Canadian Government Executive - Volume 24 - Issue 03

May/June 2018 // Canadian Government Executive / 25 Procurement economic objectives and community man- agement is diffuse. Unsurprisingly, most procurement modernization initiatives that are undertaken within a department have not achieved desired results, and it is unlikely that this will change under the current model. Appointment of DCPOs would facilitate resolution of this issue, and the problems inherent within, by con- solidating accountability for procurement policy and operations under one position in each organization. Similar to the defined roles of Chief Fi- nancial Officers and Chief Audit Execu- tives, a potential first step toward this mod- el would be to enshrine the requirement to identify a DCPO, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities, in the new TB Policy on Assets, Procurement and Projects. DC- POs should have a dotted line functional relationship with the Comptroller Gen- eral, be at the executive level, and have a defined competency profile. DCPOs do not need to report directly to Deputy Heads but should have unfettered access as required. DCPO positions should be created only in organizations of sufficient size (for exam- ple, annual procurement over $100M), and care should be taken to ensure that DCPOs do not have program responsibilities that conflict with their role. A council of DCPOs should be created to support shared vision, strategic direction and a whole of govern- ment approach. It is important to note that appointing DCPOs is not a panacea – tremendous dedication to enabling the modernization of the procurement function is required. Creation of the DCPO role is critical to drive achievement of the following: Standardization of Procurement Practices DCPOs would provide the required depart- mental oversight and guidance to ensure standard application of procurement pro- cesses and tools in federal organizations, resulting in decreased costs, reduced risk, and improved access for suppliers. Fur- thermore, such uniformity would lead to a greater ability to address cross-departmen- tal issues; clear accountability for collecting GC-wide business analytics; and support for the implementation of modern IT tools, such as the use of a centralized repository of supplier information. Additionally, stan- dardization could be leveraged to greatly enhance transparency, where common tools and calibrated analytics would be cat- alysts to being open-by-design. Modern Comptrollership The DCPO would serve as a focal point for issues that intersect policy (set by TBS) and operations (undertaken by PSPC and SSC, as well as line departments and agencies), linking that which is implemented with the objective of procurement efficiencies (for example, the design of pre-competed tools such as standing offers and supply arrangements) to measurement of results achieved ( i.e. proof that said standing of- fers and supply arrangement did in fact effectively support GC operations and pro- duce administrative savings). The DCPO would also facilitate GC-wide manage- ment of procurement-related risks. A GC-Wide Approach to Talent Management Provision of centralized leadership will buoy the struggling public service pro- curement community. Recruitment and retention continue to pose a challenge, re- sulting in a scarcity of resources – a situa- tion poised to be compounded by looming high numbers of eligible retirees. First, the management of the community of DCPOs would ensure that the GC identifies and develops its strategic procurement leaders. It would also ensure that each department has a leader with responsibility for manag- ing their procurement talent. This would help address the issue of a meagre sense of shared community – the result of the func- tion being fractured throughout the public service. Finally, the DCPO position would create a clear career path for procurement professionals and lend more credence to certification programs, which currently grapple with dismal enrollment rates. A Focus on Results and Innovation The creation of DCPO positions would re- move the systemic barriers that limit the procurement function’s ability to provide strategic advice, as well as safeguard the obligation to play the challenge function without fear of reprisal. Equipped with clarified expectations, roles and responsi- bilities, procurement personnel, including those in executive leadership positions, would be better situated to provide strate- gic advice based on comprehensive analy- sis, rather than limited to strictly attempt- ing to uphold rules and regulations. The Time is Now Previous attempts to transform and mod- ernize public sector procurement have not delivered the expected results. Lessons learned have identified impediments such as inadequate change management, defi- cient source of funds, lacking communica- tion plans, underestimation of scope and scale of change required, and tools being not viable for end users. However, there is one common denominator in past failed at- tempts: No one point of coordination and no one source of holistic authority, the re- sult of which is too many competing driv- ers at the wheel. Creation of DCPO posi- tions, as well as the associated governance and structure required GC-wide, will en- sure that all stakeholders are progressing toward a common goal. The need for modern comptrollership, highlighted in multiple mandate letters, notably the Minister of PSPC, as well as the President of TBS in regards tomeasurement of results, is clear. A shift in focus is evident, demonstrated by initiatives aimed at re- newal and transformation, such as the Trea- sury Board Policy Reset and the establish- ment of the new PSPC-led e-procurement tool. While this progress is encouraging, it is of critical importance to note that without designated public procurement leadership positions in the GC, these modernization ef- forts are unlikely to succeed. Comptroller General Procurement Policy Strategic Direc�on GC-wide Professionaliza�on PSPC and SSC Strategic Procurement Category Management Departmental CPOs Procurement Planning Procurement Opera�ons Figure 1