Canadian Government Executive - Volume 22

/ Canadian Government Executive

// May 2016

Rebuilding and Recruiting

for Success

After several years of high employee

turnover, the CBSA PG group had to be

rebuilt. Recognizing the increased de-

mand for strategic services and the grow-

ing complexity of requirements within

the PG function, the CBSA contracting

group increased by 15 full-time employ-

ees (FTEs), with fewer PG01 and 02 posi-

tions, and more PG03s, 04s, 05s, and 06s.

This reconfigured resource mix reflects a

shift in demand from repetitive, low-dol-

lar value contracts to more complex, var-

ied procurement requirements, as well as

the increasingly common need for PGs to

partner effectively with clients and plan

strategically.

The SPCOD reengineered staffing pro-

cesses to create open pools, available for

use by all federal departments, using ge-

neric PG work descriptions. The idea is

to “practice what we preach,” looking at

staffing as a universal requirement shared

by all departments. Interview panels in-

cluded participants from a variety of or-

ganizations, in an effort to ensure that the

qualifying candidates are desirable to the

procurement community as a whole, as

well as to encourage collaboration among

departments. The SPCOD has created a

new staffing model that could be applied

in other departments who are facing the

he procurement group within

the Government of Canada is

undergoing a period of rapid

transformation. Effectively man-

aging these changes will require a shift in

mindset: a move away from working in

“silos,” focusing on the challenges in only

our own organizations, and toward adopt-

ing a broader vision of community. The

procurement community across the pub-

lic service must share people, effort, and

knowledge. The role of a Purchasing and

Supply (PG) employee is also transform-

ing, with a move away from routine con-

tracting to more strategic procurement.

To meet these changing demands, the old

ways of doing things must be shed so as

to further an agenda of innovation and

transformation. The procurement group

at the Canada Border Services Agency

(CBSA) has undertaken significant steps

to enable this new vision for success.

The CBSA’s Strategic Procurement

and Contracting Operations Division

(SPCOD) has undergone twelve months

of substantial transformation. Recogniz-

ing the broad changes occurring within

the PG function, the group has begun to

implement a variety of efforts to address

the associated risks, both short and long-

term. The goal is to become a workplace

of choice while rebuilding the PG commu-

nity within the CBSA.

same shortage of resources: the efficien-

cies that would be realized from such a

shared vision are considerable.

CSBA has also increased student recruit-

ment, with three CO-OP and two FSWEP

positions staffed on an ongoing basis. New

outreach initiatives, including visiting

post-secondary institution career fairs and

participation in Spotlight on Procurement

Career Opportunities in Ottawa, a special

edition in a local university publication,

are two examples of creative outreach.

The SPCOD is currently writing a strate-

gic procurement case study that will be

included in a course in the Supply Chain

Management program at Algonquin Col-

lege in Ottawa.

Investing in People

The SPCOD is investing in its people

through a commitment to continued learn-

ing. Formalized in-class training is encour-

aged, as is on-the-job-learning, and options

such as keeping current on recent Canadi-

an International Trade Tribunal cases and

decisions. The CBSA has also purchased an

annual membership for the Contracting

team with the Canadian Public Procure-

ment Council (CPPC), an organization de-

signed to be a source of knowledge and in-

formation for contracting personnel. Team

members are encouraged to avail them-

selves of the knowledge and current event

information available on the CPPC website.

The Canadian Institute for Procurement

and Material Management (CIPMM) Na-

tional Workshop provides a unique op-

portunity for contracting and procurement

specialists to network with colleagues

across government and take advantage of

learning opportunities that explore cur-

rent initiatives, policies, and best practices.

The SPCOD has played an important role

in organizing this year’s event. Members of

the team from both headquarters and the

regions are attending, as well as presenting

on a variety of topics.

The SPCOD has begun to implement

professional development opportunities

in the form of mini-assignments within

the division. For example, contracting of-

ficers have opportunities to work with the

Quality Assurance (QA) section to develop

their QA skills. A mentoring program has

begun with the goal of sharing knowledge

between senior and junior officers and

building cohesive relationships among

Culture

CBSA’s Experience

Reinventing

the Procurement

Function:

Jessica

Sultan