Communication Procurement Directorate 2018-19 Client Satisfaction Survey - Executive Summary

Background and purpose

The Communication Procurement Directorate (CPD) is part of the Commercial and Alternative Acquisitions Management Sector of the Acquisitions Branch of Public Services and Procurement Canada. The Directorate provides all mandatory and optional procurement services related to communications to federal departments and agencies. Its objective is to deliver high-quality, responsive and cost-effective communication procurement services for the commodities under our responsibility.

In 2016, the Communication Procurement Directorate (CPD) reviewed its annual client satisfaction survey and revised its approach to more closely align with the departmental Client Service Strategy. Using a phased approach, the CPD decided to first review and increase the number and type of mandatory and optional questions to be asked.

The purpose of this wave of the survey is to assess the satisfaction of other government department project authorities with the Communication Procurement Directorate's procurement services, through three quarters of the 2018-2019 fiscal year. The Q2 survey was conducted in a manner similar to the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 waves. In Q3 and Q4 contact emails were uploaded to a portal by CPD staff on a weekly basis, to test response rates with a survey invitation closer to the actual date of service than has previously been the case. All invitees who had not completed the survey received email reminders on a biweekly basis prior to the end of the quarter.

Methodology

Environics hosted an online survey with clients of CPD. The target audience was defined as all project authorities dealing with CPD in the final three quarters of FY 2018-2019, either for contracts awarded or for advice given but not leading to a contract. As this is an attempted census, no margin of sampling error is calculated.

Q2: Survey invitations were broadcast on October 3 and field was kept open until October 26, 2018. Invitations were broadcast to 311 contacts, of which 74 completed the survey, giving a final response rate of 24 percent. Of those participating, seven respondents (nine percent) completed the survey based on advice given that did not lead to a contract.

Q3: Survey invitations were broadcast from October 30 to December 11, 2018. Field was kept open until December 28. Invitations were broadcast to 145 contacts, of which 36 completed the survey, giving a final response rate of 25 percent. Of those participating, five respondents (14 percent) completed the survey based on advice given that did not lead to a contract.

Q4: Survey invitations were broadcast from January 8 to March 5, 2019. Field was kept open until March 18. Invitations were broadcast to 140 contacts, of which 41 completed the survey, giving a final response rate of 29 percent. Of those participating, one respondent (two percent) completed the survey based on advice given that did not lead to a contract.

All research work was conducted in accordance with federal legislation (Personal Information Protection and - Electronic Documents Act - PIPEDA) and to the Privacy Act and Treasury Board and PSPC privacy policies, directives and standards. The research met all federal government and industry standards.

Using the results

The survey results will be distributed to Directorate management for information and reference and for arranging follow up with specific project authorities, as warranted, in order to identify opportunities for improving service. The results will also be used for discussion with the respective CPD procurement teams, also with a view to improving services and giving credit, as warranted, for work well done.

Cost of research

The cost of this research was $ 24,984.30 (HST included).

Key findings

As in previous iterations of this research, strong majorities of CPD clients remain satisfied with the service being provided, both overall and with individual aspects. Clients are most likely to strongly agree the personnel were respectful or that they got what they needed in the end, and least likely to strongly agree they were satisfied with the time it took to receive the service, or that the service is an example of good value for money.

Political neutrality statement and contact information

I hereby certify as a Senior Research Associate of Environics Research Group that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not contain any reference to electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leader.