Section IV: Planned results—What we want to achieve this year and beyond: 2017 to 2018 Departmental Plan

Document navigation for "2017 to 2018 Departmental Plan"

• Previous page
• Table of contents
• Next page

Strategic outcome

Public Services and Procurement Canada's (PSPC) strategic outcome is to deliver high-quality central programs and services that ensure sound stewardship on behalf of Canadians and meet the program needs of federal institutions.

Programs

The following section describes PSPC's programs and planning highlights that supported our strategic outcome. It also includes an overview of the financial and human resources, the expected results, and the performance indicators and targets for each program.

Program 1.1: Acquisitions

This program provides federal organizations with procurement solutions such as specialized contracts, standing offers, supply arrangements, and memoranda of understanding for acquiring a broad range of goods and services, including construction services. This program delivers acquisitions and related common services using the smart procurement principles (early engagement, effective governance, independent advice, and benefits for Canadians) through an open, fair and transparent process to ensure best value to Canadians and the federal government.

Planning highlights

Under this program, PSPC manages approximately $18 billion of procurements on behalf of other federal departments and agencies, of which approximately 40% goes to Canadian small and medium enterprises. It also provides leadership and oversees the implementation of the Defence Procurement Strategy as well as advances the government's ability to leverage defence procurements to create jobs and economic benefits for Canada, and improve the governance and management of military procurement.

PSPC will continue to provide effective, efficient and fair procurement services that support Canada's institutions in delivering their programs while contributing to the country's socio-economic goals.

To make procurement more accessible and efficient, the department will continue to modernize procurement and develop simpler and less burdensome processes, policies and tools, in line with the Minister's mandate letter. PSPC will streamline and automate procurement through the implementation of a single portal for all procurement needs, which will begin with a pilot project across the department.

PSPC will make government information more digitally accessible and ensure that more open data are available to suppliers and industry, aligning with the government-wide commitment to open government. In addition, the department will improve access for clients and suppliers and extend federal procurement tools to provinces and territories.

Based on supplier feedback and lessons learned from recent procurements, the department will create more opportunities to engage with stakeholders through an enhanced Client Service Strategy and increased federal, provincial and territorial collaboration, in order to be responsive to the procurement needs of clients and suppliers, including small and medium enterprises.

To advance Canada's socio-economic policy goals, PSPC will develop departmental approaches regarding green and social procurement proposals. The department will also continue to support Canadian businesses with the entry of their pre-commercial products and services into the marketplace through the Build in Canada Innovation Program. Seeking to support innovation, the program maintains a strong client focus through regular engagement with stakeholders and an emphasis on results and benefits to Canadians.

To deliver results in an open, transparent and effective manner, and in support of the Minister's mandate letter commitments, PSPC will apply consultative approaches in developing procurement strategies through effective governance, early and active engagement and independent advice. The department will implement innovative and best practices to procurement by enhancing the supplier performance management regime and applying new solutions to complex procurements.

Pursuant to the Minister's commitments, PSPC will work closely with the Department of National Defence and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to support the due diligence activities required for an open and transparent competition to replace the CF-18 Fighter Aircraft. In addition, the department will continue to prioritize the National Shipbuilding Strategy in order to support the renewal of the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy fleets, including public quarterly updates and an annual report to Parliament.

PSPC is also implementing tailored contracting approaches for the maintenance and repair of military equipment and services through the sustainment initiative, to ensure that the specific needs of each sustainment project are met. This initiative, which was created to pilot innovative approaches to contracting will become fully mandatory in January 2018.

Along with the Department of National Defence; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard; and other partner departments and central agencies, PSPC will continue to support the ongoing transformation of defence procurement by coordinating the implementation of the Defence Procurement Strategy (DPS), which has three key objectives:

1. delivering the right equipment to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard in a timely manner
2. leveraging purchases of defence equipment to create jobs and economic growth in Canada
3. streamlining defence procurement processes

In collaboration with its partners, the department will continue to provide strategic analysis, guidance and advice from a whole-of-government perspective to support DPS interdepartmental governance committees.

The department will enable integrated and effective decision-making for defence and major Canadian Coast Guard procurements and in the implementation of key initiatives, while respecting existing individual ministerial accountabilities and mandates.

Through the DPS governance, PSPC will continue to provide regular updates to Parliament and the public on progress made on defence procurements, and will continue to engage its ship-building expert to provide advice.

Indicators are established to measure results against our objectives of fairness and efficiency to ensure sound stewardship, and high quality services to client departments and agencies.

The decrease in planned spending and full-time equivalents as of 2018 to 2019 is related to the end of the initial five-year period of the Build in Canada Innovation Program. PSPC is working with central agencies to identify a source of funds for future years.

Program 1.2: Accommodation management and real property services

PSPC provides federal departments and agencies with affordable office and common use accommodation that supports the delivery of their programs and services. The department acts as steward for various public works such as buildings, bridges and dams, and national treasures such as the parliamentary precinct and other heritage assets across Canada. PSPC also provides other federal departments, agencies, and the Parliament of Canada with responsive and cost-effective real property services.

Planning highlights

Under this program, PSPC provides accommodation to Parliamentarians and to more than 257,000 public servants in 1,629 locations across Canada. The department also manages a Crown-owned property portfolio with an estimated value of $6.8 billion, including seventeen engineering assets such as bridges and dams. It rehabilitates the buildings in the parliamentary precinct to meet accommodation requirements, manages rental payments of approximately $1.265 billion on 1,586 lease transactions across Canada annually, and provides $450 million in payments in lieu of taxes to 1,183 taxing authorities on behalf of the Government of Canada.

PSPC is adopting a client-centric real property service delivery approach by applying the industry-proven service management methodology, which will improve the delivery of services, increase client satisfaction and strengthen working relationships. By focusing on service excellence, PSPC continues to evolve from a mandated service provider, to a service provider of choice. This approach is already generating improvements. The first annual client service feedback survey shows an overall client satisfaction rate of 75%. The survey was conducted with 28 clients representing 83% of PSPC's portfolio in terms of space and services used. There has been a positive shift in how client priorities are viewed and valued, with clients expressing that the PSPC noticeably places a high importance on client needs and priorities.

PSPC will continue to work closely with its clients and key partners, including Shared Services Canada, to provide clients with modern, consistent and integrated services across all regions. The department's continued efforts to modernize Government of Canada workplaces will encourage collaborative and flexible ways of working, promote health and wellness, foster better work-life balance, and provide public servants with the necessary tools and technologies to support them in a more connected, productive and greener work environment. This approach will increase public servant productivity and responsiveness, which will in turn improve services to Canadians and help attract and retain the workforce of tomorrow. In 2016 to 2017, PSPC modernized 108,450 m² of office space. This work directly contributes to a reduced government environmental footprint by decreasing the square meters of office space allocated per person.

PSPC is dedicated to providing sustainable and innovative workplaces that support the business and culture of the Government of Canada public service. Program integrity funding, received as part of Budget 2016, plays a key role in enabling PSPC to make necessary repairs to improve the safety, security and overall conditions of its workplaces, as well as increasing tenant satisfaction. For example, PSPC has a robust asbestos management program, as well as a strong Legionella management plan for all its buildings. These plans will contribute to improving health and safety for not only public servants, but Canadians accessing federal government facilities.

PSPC will continue to upgrade and maintain federal infrastructure by applying modern and innovative environmental technologies, such as the implementation of smart building technologies and by ensuring that all PSPC Crown-owned and lease purchase buildings have an energy star performance rating. These investments in green technology will advance PSPC's Carbon Neutral Strategy, green government operations and ensure reductions in greenhouse gases. We are able to improve the carbon footprint of our buildings with a modest investment as demonstrated through our Smart Buildings Program.

PSPC also plans to apply timely and efficient disposals of its surplus inventory to reduce its physical, financial and environmental footprint. During the disposal process, the department will continue to consult with Indigenous peoples and communities, as well as other levels of government. The department has met the Minister's mandate letter commitments to conduct an inventory of all available federal lands and buildings that could be repurposed for affordable housing in communities. To build upon this success, PSPC will take further actions to support the surplus federal real property for homelessness initiative, providing functional guidance to federal custodians to repurpose government properties into affordable housing to reduce homelessness.

Going forward, PSPC plans to explore new opportunities, develop new service markets and seek partnerships for delivering new initiatives. The department is currently supporting other government departments to plan the infrastructure they will need to bring together thirteen science departments and agencies. It will also provide a similar support to other departments and agencies such as those with a security mandate. PSPC is actively working with its clients and Shared Services Canada to proactively identify horizontal planning and partnership opportunities. This type of innovative thinking will allow PSPC to become the real property service leader within the federal community.

In keeping with its stewardship role, PSPC will continue to implement the Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP) to address the deteriorated state of Canada's nineteenth century parliamentary buildings, meet the accommodation needs of a twenty-first century parliament, and implement security measures while maintaining a balance of openness and security on Parliament Hill.

When carrying out LTVP projects, PSPC strives to improve the sustainability, accessibility and safety of the Parliamentary Precinct, while promoting innovation and opportunities for youth.

PSPC will continue to provide high level service to Cabinet Ministers, their guests and staff by offering secure accommodation and administrative support as they conduct their Government of Canada business outside the National Capital Region, while seeking opportunities on an on-going basis to streamline expenditures and administration.

PSPC will continue to fulfil its responsibilities regarding Cape Breton operations which involve managing the inherited obligations and liabilities of federal involvement in coal mining in Cape Breton, as well as a federal role in economic development initiatives, with a focus on local stakeholder engagement and minimizing short and long-term environmental and financial liabilities.

The decrease in planned FTEs is due to projects related to the federal infrastructure initiatives coming to completion.

The decrease in planned spending is mainly related to the end of the incremental funding for the repair, maintenance and operation of federal buildings to provide a secure workplace and the end of the federal infrastructure initiative (Budget 2016) for the rehabilitation of major assets to reduce health and safety risks.

These total FTEs include Parliamentary Precinct Branch total planned FTEs as follows: 429 FTEs in 2017 to 2018; 450 FTEs in 2018 to 2019; and 448 FTEs in 2019 to 2020.

Program 1.3: Receiver General for Canada

This program manages the operations of the federal treasury, produces the Public Accounts and maintains the Accounts of Canada. It provides federal departments with an optional departmental financial and materiel management system offering and bill payment services.

Planning highlights

PSPC will continue to manage the operations of the federal treasury through the issuance and settlement of more than 339 million federal and provincial payments, and the collection of revenues for all government departments. The department will also continue to maintain the Accounts of Canada, produce the government's monthly statements of financial operations and the annual Public Accounts of Canada.

One of PSPC's priorities is to implement initiatives that increase the effectiveness and efficiency of its programs and services. With this in mind, PSPC will continue the implementation of direct deposit working with its partners in other government departments, including the Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada, as well as financial institutions and associations.

PSPC will advance the Receiver General's modernization initiative which will renew its systems and processes to improve the services provided to government departments, key stakeholders and, ultimately, Canadians.

The Receiver General will provide services that meet the needs of clients while ensuring the sound stewardship of public funds. Additionally, it supports key values, such as efficiently delivering services in a way that makes citizens feel respected and valued, as outlined in the Minister's mandate letter.

There is no variance in the planned FTEs for the coming years.

The decrease in planned spending is mainly related to the sun-setting of the incremental funding received for increases in the Receiver General's card acceptance services and postage fees.

Program 1.4: Integrity programs and services

This program provides the government of Canada with high quality, timely and accessible specialized services and programs in support of sound, prudent and ethical management and operations.

Planning highlights

Under this program, PSPC provides over 20,000 integrity verifications government-wide under the integrity regime pursuant to the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy, and processes over 129,000 personnel security screening requests to enable contractors to participate in sensitive Government of Canada contracts.

The integrity regime aligns with the Minister's mandate to modernize procurement practices and it supports the integrity of public procurement through high standards of integrity for its suppliers. PSPC will continue the implementation of the Ineligibility and Suspension Policy, with a focus on enhancing the regime's operations through the development of directives and information bulletins clarifying aspects of the policy. The department will increase its outreach with the private sector and Canadians to ensure the regime is well understood, to receive feed-back, and to ensure suppliers are aware of what is required of them under the policy. PSPC will also explore opportunities to partner with federal organizations to pilot new initiatives to improve the department's ability to detect and deter fraud and corruption in its contracts and real property agreements.

Figure 1: Percentage of integrity verifications done within four hours for each quarter of fiscal year 2016 to 2017

PSPC will align its security screening practices with the new requirements of the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) standard on security screening. To better address current and emerging needs of industry and other government department stakeholders, PSPC will modernize its aging technological platform and improve program performance through the implementation of streamlined processes, such as reducing registration times for suppliers. Also, by implementing electronic signature within the existing personnel security screening application, the department will further reduce the administrative burden to industry clients. PSPC will continue to improve communications and outreach to better guide the private sector and government departments through the contract security process.

Figure 2: Percent of simple reliability screenings processed within seven business days for each quarter beginning in fiscal year 2014 to 2015 and ending in fiscal year 2017 to 2018

Through the Controlled Goods Program, PSPC will increase outreach to ensure the private sector is aware of requirements set out in the new controlled goods regulations. PSPC will introduce a web platform to enable self-learning for designated officials of registered companies.

PSPC will continue to provide forensic accounting services to Canadian and international governments, law enforcement agencies and prosecution services primarily on criminal investigations with a financial component. The department will also promote its expertise in forensic accounting throughout government.

Through the Fairness Monitoring Program, PSPC will continue coordinating fairness monitoring engagements and publishing final reports on departmental contracting processes in order to provide assurance to Canadians that high-profile PSPC activities are carried out with probity and integrity. The department will also communicate lessons learned more widely.

The variation in planned FTEs is due to the implementation of a professional development plan.

The decrease in planned spending is related to the end of the incremental funding for the enhancements to the Controlled Goods Program.

Program 1.5: Federal pay and pension administration

This program provides reliable central systems and processes for pay and pension administration to federal organizations. Through our pay and pension services, PSPC ensure that federal government employees and pensioners are paid accurately and on time.

Planning highlights

PSPC has established service standards in the provision of pay and pension services, and will investigate options for improving client service and reducing wait times. In 2017 to 2018, PSPC will pursue further use of new and existing tools and systems to achieve end-to-end automation of front-office pay and pension administration.

The department will also ensure that new legislation, policies and collective bargaining agreements affecting employees' pay and pension are implemented within the required timeframes, and that employees and retirees are paid accurately and on time, through reliable and efficient central systems and processes.

Pay

Today, many Canadian public servants continue to be faced with challenges and issues regarding their pay. The department recognizes the urgency of this situation and its priority is to ensure employees receive their pay accurately and on time. PSPC will continue to optimize the Phoenix pay system until service standards are met consistently and operations stabilize, and work with departments, unions and stakeholders to address and resolve pay issues in a timely manner.

The department is committed to being transparent and providing employees with reliable and useful information regarding pay administration. To this end, PSPC has developed a detailed online schedule called "Phoenix pay system issues" which provides real-time statistics and standards.

In addition, to address pay issues, many comprehensive measures are being implemented. These include:

• resolving challenges in the Pay Centre in Miramichi to process pay within service standards
• enhancing Phoenix system functionality
• providing additional training and education
• supporting users through the transition to steady state (when pay requests are processed in an efficient, consistent manner with minimal errors and the department is meeting its service standards 95% of the time)

The department will continue to work closely with all departments, unions and stakeholders to address and resolve pay issues as quickly as possible.

PSPC will complete the fit-up of the end-state building for the Public Service pay centre in Miramichi. The building, which will house the full complement of employees, will be ready for occupancy in 2017 to 2018.

Pension

The Government of Canada pension modernization project was successful and is an example on how large scale transformational information technology projects can bring substantial savings and modernization to the Government of Canada. The transfer of the pension administration for the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act for reservists and Canadian Armed Forces employees and retired members to the Government of Canada pension system was completed in January 2017. This ensures that all three major federal plans for Canadian Armed Forces members and reservists, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and public servants are administered by one department and now form the second largest defined benefit pension administration in Canada. Having finalized this multi-year project, PSPC will embrace further innovation with a view to increase program efficiency and effectiveness, and expanded self-service options to employees and retirees.

The department will also continue to ensure that pension transactions are processed within established timeframes.

Pay and pension

There is no variance in the planned FTEs for the coming years.

The decrease in planned spending is related to the fit-up of the new pay centre building in Miramichi, New Brunswick, which will be completed in 2017 to 2018.

Program 1.6: Linguistic management and services

This program defines the Translation Bureau of PSPC as a key component of the federal government's service delivery infrastructure. The bureau is the sole internal linguistic services provider and offers translation, revision, interpretation and other linguistic services for Parliament, the judiciary, and federal departments and agencies. It is also the terminology authority within the federal government and has been mandated to develop terminology standards to ensure clear, uniform and quality communications within government. The Linguistic Management and Services Program is mandated under the Translation Bureau Act.

Planning highlights

Under this program, PSPC manages the translation of approximately one million words per day on behalf of the government, and provides official, foreign and visual languages interpretation services for over 7,000 government meetings and events per year. The department also manages TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank, which contains more than 3.5 million terms.

PSPC will continue to contribute to Canadian democracy by providing, through its Translation Bureau, high quality and secure translation, interpretation and terminology services to Parliament and to federal departments and agencies 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week.

Over the last few years, there has been a focus on cost containment. This was meant to reduce fixed costs and charge per word, but this increased the risk of gaps in capacity and knowledge loss.

Considering that the Translation Bureau has seen a recent increase in demand for its services, in 2017 to 2018, PSPC will focus on quality enhancement and succession planning initiatives, giving priority to strategic hiring, investment in staff training, quality control processes review and the development of operational service standards which clarify deadlines and expectations for linguistic services requests.

PSPC will also create a new position of chief quality officer at the Translation Bureau whose incumbent will be responsible for overseeing all of the organization's quality enhancement activities. PSPC also commits to restoring a co-operative education program, hiring at least fifty students per year for the next five years. These actions will ensure that the Translation Bureau will continue to provide high quality translation services and support Canada's linguistic duality, while adopting "leading-edge practices" and recruiting "the best in class". This will guarantee continuity through training and knowledge transfer. The bureau will continue to thrive to be recognized as a "centre of excellence ready to embrace innovation"^{Footnote 11}.

In order to be able to further reduce translation prices and increase timeliness of services, the department will continue to deploy its technological infrastructure, including the replacement of its linguistic services management system. PSPC will also reinforce its partnerships with private-sector linguistic service providers to maximize its buying power. In addition, the department will continue to modernize remote interpretation services to increase the accessibility of services and reduce travel costs.

To support Canadians in their efforts to communicate better in both official languages, PSPC will finish the rebranding of the language portal of Canada and continue to provide high-quality Interactive resources. It will also further enhance the content related to indigenous languages and work to expand its partnerships. Furthermore, PSPC will ensure the maintenance, updating and enhancement of TERMIUM Plus® and explore the possibility of providing Canadians with the opportunity to contribute to its enrichment.

In order to support persons with disabilities, the department will continue to offer real-time bilingual closed captioning and other services to members of Parliament, as well as high quality visual interpretation services. It will also maintain its ongoing strong involvement in disability fora as they relate to linguistic services.

PSPC will continue to play a leadership role in the development of a virtual workforce and will further engage its employees to shift towards an innovation-driven business culture.

The variance in planned FTEs is mainly due to employees leaving and not being automatically replaced in the translation and other linguistic services and conference interpretation sub-programs. PSPC will proceed with strategic hiring to replace key positions in these sub-programs. The need for resources will be revisited as part of a new plan for the Translation Bureau that will be established to respond to future demand.

There is no significant variance in planned spending.

Program 1.7: Specialized programs and services^{Footnote 16}

This program provides federal organizations with high quality, timely and accessible specialized services and programs.

Planning highlights

Under this program, PSPC provides services to both government clients and the Canadian public.

For federal government departments and agencies, PSPC brings a horizontal, government-wide focus to activities such as processing and imaging documents, supporting human resources services and systems, providing standardized and consolidated information management solutions, and providing travel management services. It also provides unique services, such as supporting the federal government in disposing of surplus and seized goods, developing and reviewing standards, and certifying products and services.

In 2017 to 2018, PSPC will continue to focus on providing modern, innovative solutions for its clients across government and supporting them in delivering their programs and services. This will include working to expand and promote electronic services and facilitate an integrated, cross-government approach whenever possible, promoting and facilitating the adoption of common solutions and services.

Key initiatives will include:

• supporting the development of a Government of Canada Client-First Service Strategy, which is captured in the Minister's mandate letter
• the development of a single online window for all government services
• the establishment of new performance standards and assessment mechanisms

This will contribute to innovative and effective service delivery and to ensuring sound stewardship of government programs and services.

PSPC will renew its departmental Service Strategy to align with the Government of Canada Client-First Service Strategy. PSPC will also implement the departmental client relationship management tool, which uses evidence-based decision-making to improve relationships with clients. PSPC will continue to work on departmental innovation initiatives on service design and delivery and continue its engagement through service fora to ensure clients receive high-quality, timely and accessible PSPC services.

PSPC will continue to support TBS and other government departments to facilitate the government's back-office transformation with the ongoing roll-out, expansion and evolution of common back-office systems such as My GCHR, the shared case management system, and GCDOCS. This will allow the government to deliver better services to Canadians and lower annual operating costs.

In 2017 to 2018, the appropriate integration of My GCHR with the Phoenix pay system will be established. The department will ensure that communication lines are open and issues, concerns and risks are well communicated and understood.

With regards to document imaging services, PSPC will manage and integrate digitized data to facilitate government business transformation initiatives, including in the areas of ministerial correspondence, public consultations and the transition to the workplace renewal initiative. The department will continue to improve document imaging services with rigorous tracking and management of processes, production and costs. In order to ensure efficient imaging production and services, the department will benchmark the enterprise solution against the private sector.

PSPC will continue to plan the next generation of the Government of Canada's end-to-end travel and expense management solution to better meet the emerging needs of clients, as part of its efforts to update and modernize existing solutions, ensure systems are integrated, and leverage technology.

PSPC central relocation services will continue to conduct an annual assessment of client departments' satisfaction with services provided, in an effort to increase client satisfaction.

PSPC will continue to provide information to Canadians on Government of Canada programs and publications and support the effectiveness of Government of Canada communications activities through the provision of the:

• Depository Services Program
• public opinion research coordination
• advertising coordination and partnerships
• Canada Gazette
• electronic media monitoring

PSPC will continue to acquire and catalogue digitized publications from departments and agencies to add them to its website.

The department is also committed to initiating independent research on media consumption patterns of populations of official language minority communities. This study will also obtain feedback on the level of satisfaction with current approaches used by the government to communicate its programs and services. The results will be shared with the media concerned and departments to ensure effective communication with official language minority communities for future advertising campaigns.

PSPC will also continue to collaborate with TBS and other stakeholders on the implementation of the open information portal.

Through the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB), the department will enhance access for Canadians in support of a strong standardization to safeguard Canadian economic, health, safety, and environmental interests. CGSB will continue to expand strategic partnerships with federal government clients and other public-sector organizations to support the dissemination of common standards and verification processes.

Finally, PSPC will continue to assist TBS in its new role on government-wide coordination for greening government operations. The department will also foster its key role in lowering greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations and in helping other federal organizations to lower theirs.

The variation in planned FTEs is mainly due to growth to meet the needs of new back office services.

There is no significant variance in planned spending.

Program 1.8: Procurement Ombudsman

This program, operating at arms-length from the government, reviews procurement practices of federal departments and agencies, investigates complaints from suppliers regarding the award or administration of federal contracts, and ensures the provision of an alternative dispute resolution process for existing contracts. This program helps promote fairness, openness and transparency in the federal procurement process.

Planning highlights

The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman (OPO) will continue to promote fairness, openness and transparency in federal organizations by working with suppliers and federal departments to clarify and address procurement issues. The office's strategic objective will continue to focus on three pillars: educate, facilitate and investigate to carry out its mandate.

1. Educate is about raising awareness of and exchanging information on procurement issues
   • this allows the office to track and identify trends and developments in federal procurement, which helps the office understand the perspective of federal organizations and Canadian suppliers
   • OPO will continue to engage suppliers and federal procurement personnel to learn about procurement-related challenges and opportunities, and to inform them about OPO services
2. Facilitate is how OPO seeks to help solve issues between suppliers and federal departments by re-opening lines of communication and encouraging cooperation
   • This will include leading informal and formal facilitation activities, and continuing to play a "go between" role between suppliers and procurement officials to assist them in resolving issues
   • OPO will continue to offer suppliers and federal organizations in-house dispute resolution services relating to the interpretation and application of the terms and conditions of a contract, at no cost
3. Investigate focuses on examining and reviewing procurement issues
   • The office will continue to review supplier complaints associated with specific contracts, and review the procurement practices of federal organizations to assess their fairness, openness and transparency and make recommendations for improvement

These three pillars will continue to be the cornerstones of the office's interactions with suppliers and federal organizations.

The Procurement Ombudsman will produce an annual report to be tabled in Parliament summarizing the activities of the office.

There is no variance in planned FTEs for the coming years.

There is no variance in planned spending.

The sub-programs and sub-sub-programs which comprise the programs listed in the 2017 to 2018 Departmental Plan can be found in the supporting information on lower level programs section and in the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat InfoBase.

Internal services

Internal services (SI) are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal services refers to the activities and resources of the ten distinct service categories that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the internal services delivery model in a department.

The ten internal services categories are:

1. management and oversight services
2. communications services
3. legal services
4. human resources management services
5. financial management services
6. information management services
7. information technology services
8. real property services
9. materiel services
10. acquisition services

Planning highlights

Internal services 1: Management and oversight services

In May 2016, PSPC launched the independent review of Canada Post Corporation to ensure Canadians receive quality postal services at a reasonable price. The review is to be completed in 2017 to 2018 with the establishment of a new direction for the corporation and the government announcement of its plan on the future of postal service. The exercise is designed to allow direct engagement with Canadians. Multiple online and in person channels are used to ensure decision making is informed by Canadians' input.

PSPC will ensure Ministers' decision-making is informed by clear and comprehensive advice, including environmental, gender and official languages considerations. The department will also modernize its integrated planning, performance measurement, risk management and strategic reporting to ensure objectives are well-defined, issues are addressed and results are clear and concise for Parliamentarians and Canadians. In addition, PSPC's results and delivery unit will continue to implement the new government-wide focus on results, by effectively monitoring and reporting on progress towards the achievement of Minister's mandate commitments as well as government-wide priorities.

PSPC will continue to provide services and advice to the Minister regarding portfolio affairs, international affairs and federal-provincial-territorial affairs and continue to administer the policy on naming Government of Canada structures.

PSPC will continue to works closely with portfolio organizations and central agencies and any other implicated parties as required to ensure effective, efficient, and well-coordinated processes for corporate documents and other matters requiring the Minister's attention, action or approval.

Through the office of audit and evaluation, PSPC will contribute to the integrity and effectiveness of departmental operations by delivering independent and credible internal audits that provide reasonable assurance on the effectiveness and adequacy of risk management, controls and governance processes. Furthermore, the office of audit and evaluation will deliver neutral evaluations on the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of departmental programs, policies and priorities.

Through the security and emergency management services, PSPC will review and enhance departmental security policies, plans and operations. PSPC will align services with the TBS standard on security screening and implement new service lines and processes as required by the Standard.

Through the special investigations and internal disclosure directorate, PSPC will conduct investigations into wrongdoings and privacy breaches or fraud, reviews of complaints received from vendors and the public regarding procurement activities and will liaise between banks, police services and Canada Post regarding theft or fraud of cheques of the Receiver General for Canada.

Internal services 2: Communications services

PSPC will continue to deliver strategic, timely and professional communications services targeted toward the needs and interests of the department and supportive of the Minister's priorities as outlined in her mandate letter.

PSPC will also continue to support open and transparent communications by embracing social media vehicles for sharing information quickly, by engaging and collaborating with external audiences, and by explaining how the department's programs are producing results and benefitting Canadians and stakeholders.

Internal services 3: Legal services

PSPC will continue to provide operational and administrative support to Counsel and the Senior General Counsel.

The department will continue to provide paralegal support to Counsel and the Senior General Counsel.

Internal services 4: Human resources management services

PSPC will strengthen the department's ability to attract, develop and retain talent to meet current and future organizational needs by enhancing approaches to workforce planning and talent management. This will include the development and implementation of a strategy‎ for youth. The department will also support a culture of high performance by strengthening human resources management practices and streamlining activities. This will include the review of human resources services to modernize processes, maximizing the use of electronic tools and evaluating the Performance Management Program.

PSPC will continue to support organizational well-being through programs and tools that help to ensure the workplace is respectful, diverse and inclusive. This will involve implementing recommendations from the joint mental health task force, which include selecting champions, continuing to develop and offer workshops on mental health and establishing mental health strategies and action plans within the department. The PSPC Ombudsman for Mental Health, who began his new mandate on February 6, 2017, is reporting directly to the Deputy Minister. The Ombudsman will be an independent, confidential resource who will help employees find and participate in the many wellness programs available. He will contribute to the continual improvement of these programs, as well as to employee wellness by listening to and consulting with employees, and making recommendations for improvements. With the creation of this position, PSPC is a forerunner and is aiming to become a leader in promoting a healthy workplace that supports wellness.

Internal services 5: Financial management services

The department will continue to focus on sound stewardship and management excellence through effective resource planning and workforce management, as well as building on lessons learned and sharing of best practices from across the public service.

PSPC will continue the provision of robust and sound financial management while optimizing the use of departmental resources via initiatives such as:

• a three-year financial plan
• a timely and agile budget allocation process
• proactive management of revenues, expenditures and commitments
• leveraging technology to provide timely financial information for informed decision-making
• an integrated and departmental approach to the management of investments in PSPC's assets
• chief financial officer attestation on Cabinet submissions

Furthermore, the department will continue to focus on providing strong financial advice in the planning stages of departmental initiatives supporting its business partner relationships with government departments. This will allow for timely decisions and desired outcomes.

Additionally, the department will continue to actively identify and promote the standardization of common financial business processes in order to improve the quality of decision making information available to our clients and partners.

Internal services 6: Information management services

The Information Management Policy, which includes the Directive on Open Government and the Policy on Results, has set clear objectives and outcomes to guide departments in the delivery of services. In order to foster informed decision making, information data management and analytics are identified as core capabilities that will help deliver on priorities and commitments to Canadians. In order to meet the policy requirements, PSPC will enhance its data management and analytics capacity and focus on providing better access to data and improving usage of the data for the benefit of decision-makers.

PSPC will also establish a data governance that will support and facilitate the implementation of the department's open government implementation plan and maximize the release of information and data. This will support the Government of Canada commitment to transparency, accountability, citizen engagement, and socio-economic benefits, as defined in the Directive on Open Government.

PSPC will ensure that the department is prepared to implement the phase 1 of improvements to the access to information regime. Since the proposed changes will affect some internal administrative processes as well as expand its application to the Minister's office, PSPC will maintain regular engagement with TBS. Currently, the proposed timelines are that phase 1 would be implemented within fiscal year 2017 to 2018. In addition, the Access to Information and Privacy Directorate will develop awareness material in line with proposed amendments to the act.

Internal services 7: Information technology services

The department's focus in information technology services will be to ensure the ongoing availability and viability of existing systems. The department will enhance its capacity to support departmental and government-wide transformation initiatives to serve its clients effectively. It will provide an optimized portfolio of systems that can support the priorities established by the Government of Canada and the commitments identified in the departmental mandate.

The department will continue to engage in the project design and technology implementation of enterprise-wide end-to-end solutions that support the Government of Canada information technology modernization agenda. Leveraging the ongoing experience and lessons learned from the Phoenix pay system, PSPC will also continue with ongoing operations and will further develop:

• GCDOCS for document and records management
• Government of Canada shared case management system for case management and client relationship management
• My GCHR for personnel management

The IT agenda will also include innovation and promoting the use of new capability delivery models, such as cloud computing, that will evolve IT capabilities in a cost effective manner, while supporting an open, transparent and efficient service delivery. The department will be guided by the 2016 to 2020 Government of Canada Information Technology Strategic Plan issued by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, and will move forward with a clear focus on the importance of change management and the human element of IT services.

Internal services 8: Real property services

The department has embarked upon a national initiative called the workplace renewal initiative to develop a more dynamic, open and networked workplace, which includes renewing and consolidating office space and integrating enabling technology. This initiative, consisting of projects across the country, will result in modernized work environments that foster innovation and collaboration, support a high-performing and agile workforce and contribute to greening of government operations.

Internal services 9: Materiel services

PSPC will continue its sound stewardship of departmental materiel management functions. It will also enhance the area of asset management by updating the departmental policy on the management and reporting of capital assets, to ensure that reporting and monitoring of capital assets are aligned with Treasury Board accounting standards. Additionally, the department will be completing its Asset Management Control Framework action plan. This framework will standardize and clarify how the department manages its assets and will enable effective and efficient monitoring practices. It will be reviewed and updated as required in order to comply with departmental standards and requirements.

The department will continue to develop service standards for assets, fleet, and warehousing, more specifically, the assets disposal service standard.

The department will develop a Materiel Management Knowledge Management Strategy for its materiel functional specialists to support training and certification. In doing so, the department will enhance its capacity to deliver materiel services as well as integrate and promote TBS' specific competencies in talent management.

Internal services 10: Acquisition services

PSPC will continue to refine and streamline its procurement planning strategies and processes and ensure best practices are shared with relevant internal and external stakeholders. It will also provide leadership in procurement innovations by:

• expanding the procurement planning exercise to include planned procurements under two million dollars
• promoting acquisition card usage
• renewing procurement reporting to increase transparency and automation
• enhancing the service delivery model for procurement operations, which includes updating service standards and performance indicators, and streamlining the processes

These will enable the department to strengthen procurement oversight, accountability, and compliance practices.

The department will develop a Procurement Knowledge Development Strategy to support training and certification for procurement functional specialists. In doing so, the department will enhance its capacity to deliver acquisition services as well as integrate and promote TBS' specific competencies in talent management.

Full-time equivalents and spending variances for the program "internal services"

The variation in planned FTEs is mainly due to the need for additional resources to deliver on new service lines due to additional elements found in the TBS standard on security screening.

There is no significant variance in planned spending.

Document navigation for "2017 to 2018 Departmental Plan"

• Previous page
• Table of contents
• Next page