MONTREAL, Oct. 9, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The solutions that the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec has recommended to the Commission of Inquiry on the Awarding and Management of Public Contracts in the Construction Industry (CEIC) run along two general lines: modernize Québec's professional system and review the process of awarding and managing contracts.
Amend the legislation respecting the professions
The OIQ believes that changes need to be made to the professional system. The OIQ specifically recommends subjecting companies that provide professional engineering services to the requirement of holding legal authorization from the OIQ and to the professional inspection and disciplinary processes that apply to individuals. Contrary to all of its Canadian counterparts, the OIQ currently has no control over these companies, which nevertheless have a major impact on the ethical conduct of the professionals employed by them.
The OIQ has also submitted recommendations aimed at encouraging and protecting whistleblowers and making it easier for the OIQ and the various bodies in charge of administering legislation (UPAC, Inspector General of Montreal, other professional orders, etc.) to share information. Another OIQ recommendation is to revise the funding formula for the disciplinary justice system by increasing the penalties set out in the Professional Code.
Improve the contract award and management process
Several of the OIQ's recommendations are meant to improve the process of awarding and managing contracts for professional engineering services. The OIQ specifically suggests that responsibility for the public contract award process be given to a single body separate from the one requiring the service or good. This would limit contact between co-contractors and decrease opportunities for misconduct as a result. Furthermore, bids should be evaluated according to carefully chosen criteria that are based on the type of structure to be designed and the project owner's specific needs.
After his testimony before the commission, Louis Tremblay, Eng., the Director of Professional Affairs at the OIQ, stated: "The OIQ intends to fulfill its mission of protecting the public. That is why we have implemented several concrete actions to prevent the current situation from recurring. We are determined to continue these efforts."
The full version of the brief is available on the OIQ's Web site.
About the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec
Founded in 1920, the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec has a membership of approximately 60,000 engineering professionals in all fields, except forest engineering. The mission of the OIQ is to ensure the protection of the public by supervising the practice of the profession within the framework of its constituent laws and ensure that the profession serves the public interest. For more information, go to http://www.oiq.qc.ca.
SOURCE: Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec
Source: Aline Vandermeer, Communications and Public Affairs Department, Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, Tel.: 514 845-6141 or 1 800 461-6141, extension 3253
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