Office of the Procurement Ombud’s 2023 Accessibility Plan and Progress Update

Executive summary of the update

The Office of the Procurement Ombud (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 ACA:

Employment

In 2020-21, OPO committed to having a staff made up of 50% women and 30% individuals from underrepresented groups. OPO aims to achieve this goal by 2025, and as of March 31, 2023, 2 years into the 5 year commitment, 26% of OPO employees self-identified as being a visible minority, 4% identified as Indigenous, 9% identified as a person with a disability, and 70% identified as female.

OPO strives to support the Government of Canada’s commitment of hiring 5,000 Persons with Disabilities by 2025.

The Built Environment

In the Accessibility Plan, OPO noted two features of the built environment: on-boarding materials and diversity and inclusion.

In 2021-22, OPO revamped its onboarding procedures to include information and guidance to support employees and managers with accessibility needs and requirements. OPO remains diligent in reviewing and updating its on-boarding materials to reflect the changing reservoir of resources.

In October 2023, OPO reviewed and implemented the federal Accessibility Passport Program, which is now a part of its hiring process. Further, current employees have been encouraged to participate in the program.

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 are acknowledged, understood, and practiced. The Committee has goals and key performance indicators that guide its activities. These are tracked and reviewed monthly. In 2023, OPO solidified its support of these initiatives by adding D&I as a fifth organizational pillar.

Information and Communication Technologies

In the Accessibility Plan, OPO noted two features: communication and hardware and software.

On internal and external communication, OPO remains committed to plain language that accurately captures the complexity of the work we undertake. OPO remains flexible in its approach to communications products and actively seeks to address new or known accessibility concerns. OPO ensures that the Web Accessibility standards of the Government of Canada are followed, and that our graphics meet accessibility guidelines.

Hardware and software are provided by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), through a Service Level Agreement. The following services are provided: Information technology (IT) Project management support, Information Management (IM), IT office solutions and support (which includes ergonomic or adaptive technology, tools or equipment related to functional limitations or restrictions), Application or web site development and support, IT security, and IT connectivity.

In 2022-23, OPO sought feedback from its staff pertaining to their IT accessibility requirements, and is committed to continuously doing so on an annual basis through an employee survey. OPO strives to keep abreast of the life cycle management of IT equipment and to equip employees with IT equipment that best meets their needs.

Communication, other than information and communication technologies

OPO remains committed to making its outreach activities accessible for all audiences. Since 2018 and most recently in April 2023, OPO has offered both American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des Signes Québécoise (LSQ) interpretation at its annual Diversifying the Federal Supply Chain Summit. These services are also provided for in virtual town hall outreach events where OPO engages with the procurement community.

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 also remains committed to accessibility considerations through engagement with the community. In 2023, the Ombud participated in a podcast for the Inclusive Workplace and Supply Council of Canada (IWSCC), which supports veteran and disabled owned businesses. Secondly, OPO participates in the Ontario Region Small and Medium Enterprise Network (ORSMEN), which focuses on sharing diverse events in Ontario, best practices, and connecting organizations.

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, GBA+, and evaluator’s conflict of interest.

The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services

In the Accessibility Plan, OPO mentioned two key activities: Diversifying the Federal Supply Chain Summit and Knowledge Deepening and Sharing (KDS).

The goal of OPO’s annual Diversifying the Federal Supply Chain Summit is to inform underrepresented suppliers about the tools and programs that are available to support an understanding of the federal procurement process and help indigenous and diverse suppliers obtain federal government contracts.

The Knowledge Deepening and Sharing (KDS) initiative was created to share information on procurement issues. A pressing issue of concern is ethical procurement. This year OPO has held meetings with PSPCs Ethical Procurement group, and has offered to review its new Ethical Procurement Policy. Meetings and information sharing has also occurred with the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) regrading ethical procurement practices. OPO looks forward to completing more research on ethical procurement issues going forward.

Transportation

The section on transportation was addressed in the Accessibility Plan and remains unchanged in 2023, as OPO’s office remains the same. The current policy for the Government of Canada allows for hybrid and remote work arrangements under certain circumstances, which account for accessibility considerations.

Consultation

In 2022-23, OPO participated in the Persons with Disabilities Network from PSPC as well as interdepartmental members of the Accessibility team (specifically with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat ) to discuss the Accessibility Plan.

Glossary

Underrepresented groups are defined as Indigenous Peoples, 2SLGBTQI+, racialized people, persons with disabilities, and other minority groups.

Training

OPO team members are encouraged to partake in training opportunities that enable them to expand on their knowledge and continue to develop their skills. OPO requires all employees to add a minimum of 4 hours of Diversity and Inclusion training to their Personal Learning Plans (PLPs) on a yearly basis.

Updating the Office of the Procurement Ombud’s Accessibility Plan

As part of its commitment to proactively identify and prevent barriers in accessibility, OPO will:

  1. Publish a progress report detailing how OPO is putting the Accessibility Plan into action by December 31, 2023.
  2. Publish a new Accessibility Plan by December 31, 2025.
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