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Table 13: Response to Parliamentary Committees and External Audits


Response to Parliamentary Committees
Standing Committee on Public Accounts
2007 May Report
Chapter 5- Relocation Members of the Canadian Forces, RCMP, and Federal Public Service of the November 2006 Report on the Auditor General of Canada
This report focused on the tendering progress of the Integrated Relocation Program (IRP).
Recommendation That the contracts for the Canadian Forces, and for RCMP/Federal Public Service relocation services be re-tendered for commencement in November 2009, and that the current contracts not be extended.
Government Response The Government accepts this recommendation. 
Recommendation 2- That Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), the Department of National Defence (DND), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) develop detailed action plans for the implementation of each of the recommendations in Chapter 5 of the Auditor General’s Report of November 2006 that apply to them. Copies of these plans must be submitted to the Committee no later than 30 September 2007.
Government
Response
The Government accepts this recommendation and the consolidated action plan is attached as an Annex to this Response.  The action plan indicates the progress to date in fully implementing all of the recommendations contained in Chapter 5 of the November 2006 Auditor General’s Report.
Recommendation 3- That PWGSC, TBS, DND and RCMP report their progress in achieving commitments made in response to recommendations made by the Auditor General that apply to them to the Public Accounts Committee no later than 30 September 2007.
Government Response The Government accepts this recommendation and had prepared an action plan which indicates the progress to date in fully implementing all of the recommendations contained in Chapter 5 of the November 2006 Auditor General’s Report.
Recommendation 4- That the recommendations made by the Auditor General and accepted by the departments be fully implemented prior to the initiation of a new tendering process for the Integrated Relocation- Program.
Government Response The Government accepts this recommendation, and as indicated in the attached Action Plan, the ten recommendations contained within Chapter 5 of the Auditor General’s Report have been addressed and will be fully implemented prior to the initiation of the new tendering process.
Recommendation 5- That the Department of National Defence, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Treasury Board Secretariat include, in their annual Departmental Performance Reports, references to the Integrated Relocation-Program as it relates to their employees.  Information on the numbers of employees using the Program, the costs, and the extent to which the purposes of the Program are being achieved must be included.  This performance information must be included in DPRs beginning with Reports for the period ending 31 March 2008.
Government Response The Government accepts this recommendation.
Recommendation 6- That PWGSC use information generated by monitoring the performance of the Integrated Relocation Program in the development of the next Request for Proposals issued for the Program’s contracts.
Government Response The Government accepts this recommendation.
Recommendation 7- That PWGSC works closely with TBS and its client departments to develop a certification process designed to ensure the accuracy of data provided for inclusion in the Requests for Proposals and ensure that such a process is in place prior to the tendering of the next contracts for the Integrated Relocation Programs.
Government Response The Government accepts this recommendation.
Recommendation 8- That DND and the Canadian Forces (CF) establish a target date of no later than 30 September 2007 for the completion of the review of relocation files and for full compensation for all CF members who have been inappropriately charged for property management services. That the Government of Canada take steps to full recover funds from Royal LePage Relocation Services (RLRS) and that PWGSC report progress in this effort in its departmental performance report.
Government Response The Government accepts this recommendation and a review of all property management transactions since November 2004 has been completed. These transactions occurred under the current contract. The review found that 16 members were charged a rate in excess of the ceiling rate for this service. These members have been fully reimbursed by RLRS. A review of all property management transactions under the previous contract has also been completed. The results of this review need to be discussed with various stakeholders before follow-up action is taken. The work will be substantially completed by September 2007.
Recommendation 9- That Treasury Board Secretariat provide the Standing Committee on Public Accounts with a full explanation for the failure to provide the Auditor General and her Office with information on the logic model used to generate estimated business volumes for property management services during the audit of the Integrated Relocations Program.  This explanation must be given to the Committee no later than 30 September 2007.
Government Response TBS has reviewed all documentation and minutes in the sharing of the information with the Office of the Auditor General. The documentation on file indicates that the Office of the Auditor General was informed at all times that the numbers used for the section on Property Management Services of the Request For Proposal were constructed in the absence of complete or relevant data and were based on a number of assumptions (logic) made by the interdepartmental group. The assumptions made by the interdepartmental group were based on the knowledge and data available during the development of the RFP.  The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat also confirms that the numbers used in the Request for Proposal were not actual business volumes but rather estimates for the sole purpose of bid evaluation.
For more information of this report, the recommendations and the government’s response, please see:
http://cmte.parl.gc.ca/cmte/CommitteePublication.aspx?COM=10466&Lang=1&SourceId=211193
http://cmte.parl.gc.ca/cmte/CommitteePublication.aspx?COM=10466&Lang=1&SourceId=214863

 


Responses to the Auditor General and the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
Auditor General
2007 May Report
Chapter 1—Use of Acquisition and Travel Cards
The objective of the audit was to determine whether the government has an appropriate management control framework over the use of acquisition and designated travel cards and if the government knows whether it is achieving the intended benefits from these programs.
Recommendation 1.25 Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) should provide departments and agencies with operational guidelines pertaining to the provisions of the contract with the travel card service provider, including guidelines pertaining to the responsibility of the government for unpaid travel card balances.
1.67 Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and PWGSC should monitor developments regarding the evolving practices of acquisition and travel card programs to identify the benefits versus the incremental costs.
1.76 TBS and PWGSC should establish a forum for sharing best practices for acquisition cards across government.
Departmental Response http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_200705_01_e_17476.html
Auditor General
2007 October Report
Chapter 1- Safeguarding Government Information and Assets in Contracting
The audit focused on how PWGSC delivers its Industrial Security Program and how it carries out its role as the lead contracting authority for the government.
Recommendations 1.51 PWGSC should ensure that before it awards a contract, it has received from the client department a completed Security Requirements Checklist identifying the necessary security requirements, or a certification that there are none.
1.52 PWGSC should ensure that it completes the development and approval of standard operating procedures for the Industrial Security Program and that they are consistently followed.
1.59 PWGSC should ensure that the Industrial Security Program has adequate resources to meet its program objectives.
1.60 PWGSC should ensure that its secure information technology environment for the operations of the Industrial Security Program is certified, as mandated by the Government Security Policy. It should also review its departmental business continuity plan to determine whether it makes adequate provisions for the Industrial Security Program.
Departmental Response http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/aud_ch_oag_2007_1_e_23825.html
Auditor General
2007 October Report
Chapter 3—Inuvialuit Final Agreement
The audit examined the federal government's implementation of its obligations in relation to the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. Specifically, federal government activities designed to meet a select number of specific federal obligations were examined. The audit included the Parks Canada Agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, and PWGSC, each of whom have responsibilities with respect to specific obligations under the Agreement.
Recommendations 3.46 In consultation with TBS, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, PWGSC, the Parks Canada Agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Environment Canada should develop and/or enhance systems and procedures to enable them to monitor their compliance with the Inuvialuit Final Agreement's contracting provisions.
Departmental Response http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/aud_ch_oag_2007_3_e_23827.html
CESD
2007 October Report
Chapter 1—Sustainable Development Strategies
The CESD set out to determine whether Environment Canada and the Privy Council Office made satisfactory progress implementing key recommendations for improvement from previous reports; whether selected departments and agencies implemented specific commitments from their 2004–2006 sustainable development strategies; and whether the 2007–2009 strategies of selected departments represent substantive plans for helping them progress toward sustainable development.
Recommendation No recommendation directed at Public Works and Government Services Canada.
CESD
2008 March Report
Chapter 9—Management Tools and Government Commitments—Strategic Environmental Assessment
The objective of the audit was to determine whether selected departments and agencies have made satisfactory progress in addressing selected recommendations, observations, and commitments made to implement the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals.
Recommendation No recommendation directed at PWGSC.
CESD
2008 March Report
Chapter 10—Management Tools and Government Commitments—Greening of Government Operations
The overall objective was to assess the progress made by selected departments in responding to the underlying issues derived from certain recommendations, observations, and commitments made in prior years with respect to certain aspects of greening government operations.
Recommendations 10.51 PWGSC, in consultation with TBS, Environment Canada, and other departments and agencies as appropriate, should revisit the authorities, roles, responsibilities, and capacities for greening government operations, with a view to clarifying the leadership and responsibility for:
  1. the provision of central direction and guidance on greening government operations for sustainable development strategies;
  2. the establishment of meaningful and aggressive government-wide targets for greening government operations; and
  3. the development of a government-wide strategy for monitoring and reporting on greening government operations.

10.69 PWGSC should develop the integrated comprehensive commodity management plans required by the Commodity Management Framework to ensure that it maximizes its greening efforts while respecting other government priorities for procurement.

Departmental Response http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/aud_ch_cesd_200803_10_e_30136.html - ch10hd3e
Response to the Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC)
Public Service Commission of Canada
2007 October Report
Audit of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Secretariat – Canadian Section
The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the NAFTA Secretariat – Canadian Section, has an appropriate framework, systems and practices for managing staffing activities; and the Secretariat's staffing transactions comply with the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), relevant policies, and the delegation instrument signed with the Public Service Commission (PSC). Audit activities consisted of interviews with human resources specialists from Shared Human Resources Services of PWGSC, PSC representatives, and Secretariat managers responsible for staffing.
Recommendation No recommendation directed at PWGSC.
Response to the Commissioner of Official Languages
Commissioner of Official Languages
2007-2008 Annual Report to Parliament

 

Each year, the Commissioner takes a close look at the performance of federal institutions in their implementing of the Official Languages Act.  The Commissioner analyzes their performance in terms of the various parts of the Act, paying special attention to Part IV (Communications with and Services to the Public), Part V (Language of Work) and Part VII (Advancement of English and French).
Recommendation No recommendations were directed specifically at PWGSC.