PAC — Help for Small and Medium Enterprises

For many small and medium-sized businesses, selling to the federal government can feel complex and hard to break into, even when their products or services are a strong fit. PAC — Help for Small and Medium Enterprises is designed to remove those barriers by giving businesses practical guidance on how to navigate government procurement and compete more confidently for contracts across Canada.

Delivered by Public Services and Procurement Canada, this initiative focuses on hands-on support rather than one-size-fits-all advice. Businesses can get help identifying the types of government opportunities that align with their capabilities, understanding how the federal procurement process works, and learning how to prepare bids that meet all requirements. Support may include personalized assistance, educational workshops, seminars, and access to procurement specialists who can explain how bids are evaluated and what makes a submission competitive. While funding levels vary by project, the support is non-repayable and aimed at reducing the time and cost of learning the system on your own.

PAC is especially valuable for SMEs that are new to government contracting or want to improve their success rate when bidding. For business owners interested in expanding into federal markets, learning more about how this program works can clarify whether it’s the right stepping stone toward securing government contracts.