Most suppliers wait for RFPs to appear on the procurement portal. By then, it's already too late, the incumbent has been shaping the requirements for months.
The suppliers who consistently win government contracts in Nova Scotia do something different: they use FOIPOP requests to see what everyone else can't. Contract expiration dates. Competitor pricing. Evaluation criteria. This information is legally public, but buried in filing cabinets across dozens of government offices.
This guide shows you exactly how to extract it.
Why Government Spend Data Isn't Already Public
Here's something most suppliers don't realize: if you wanted to know what a given municipality, health authority, or provincial department is spending, it's not actually publicly available. The only way to get government spend data for most public bodies is to submit a FOIPOP request.
Why isn't this information public by default? A few reasons:
Historical precedent: Freedom of information laws were designed with sensitive documents in mind, defence contracts, security matters. Over time, businesses lobbied to have commercial information treated similarly, even when it has nothing to do with national security.
Fragmented systems: Every department, health authority, and municipality maintains its own records. There's no central database of all government spending.
No political incentive: Making spend data transparent opens up scrutiny. The current system benefits incumbents and insiders who know how to navigate it.
The result? Government is technically a public market, but it's the most obscure market in the world. The going cost of getting transparency is unbelievably high, unless you know how to use FOIPOP strategically.
What FOIPOP Can Reveal
FOIPOP (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy) gives you legal access to government records. For competitive intelligence purposes, the gold is in these four areas:
Contract Expiration Dates
Know exactly when competitor contracts end so you can start conversations 6-12 months before renewal. By public procurement rules, buyers are almost legally obligated to look at alternatives before renewing.
Vendor Spend History
See how much departments are paying your competitors, by vendor, by year, by category. Think of it as getting a transaction history of everything the government is spending, like a credit card statement for public money.
RFP Evaluation Criteria
Get the actual scoring sheets and weightings from past RFPs to understand what buyers really prioritize. This is harder to get than transaction data, but incredibly valuable.
Sole-Source Justifications
Learn why contracts were awarded without competition, and whether those justifications still hold when you offer an alternative.
Why this matters
The Auditor General found $2.4 billion in contracts awarded without public tender over 5 years. If you're only watching the procurement portal, you're seeing a fraction of the market.
The Hidden Barrier to Entry
Here's the uncomfortable truth about winning government contracts: the barrier to entry isn't technical skill or even price, it's information asymmetry.
If you're a founder or sales leader trying to break into the public sector, you'd have to spend months gathering data, submitting FOIPOP requests, and piecing together a complete picture of your market. Large incumbents have dedicated teams doing this work. They know when contracts expire. They know what competitors are charging. They've seen the evaluation criteria.
The real competitive advantage
Companies that consistently win government work don't just have better products, they have better intelligence. They've built systems to track contract expirations, monitor competitor spending, and time their outreach perfectly. FOIPOP is how they do it.
The FOIPOP Playbook: 4 Types of Requests That Win Deals
The most effective FOIPOP requests target four categories of intelligence. Each costs $5 and takes 30 days to process. The intelligence you get back is worth thousands.
Contract Expiration Intelligence
This is your most valuable request type. It tells you exactly when to start your sales outreach. Knowing when competitor contracts expire is invaluable, by public procurement rules, buyers are almost obligated to look at alternatives before renewing.
What you'll get: A list showing when every competitor contract expires, so you can time your outreach 6-12 months before renewal conversations begin.
Competitor Spend Analysis
Want to know how much a specific competitor is making from government? These requests reveal exact dollar amounts broken down by project, the kind of intelligence that would otherwise require expensive consultants or insider connections.
What you'll get: Exact dollar amounts your competitor has received, broken down by department and project type.
Evaluation Criteria Discovery
Lost an RFP and don't know why? Or want to prepare for an upcoming one? Request the actual scoring breakdown from past procurements. This is more difficult to obtain than transaction history, but it shows you exactly what buyers prioritize.
What you'll get: How proposals were scored, what criteria mattered most, and where winning bidders excelled.
Sole-Source Contract Discovery
Many contracts never go to tender. These requests reveal them, and the justifications used. The "compatibility" or "sole source" justification often doesn't hold when buyers know alternatives are available.
What you'll get: A list of non-competitive contracts, and ammunition to challenge "sole source" claims when you offer a viable alternative.
How to File Your Request
Identify the public body
Each department, health authority, and agency handles its own FOIPOP requests. Provincial procurement goes to Service Nova Scotia. Health procurement goes to Nova Scotia Health Authority. This fragmentation is why building comprehensive intelligence is so time-consuming.
Submit online
Go to novascotia.ca/foipop and submit your request. Pay the $5 fee. Some requests may incur additional processing fees depending on complexity.
Wait 30 business days
They're required to respond within 30 business days. If they don't, follow up. If they refuse or over-redact, you can appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Pro tip: Be specific
Vague requests get rejected or hit with large processing fees. Include specific date ranges, vendor names, or contract categories. The more precise your request, the faster and cheaper the response. Overly broad requests often face delays or additional costs.
Turning FOIPOP Intelligence Into Closed Deals
Information is only valuable if you act on it. Here's how to convert FOIPOP intelligence into pipeline:
Contract expiring in 12 months?
Start relationship building now. Request an informational meeting. Offer insights on industry trends. Don't pitch, position.
Contract expiring in 3 months?
The RFP is likely being drafted. Reach out to the buyer to understand their evolving needs. Offer to participate in market research or vendor consultations.
Found a sole-source competitor?
Contact the department proactively. Demonstrate that alternatives exist. The "compatibility" or "sole source" justification often doesn't hold when buyers know competitors are available.
Got evaluation criteria from a past RFP?
Use it to structure your next proposal. If "local employment" was worth 15% of the score, lead with your Nova Scotia hiring plans.
The Challenge: FOIPOP Is Slow and Fragmented
The downside of FOIPOP is time and complexity. Each request takes 30-60 days. To build comprehensive intelligence on your market, you'd need to file dozens of requests across multiple departments, and keep them updated quarterly.
There's also the fragmented landscape to consider. Different public bodies have different processes. Some are more responsive than others. Some charge additional fees for complex requests. Navigating this system effectively requires developing relationships and understanding the specific procedures for each organization.
The economics of intelligence gathering
Large companies spend millions on revenue operations costs just to piece together visibility into the government market. They employ teams to submit requests, track responses, and maintain databases. This creates a significant barrier to entry for smaller suppliers.
The irony? Government is a public market. This information should be accessible to everyone. But the practical reality is that only companies with dedicated resources can systematically gather and act on it.
Most suppliers don't have time for this. That's why contract intelligence typically stays with incumbents and large firms who can afford dedicated bid teams.
What if the work was already done?
ScotiaSignal continuously files FOIPOP requests and aggregates contract intelligence across Nova Scotia's entire public sector. Instead of waiting 30 days per request, you get:
- Real-time alerts when competitor contracts are expiring
- Vendor spend data across all departments in one dashboard
- Decision-maker contact information attached to every opportunity
The Bigger Picture: Why Transparency Matters
Beyond competitive advantage, there's a broader argument for making government spend data more accessible. Transparent spending leads to better outcomes:
- •More competition means better value for taxpayers
- •Local suppliers can compete on a level playing field with large incumbents
- •Innovation flourishes when barriers to entry are lower
- •Accountability improves when spending decisions are visible
Until spend data becomes truly public, FOIPOP remains the most powerful tool suppliers have to level the playing field. Use it strategically, and you'll see opportunities your competitors miss entirely.
Resources
- →Nova Scotia FOIPOP Portal — Submit requests online
- →Nova Scotia Procurement Portal — Active tenders and award notices
- →Office of the Auditor General — Audit reports on government spending
- →Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner — Appeal denied or over-redacted requests
Seva Skvortsov is the founder of ScotiaSignal, helping Nova Scotia suppliers win government contracts with pre-RFP intelligence.
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