OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 19, 2022 /CNW/ - Federal Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic released his Annual Report for 2021-22, which was tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the Honourable Helena Jaczek on October 7, 2022.
The report summarizes the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman's activities from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, providing examples of how the office helped Canadian businesses and federal departments resolve procurement-related issues, sharing feedback received from suppliers and federal officials, and highlighting how the Ombudsman is supporting government-wide initiatives to strengthen and diversify federal procurement.
The report highlights the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman's (OPO) key role in:
- Connecting people: In 2021-22, OPO met with suppliers doing business or hoping to do business with the Government of Canada to give them information about services available to them, and met with government buyers (federal procurement officials) to advise them on how they could simplify procurement processes and improve fairness, openness and transparency.
- Resolving problems through collaboration: OPO continued to meet and collaborate with suppliers and departments to resolve procurement issues by providing formal and informal dispute resolution services, and by offering practical solutions to procurement problems identified through comprehensive procurement practice reviews.
- Sharing knowledge: In 2021-22, OPO continued to provide comprehensive analysis of recurring issues in federal procurement. OPO studied the state of Social Procurement Set-Aside Programs, in Canada and abroad, and the National Security Exception. Both reports will be published on OPO's website.
- Promoting diversity and inclusion: OPO continued to foster diversity and inclusion within federal procurement by hosting its 4th annual Diversifying the Federal Supply Chain Summit to connect underrepresented Canadian business owners with representatives from federal government programs and other organizations who can explain the federal procurement process to them and help them access opportunities.
The 2021-22 Annual Report can be found on OPO's website.
"My office regularly hears from both Canadian businesses and federal officials who believe the contracting process is unnecessarily complex. This is one of the reasons I have made simplification a priority throughout my term." – Alexander Jeglic, Procurement Ombudsman
The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman (OPO) is a neutral and independent organization of the Government of Canada that helps resolve contracting disputes between businesses and the federal government. OPO investigates complaints and provides dispute resolution services to help parties get back to business when issues arise. OPO also reviews widespread federal contracting issues and provides recommendations on how to improve them.
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SOURCE Office of the Procurement Ombudsman
Media enquiries: Amy Dubeau, Director, Communications and Corporate Management, Office of the Procurement Ombudsman, [email protected], 613-608-3487; General enquiries: 1-866-734-5169, www.opo-boa.gc.ca
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