We Are Here To Help
This report represents a milestone of sorts; it marks the fifth anniversary of the creation of the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman. When the Office opened its doors in 2008, it quickly became apparent that if the Office was to have a positive impact in the world of federal procurement, it could not sit idle and wait for the phone to ring. Members of our staff needed to get out and work with the many players who navigate federal procurement and who have a vested interest in a procurement system that is effective, fair, open and transparent. These include our clients Canadian businesses that each year supply the federal government with billions of dollars of goods and services as well as stakeholders, including business associations, chambers of commerce, boards of trade, federal procurement specialists and program managers, and parliamentarians. Since our creation, we have been actively seeking out and listening to members of these communities, sharing information, addressing procurement issues, asking questions and, when necessary, being a voice for their concerns; all the while being very careful to help in such a way as to neither be, nor be perceived to be, a lobbyist for suppliers or an apologist for government departments and agencies. Our primary focus has been, and continues to be, to help in an impartial and unbiased way.
"What I particularly liked in this process was your impartial, relationship-building focus. You kept a calm, measured approach and provided me with solid information about the procurement process, which I really needed to have. You accomplished this in a fair-minded way and that builds trust in the process." Supplier
"We are here to help" has grown to be more than a motto. It has become integrated into our business practices and embedded in our daily interactions with clients and stakeholders. It is also the basis for our service-first business model. Simply put, the model means that every phone call, fax and e-mail we receive is answered by a knowledgeable person who is trained to provide prompt, personalized assistance and who remains the point of contact until whatever issue is raised with us has been dealt with. We may not always be the right organization to contact, but we will do our utmost to point anyone who contacts us in the right direction and provide assistance.
Understandably, any business model is only as effective as the team behind it. With decades of experience in government procurement, investigations, alternative dispute resolution, audit, research, and client service, we are a team driven to ensure that every issue and concern brought to our attention is addressed so that we can play our part in promoting fairness, openness and transparency in federal procurement.
Our Mission
To promote fairness, openness and transparency in federal procurement.
Our Mandate
In April 2006, the Government introduced the Federal Accountability Act (2006) and its associated action plan, which included the appointment of a Procurement Ombudsman. The position of Procurement Ombudsman was created through an amendment to the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act (1996). The Procurement Ombudsman Regulations, which were passed in May 2008, provide the authorities for the Procurement Ombudsman to exercise his mandate regarding contracting between Canadian businesses and the federal government 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;
- 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 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.
While conducting our reviews of complaints, or the practices of departments, we look for:
- consistency with relevant cabinet policies and procedures
- consistency with departmental policies and procedures
- consistency with the Financial Administration Act and affiliated regulations
- fairness, openness and transparency
To remedy any shortcomings, we may recommend:
- ways to improve departmental practices
- our services for Alternative Dispute Resolution
- compensation for suppliers
- ways to improve the fairness, openness and transparency of procurement practices
"I want to thank you and any others in your [office] that got this situation addressed for us. I'm sure that without your involvement we would still be chasing payment." Supplier
Educate, Facilitate and Investigate
To achieve our mission of promoting fairness, openness and transparency in federal procurement, our strategic objectives focus on three areas:
- Raising awareness of procurement issues and exchanging information through education;
- De-escalating potential disputes and helping resolve issues whenever possible through facilitation; and
- Examining procurement issues through review and investigation.
These pillars guide the Office's interactions and are the basis of how we deal with issues brought to our attention by suppliers, federal departments and agencies, and others interested in federal procurement.
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