• Sylvain Cardinal, Manager, Supply, PWGSC

The October 12th 1999 Speech from the Throne set an ambitious target for the federal government of Canada as follows:

"The government will become a model user of information technology and the Internet. By 2004, our goal is to be known around the world as the government most connected to its citizens, with Canadians able to access all government information and services online at the time and place of their choosing."

From a procurement perspective, Government Online (GOL) is a challenge, given the differing states of readiness within government organizations and the government's aggressive timeline. In response to this challenge, PWGSC has put in place supply arrangements with the goal of reducing the procurement cycle for professional services contracts. Find out how this has been achieved, the lessons learned, as well as the future direction of this procurement tool.

• Marc Trepanier, Director General, Electronic Acquisition Program Sector, PWGSC

Three major initiatives featuring current status and future plans will be addressed in this session.

Government of Canada Marketplace (GoCM): IBM Canada has been awarded a contract to develop the business case, the economic model and, if approved, operate, maintain and support the GoCM. The business case will be developed in conjunction with four lead departments. Initial implementation would be with the four leads, then the GoCM would be made available to more departments and agencies.

Government Electronic Tendering Service (GETS): Mediagrif will provide the new service. Subscribers will be able to preview electronic documents online before ordering, and downloading electronic documents at no cost.

Acquisition Information Management Systems (AIMS): There is a need for improved information gathering and reporting. Improved systems will be developed collaboratively with a focus on client’s business needs.

• Grant Leslie, Director General, Government Travel Modernization Office, Shared Travel Services Initiative, TBS

What does the modernization of travel management mean for you and your department? Come to this session and find out how the Government of Canada has begun to implement the Shared Travel Services Initiative (STSI) with its new best-in-class integrated travel service called Travel AcXess Voyage. Employees will have better tools and resources to improve their travel experience. Departments can achieve savings by reducing travel costs. Learn about the new Travel AcXess Voyage features and benefits, its implementation schedule, and the role you can play to make it a success in your department.

Moderator:

• Bob Mornan, Executive Director, Chief Information Officer, TBS

Panelists:

• Robert Worthington, Robert C. Worthington and Associates Ltd.

• Paul Lalonde, SRL/LLP, Heenan Blaikie

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) is an important element of Canada's administration of the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT), the North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the World Trade Organization Agreement on Procurement (WTO-AGP). It was intended to provide an efficient predictable adjudication of disputes between the Crown and suppliers based on trade agreement rules. A decade later, what have we learned from the CITT experience? Does the Tribunal predictably reflect an impartial application of the trade agreement rules? Have there been unexpected outcomes? Hear two procurement and international trade law specialists, with very differing viewpoints, debate this question.

• Colleen Post, Principal Analyst, Risk Management Directorate, TBS

• Micheline Brunette, Senior Analyst, Risk Management Directorate, TBS

This session will walk participants through the recently upgraded Core Competency Profile Assessment Tool, a critical first step in participating in the Professional Development and Certification Program. The Assessment Tool will allow you and/or your manager to generate a competency profile for your responsibilities and identify knowledge and skills gaps in areas you will need to develop through the Learning Solutions offered through the Program Curriculum. You will also learn how to use the Standard for Competencies, another tool that will help you in making your move towards your Certification.

• Michel Sicard, Deputy Director, Contracting Services, DFAIT

In keeping in line with modern comptrollership, reduce risks and to facilitate the contracting processes within a highly decentralized procurement environment, DFAIT developed a very sophisticated intranet web site. During this presentation, we will navigate you through the site which hosts more than 40 documents specifically aimed at "Contracting for Services". The contents of the site enables delegated officials with contracting authority to conduct procurement and contracting processes efficiently. We will also look at an innovative automated program, designed to facilitate the complex issues of intellectual property.

• Wayne Chorney, Director, Procurement and Contracting, Materiel Management Division, Health Canada

• Scott Kelland, Managing Director, SKG Consulting

The 2004 Budget announced Proactive Disclosure of Contracts over $10K, which requires the public disclosure of all contracts entered into by the Government of Canada over $10,000, with only very limited exceptions. This session will highlight key elements of the Proactive Disclosure of Contracts over $10K initiative and the progress on this important initiative.

• Paul Nichols, Senior Manager, NRCan

How can fleet managers better illustrate federal government leadership in the realm of greenhouse gas reduction? Can one reconcile the apparent contradictions between cost effectiveness, energy efficiency, and low emissions? Do alternative-fuel vehicles have a future or will hybrids make them redundant? NRCan's Federal Vehicles Initiative offers a range of programs and incentives that can help federal fleet managers address these questions.

• Jane Cochran, Executive Director, Procurement and Project Management Policy, TBS

Treasury Board policies, including the Procurement and Project Management suite is under review. It will be migrating towards a results and complexity-based framework designed to ensure coherent direction, relevance, linkage to priorities and results, based on due consideration of risk. It will be strongly linked to the Management Accountability Framework announced in June 2003. As highlighted at the May 2003 Materiel Management National Workshop, some policies are being consolidated, others redefined and some will be eliminated. Hear about the status of this migration and how these changes will affect your work as procurement practitioners.

Moderator:

• Gary Jeddrie, Senior Departmental Assets Manager, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Panelists:

• Representatives from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and TBS

Since the opening balances for accrual accounting were established in 2001 for assets and 2002 for inventory, there have been a number of audits performed on departments, especially those that are asset and inventory intensive. The panel representing various departments will talk about how they are meeting the policy requirements of FIS related audits. Participants are encouraged to discuss their own remedies as a form of best practices in the management of assets and inventory through policies. Some of the issues identified are the “thresholds” for capital assets vs the recording of custodial assets, the threshold for inventory from a materiality aspect, and disposition of revenues from surplus crown assets (gains/losses recorded against surplus capital assets).

• Anita Lloyd, Director, Access to Information and Privacy, PWGSC

As the work of public servants is scrutinized by the public, businesses, political parties and the media in relation to the values of openess and fairness in government decision-making, it is becoming increasingly important to both understand the Access to Information Act and provide timely responses to information requests. This presentation will address these issues, outlining "best practices" for the procurement community, with a view to reducing the ATI workload on the department.

• Mariette Plante, Senior Policy Analyst, TBS

The government delivers programs and services to Canadians through a variety of contractual arrangements. Procurement contracts are one type of contract. Other types, for example, are grants and contributions. This session will help you understand various contractual instruments so that you can advise clients in making the best instrument choice to support program delivery.

• Representative from the Public Services Human Resources Management Agency of Canada

Effective management of human resources is a vital component to the success of any organization. This session will present highlights of the steps taken to modernize human resource management in the federal public service.

• Romeo Poirier, Chief, Corporate Materiel Management Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

• Jim Alexander, Executive Director, IT/IM Stewardship, TBS

• IMTS representative, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

This session looks into the management of specific asset categories to affect better life cycle management of the assets acquired and used by federal departments. CoE’s are being developed in departments to ensure that the planning, procurement, in-use and disposal stages of LCMM are addressed for specific classes of assets such as informatics, vehicles and other commodities. Departments hope to realize cost savings through establishment of specifications, special procurement arrangements, servicing and timely investment recovery.

• Angelina Chrestenson, CPP/EI Coverage, CCRA

There are many grey areas in employer/employee relationships. This session will shed some light and simply explore the definitions of an employee versus a contractor and which is which. Issues such as control, ownership of tools and equipment, chance for profit/loss, integration, substance vs. form, terms and conditions, rulings, temporary help and other special cases will also be discussed.

• Paul Lalonde, SRL/LLP, Heenan Blaikie

Paul will provide an overview of the procurement provisions of the trade agreements to which Canada and the provinces are party and the manner in which they have been implemented into Canadian law. He will focus specifically on the procurement review function of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, providing an overview of the Tribunal's jurisdiction, powers and procedures. Paul will review key Tribunal and Court decisions and highlight particularly contentious areas. He will provide some practical insights for purchasers on learned, understanding and managing the legal risks associated with the Tribunal. Finally, he will discuss some of the fundamental policy issues surrounding the Tribunal's procurement review mandate and will mention some of the highlights of a debate that will take a retrospective look at the CITT's procurement review function. The debate will take place between Paul and Robert C. Worthington at the Workshop on May 18, 2004 at 11:00.

A joint undertaking of the Materiel Management Institute (MMI) and the Data Processing Institute (DPI), this session brings together representatives from both the Procurement and Information Technology communities of government to discuss the current challenges, opportunities and best practices related to this rapidly evolving field. Using a format that includes both a panel discussion as well as direct audience participation, delegates will acquire valuable insights and key lessons learned from some of the leading specialists in this field.

• Bob Berniquez, Director, Financial Operations Policy, TBS

The presentation on the government acquisition card program will provide participants with information on the current card program implemented, and the benefits of such a program for the Government of Canada. The presentation will also provide details concerning the current trends in the use of acquisition cards by federal government organizations, the growth potential of the program, and address the current initiatives underway or anticipated to maximize the benefits associated with the use of acquisition cards within our environment.

• Honourable Walt Lastewka, PC, MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada

Mr. Lastewka provided an overview of the review of government procurement in his Opening Address. Participants in this concurrent session will be able to delve deeper into the preliminary results of the Parliamentary Committee’s findings in open dialogue with Mr. Lastewka.

• Douglas Lloyd, Senior Director, Strategic Infrastructure Services, PWGSC

This session will review the status of the federal government Secure Channel and Government Online initiatives. The -presentation will explain where these -programs have been, where they are going and how the Secure Channel affects you -as a Canadian citizen and as a materiel manager.