4.0 Recommendations and management action plan

1.

The Deputy Minister should clarify all ADMs’ accountabilities related to TC space management with a view to reducing TC and PWGSC expenditures for unneeded space.  A lead ADM (the ADM Corporate Services) should be charged with bringing departmental space usage information to senior management committee with some regularity for the committee’s review and discussion.  

With a view to minimizing unnecessary PWGSC and TC expenditures for TC accommodation:

• The accountability of all DM direct reports (in NHQ and regions) for effective space management will be very clearly set out at an upcoming Executive Committee meeting.  The ADM, Corporate Services, will be made accountable for bringing reports to senior management committee, at least semi-annually, on departmental space utilization (NHQ and regions) to facilitate senior management committee decision-making related to accommodation requirements.

Summer 2013

2.

The ADM Corporate Services should ensure there are clear objectives for the Facility Management Organization and there is an effective, TB policy compliant, framework of policies/programs/controls for each of its three units: Planning and Design, Building and Emergency Services (including warehouse security and inventory management), and Accommodation.  FMO objectives should be regularly updated through a formal planning exercise.

The Facility Management Organization (FMO) will develop an overall management framework for facility management function which will establish clear objectives and key controls for the three areas:  Planning and Design, Building and Emergency Services (including warehouse security and inventory management) and Accommodation.  Other government departments will be consulted to leverage existing best practices in facility management procedures and controls.  In the context of a re-designed  FMO organization (organization change proposal in progress), this objective will be addressed in a step-by-step process:

1. Clarify roles and responsibilities in each of the three business units;
2. Develop processes and procedures associated with the functions (including necessary controls); and
3. Develop an accommodation plan to be reviewed quarterly at Place de Ville Steering Committee (for NCR) and regional committees (for regional plans).  Quarterly reviews will provide oversight of costs, budgets and scope of the activities.

March 2014

3.

The ADM Corporate Services should ensure that the Materiel, Contracting, Security and Facility Management Branch has the policies, practices and processes to ensure that Facility Management Organization contracts, contract management, and security arrangements are TB policy compliant. 

Upon review of the draft audit findings, immediate action was taken to address observed weaknesses in contract management.  The Chief of Accommodations and the Manager, Building and Emergency Services completed the in-house “Contracting for Managers / Project Authorities” course.

With actions completed for Recommendation #2, policies, practices and processes will be reviewed and up-dated as necessary to ensure that the Materiel, Contracting, Security and Facility Management Branch has the means to ensure contracts, contract management and security arrangements have the appropriate controls in place, reflect best practices and are TB policy compliant.

May 2013

On-going

4.

Where PWGSC has supply arrangements for services that TC needs, the ADM Corporate Services should ensure that these supply arrangements are used by the Facility Management Organization.  Any exception should be approved, in advance, by the Department’s senior management committee.   

FMO will use PWGSC supply arrangements for those services to be provided from external sources unless the department’s Senior Procurement Review Committee (SPRC) has specifically approved an exception. 
In considering exceptions, SPRC will review the rationale, risks, costs and benefits of not using PWGSC supply arrangements, including value for money.
 As with all contract proposals under the mandate of the SPRC, any exception request will be made in writing to SPRC, and the rationale for both the proposal and SPRC’s decision will be recorded in SPRC meeting notes.

On-going

5.

With respect to record-keeping, the ADM Corporate Services should ensure there is a sound understanding in both the Contracting and the Material Management branch and the Facility Management areas of Corporate Services of procurement-related record-keeping responsibilities of departments and the two functions fulfil these responsibilities from this time forward.

Training will be provided to contracting officers and FMO managers on the requirements for record-keeping. 

December 2013