Government Helping Meet Business Needs

The province of Nova Scotia is making it easier for companies to do business with government thanks to TONS, the Tender Opportunities Notification Service.

Nova Scotia businesses that take advantage of this service will be notified by e-mail when tender opportunities become available. The service is available through the Nova Scotia Business Registry at www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/nsbr beginning today.

"This system will be a real benefit to small- and medium-sized companies in Nova Scotia," said Economic Development Minister Ernest Fage as he announced the new program in Cornwallis Park at the Small Business Week and National Co-operative Week Conference and Trade Show sponsored by the Nova Scotia Co-Operative Council. "We are making it easier for these companies to do business with government at no cost to the user."

Businesses can register for TONS at the Nova Scotia Business Registry www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/nsbr and list their areas of interest. Updates will be sent daily if a vendor's interest is matched to a tender.

The project is meant to reduce the time it takes Nova Scotian companies to collect and evaluate tender opportunities. It also enhances their ability to bid on public sector contracts worth an estimated $1 billion a year.

The service is open only to businesses in Nova Scotia. There is no cost to users.

Companies are not required to use the TONS service, and can continue to access public tender information through the Nova Scotia provincial procurement website at www.gov.ns.ca/tenders .

TONS is another service offered to Nova Scotia companies under the province's Supplier Development Program, one of government's policy commitments aimed at helping small businesses bid on government goods and services.