We Are Here To Help

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The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman (OPO) provides an avenue, both to Canadian firms selling goods and services to the federal government and government officials purchasing those goods and services, to address the procurement-related issues that inevitably arise in any day-to-day commercial transactions. The Office is an independent organization, not beholden to any government department or agency, available to help when issues arise that cannot be resolved between the supplier and the department. As a legislated ombudsman there is a legal mandate and regulations governing how the Office operates. Such things as what complaints the Office is permitted to review and the time in which the review must take place, among others, are prescribed in the Procurement Ombudsman Regulations (the Regulations).

But the Office is nevertheless an ombudsman's office. Meaning we are, first and foremost, here to help. Help by answering questions, by explaining procurement processes, by de-escalating disputes and by helping to resolve issues. So while there is a certain formality we are required to respect when a complaint is filed or when we are approached to mediate a dispute, most of our efforts are spent trying to deal with matters informally. We do this because we view one of our primary responsibilities as helping to foster more open, effective, and productive relationships between federal departments and suppliers. This is often more easily achievable through constructive dialogue than through formal recourse.

Despite our best intentions and efforts however, occasionally concerns and issues are brought to our attention that cannot be resolved through our informal third-party intervention role. The issues raised to us in these cases suggest the principles of fairness, openness or transparency have been compromised in a procurement process or that a systemic issue exists. In these situations we have a responsibility to examine the matter impartially and objectively, being careful to neither be an advocate for suppliers nor an apologist for government departments or agencies. In doing so, our goal is to expose the facts, and where necessary, assist departments and agencies in identifying corrective measures to reinforce, or on occasion, restore those principles.

"As a small business owner who contracts with government your office provides an invaluable service to help when conflicts arise and contracts run into trouble. Thank you for the help you provide and should w ever run into problems in the future we will not hesitate to consult with your office for information and help."

Whether we are clarifying some aspect of procurement, stimulating a more productive dialogue between a supplier and department or getting to the bottom of allegations, we are committed to doing our part in increasing Canadians' confidence in the fairness, openness and transparency of federal procurement activities.

Our Mission

To promote fairness, openness and transparency in federal government procurement.

Our Mandate

The Department of Public Works and Government Services Act provides the authorities for the Procurement Ombudsman to exercise his or her mandate as follows:

  • Review complaints with respect to the award of a contract for the acquisition of goods below $25,000 and services below $100,000 (including taxes);
  • Review complaints with respect to the administration of a contract, regardless of dollar value;
  • Review the practices of departments for acquiring goods and services to assess their fairness, openness and transparency and make recommendations where necessary to improve those practices; and
  • Ensure that an alternative dispute resolution process is provided, if requested and agreed to by both parties to a federal contract.

Educate, Facilitate and Investigate

To achieve our mission of promoting fairness, openness and transparency in federal procurement, our strategic objectives are focused on three areas, areas we call our pillars:

The three pillars
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This diagram portrays OPO's three pillars: educate, facilitate and investigate: Educate - To raise awareness of procurement issues and exchange information; Facilitate - De-escalate disputes and help resolve issues; and Investigate - Examine and review procurement issues.

The Office is regularly contacted by suppliers and government officials who pose questions and raise issues or concerns regarding procurement. Responding to these contacts is the first step in how we are here to help.

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