We are here to help
In any given year, hundreds of thousands of contracts are entered into by federal organizations and Canadian businesses that supply them with goods and/ or services. When one considers this large volume of procurement activity, the significant amounts spent by federal organizations (about $18 billion total annually), the more than 100 federal organizations involved in procurement, and the vast set of rules that make doing business with federal organizations different from doing business in the private sector, it is not surprising that issues occasionally arise. This is where the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman (OPO/the Office) comes in.
The Office was created to promote fairness, openness and transparency in federal procurement. OPO is neither a lobbyist for suppliers nor an apologist for federal organizations. To help suppliers and federal organizations sort through the issues that arise in the competitive, and often complicated, world of federal procurement, the Office uses its position as a neutral organization to encourage open communication and the sharing of effective practices among all parties.
Our motto is simple: “We are here to help”. The Office is committed to ensuring everyone who contacts the Office receives personalized service and prompt responses to questions raised. Whether the Office is clarifying an aspect of procurement, stimulating a more productive dialogue between a supplier and a federal organization, or undertaking an in-depth review of federal procurement practices, we are committed to helping and to promoting fairness, openness and transparency in federal procurement.
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 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 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.
Office of the Procurement Ombudsman Values
OPO employees are guided in their work and their professional conduct by committing to the values of respect, impartiality, professionalism and transparency.
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