Reed Construction Data (RCD) and several local construction associations (LCAs) in Ontario have formed a strategic alliance to enhance the communication between construction owners, bidders, and design professionals.
“We listened to what the industry needed through engagement with industry stakeholders,” explained Craig Roberts, RCD’s director of business development. “The industry was looking for efficient bid notifications and related services, with the ability to make communication between construction owners, bidders, and design professionals seamless. Buyers and supplies of construction also told us they didn’t want to go to multiple places to attract the best contractors or, respectively, find the best opportunities.”
Roberts said this partnership allows companies to use their experience and established relationships to connect the purchasers of construction information with the industry’s largest database of qualified bidders. LCAs will bundle their electronic plan room content with RCD’s multi-phase project news service, Reed Connect. This will result in the province’s largest offering of construction opportunities connected to qualified contractors—providing building product manufacturers with access to Ontario’s largest database of specifications using keyword searches, specifications, and related project information for both Canadian and U.S. markets. Finally, it lays down a solid foundation for providing innovative procurement solutions to public and private sector owners and contractors.
“Each partner brings valuable resources to this table,” said Kim McKinney, Toronto Construction Association (TCA) executive vice-president. “Combined, we have over 100 staff and resources supporting this initiative.”
The partners have signed a letter of intent (LOI) and are currently implementing the functional aspects of the agreement for market launch later this year. In June, RCD announced a similar agreement with construction associations in British Columbia.
