ARCHIVED - Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Points to Address

Department's Input

1.  Role played by procurement and contracting in delivering programs

Procurement and contracting play a fundamental role in support of program delivery. The department obtains highly specialized research and analytical advice through procurement, while contracting enables the department to effectively achieve its operational requirements. Its open, fair and transparent contracting processes for both goods and services support Canadian economic growth.

2.  Overview of how the department manages its contracting function

In line with the government’s reform of its contracting and procurement practices, and in order to support the development of professionals in this field, DFAIT has streamlined and strengthened its contracting function from a highly decentralized framework. Specific contracting authorities are delegated to procurement specialists, a Departmental Contracting Review Board of senior managers acts as an approval board as well as strategic investors, and the department has introduced a more rigorous monitoring and reporting capacity. This reflects the department’s objective for the procurement community: to assist managers in delivering high-quality services and programs to Canadians.

The department awards 27,181 contracts, valued at approximately $242,864,625.

3.  Progress and new initiatives enabling effective and efficient procurement practices

The department has developed an intranet site that provides procurement operational policies and numerous tools. One of these tools is a template for Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for different types of professional service contracts. The site also provides information on established procurement instruments, such as standing offers, and outlines supply arrangements that are useful with regard to many types of services purchased by the department. The tools allow program managers to focus their efforts on the Statement of Work, the technical evaluations of bids and the performance of the contractor.

Key Accomplishments:
The new contracting framework provides greater transparency of the contracting process and greater capacity for strategic procurement. It further strengthens the planning context of program delivery and results in the delivery of optimal procurement solutions and tools, increasing administrative efficiencies and economic performance.

In support of this new framework, the department implemented a renewed training program for senior managers, as well as for delegated financial advisers, on their respective responsibilities.