Office of the Procurement Ombud's 2026-2028 Accessibility Plan
January 2026
- Mail:
- Office of the Procurement Ombud
400-410 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1R IB7 - Toll-free:
- 1-866-734-5169
- Teletypewriter (Toll-free for hearing-impaired):
- 1-800-926-9105
- Email:
- ombudsman@opo-boa.gc.ca
- Stay connected:
- Catalogue number:
- P111-2E-PDF
On this page
Introduction
OPO has developed its Accessibility Plan in response to the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and the Accessible Canada Regulations (regulations) which require federally regulated entities to prepare and publish accessibility plans, progress reports on the implementation of their plans, and descriptions of their feedback processes. The regulations establish the foundational requirements that such entities must meet to fulfill their planning and reporting obligations under the ACA.
The following update is in accordance with the following sections in Section 5 of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA):
- Employment
- The built environment
- Information and communication technologies (ICT)
- Communication, other than ICT
- The procurement of goods, services and facilities
- The design and delivery of programs and services
- Transportation
Employment
Headquartered in Ottawa, the Office of the Procurement Ombud (OPO) is an independent, neutral federal organization with a government-wide mandate covering the procurement practices of over 90 federal departments and agencies. We try to resolve the issues that are brought to our attention as quickly and efficiently as possible to improve federal procurement practices in all the work we do.
In 2020-21, OPO committed to having a staff made up of 50% women and 30% individuals from groups traditionally underrepresented by 2025.
OPO was pleased to report in its 2023-2024 annual report that it had met the goal, with a 68% female and 36% diverse workforce. OPO continues to track these metrics through self-reporting tools and strives to maintain the 50/30 metrics goal established in 2020-21.
OPO will:
- Integrate accessibility into its hiring practices by proactively informing all job applicants that they can request accommodations for any accessibility needs, with the goal of reducing barriers throughout the hiring process.
- Contact the Chief Human Resources Officer’s office to request any best practices for integrating accessibility into hiring.
- Promote the use of the Accessibility Passport and its digital version by: a) Communicating to all staff what the accessibility passport is and sending reminders at least twice per year; b) Keeping OPO’s Accessibility Guide for Employees - as part of our onboarding package - up to date.
The built environment
Diversity and inclusion
In the spring of 2020, OPO created a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Committee to support the Government of Canada’s goal of creating a space where diversity and inclusion (D&I) are acknowledged, understood, and practiced.
To support its mandate and using the Call to Action as its guide, OPO’s D&I Committee established goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track its progress. D&I goals have been included in OPO’s overall strategic plan and in its annual D&I plan. The goals are:
- Applying a diversity and inclusion lens to all OPO’s business with third parties, including government departments, suppliers, and the general public.
- Fostering and maintaining a more welcoming and inclusive work environment, where staff feel included and respected for what they bring in the workplace and where differences enrich OPO’s workplace culture and maximize the success of its team.
- Improved education and raised awareness around the benefits of diversity and inclusion programs in the workplace.
OPO will:
- Ensure all staff members have the ability to participate in Diversity and Inclusion Committee meetings and committee created activities.
- Ensure that at least 12 meetings occur per year with senior management representation.
- Require all-staff take mandatory Diversity and Inclusion training each year.
Continued presence on accessibility and diverse working groups in the Government
OPO will maintain a presence on the following government committees, ensuring that at least one staff member participates in the committees and reports back to OPO’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee for further action:
- Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)’s Agents of Change for Accessible Procurement
- PSPC’s Employment Equity
- PSPC’s Persons with Disabilities Network
- Interdepartmental Accessibility Team
Physical accessibility
To further improve the physical accessibility of our workplace, OPO will:
- Speak to OPO’s Accommodation Services provider at PSPC to inquire about the installation of an accessible door opener at the back of the building.
- Work with OPO’s Accommodation Services provider at PSPC to install an accessible door opener in the accessible washroom on our floor.
Information and communication technologies
OPO provides communication both internally and externally that is clear and concise. Our organization strives to publish plain language information on our website in both official languages without compromising the context and integrity of the information due to the complex nature of the work the office conducts.
OPO is committed to ensuring its communication products are easy to understand and made available in multiple formats where possible to employees, other government departments and the Canadian public so that all users have equal access. OPO takes into consideration the various barriers to accessing information and provides opportunities for feedback.
OPO is committed to ensuring that content posted on its website conforms with the Web Accessibility standards of the Government of Canada.
OPO will:
- Update its website to clearly indicate reports can be made available in alternate formats upon request.
- Include questions in its all-staff survey each year concerning access and accessibility of technology used for day-to-day tasks. When issues are noted in the survey, OPO will address the issues.
Communication, other than information and communication technologies
OPO remains committed to making its outreach activities accessible for all audiences.
When conducting outreach in person and hosting town halls at physical locations, OPO strives to ensure that the venue accommodates accessibility requirements. Factors such as location, transportation options, room placement, and IT equipment are considered.
OPO will:
- Create a formal checklist of accessibility considerations for all outreach venues and embed it in the formal approval request process. Moving forward, every approval request related to outreach venues submitted to senior management will include this checklist.
- Continue offering both American Sign Language (ASL) and Langues des signes québécoise (LSQ) interpretation at its procurement conferences and virtual town hall outreach events.
- Participate in regional Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) networks, which focus on sharing diverse events, best practices, and connecting organizations. Following participation at these forums, share information on lessons learned and provide recommendations for consideration by OPO’s D&I Committee.
- Include accessibility-related questions in all pre- and post-event surveys that are sent to participants related to all OPO events. Review feedback and make changes as needed to reflect the feedback received via these surveys.
The procurement of goods, services and facilities
OPO is committed to ensuring accessibility requirements are considered in internal procurement practices. Specifically OPO follows its internal guide on procurement, which notes the following criteria for consideration: accessibility, social procurement, Gender-based analysis plus (GBA)+, and evaluator’s conflict of interest.
OPO will:
- Request that the Procurement Ombud’s delegated authority for procurement be increased so that OPO can lead by example in its own procurements.
- Consult with PSPC’s Accessibility Policy Group to ensure that OPO’s solicitation processes take into consideration accessibility requirements.
- Engage with Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and PSPC to include training and policy support for the Accessible Procurement Policy in our outreach initiatives.
The design and delivery of programs and services
OPO’s outreach and educational events geared toward suppliers traditionally underrepresented in the federal supply chain seek to share the tools and programs that are available to support an understanding of the federal procurement process.
OPO will:
- Continue to host and participate in activities that support suppliers traditionally underrepresented in the federal supply chain.
- Continue sharing information that supports suppliers traditionally underrepresented in the federal supply chain through its social media accounts.
Transportation
OPO is located at 410 Laurier Ave. West, Suite 400 in Ottawa, ON. Our office is accessible and was refitted in January 2019 and complies with current accessibility standards. Access to our office can be obtained through public or private transportation. Parking is available on Laurier Street with an accessible entrance to the building as well as to our suite.
OPO is committed to seeking feedback from staff pertaining to their physical accessibility requirements on an annual basis through an employee survey.
Consultations
In preparing this plan, OPO consulted with PSPC’s Accessibility Office and members of the Interdepartmental Accessibility Group. OPO discussed its plan and integrated feedback and ideas proposed during this meeting. Additionally, OPO attended the Office of Public Service Accessibility (OPSA) webinar on the GC Workplace Accessibility Passport’s journey and the launch of the Passport’s digital application, integrating the resources shared and lessons learned in its accessibility plan.
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