clearly
They have not thought through CCV or transaction structure
They approach defence partners too early or too vaguely
SMB Opportunity
SMB threshold
The source material defines an SMB as a Canadian company with fewer than 250 full-time personnel.
15% requirement
The orientation materials describe a requirement for work activities with SMBs equal to a minimum of 15% of contract value.
CCV boost and multipliers
Certain SMB transactions and innovation-related investments can become more attractive through crediting tools and multipliers.
Want to know which pathway is more realistic for your company?
We can help determine whether you should focus on bid-stage positioning, post-award fulfillment, or a longer supplier-readiness sequence first.
Find out what you qualify for.
Take the first step with a confidential conversation about your business, your plans, and the programs that may fit.