The Trade Agreements generally include various grounds for exemptions to competitive bidding. These are supplemented by each public agency's internal policies and procedures, and may also be supplemented by sector- specific provincial and municipal legislation.

From the perspective of the bidders, violation of the bidding requirements typically leads to a determination that their submission is non-compliant, and therefore will be excluded from consideration in the context of awarding the contract. From the perspective of the party conducting the competitive bidding process, a violation of the competitive bidding requirements, particularly a violation that favours a particular bidder or disadvantages other bidders, can lead to a common law claim for damages. See 8(f) and 8(g), below.