OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 27, 2020 /CNW/ – Today, federal Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic published his 2019-2020 Annual Report, which was tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement on October 19, 2020. The report provides an overview of the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman’s activities from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020.
The Procurement Ombudsman reiterates the need to simplify the overly burdensome federal procurement process in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlights the importance of government transparency and due diligence during this challenging time.
The Annual Report provides a look at the activities undertaken by the Office to strengthen the federal procurement community and engage with suppliers, including underrepresented Canadian business owners, to diversify the federal supply chain.
Quote – “We need to continue to engage with Canadians and increase the diversity of bidders on government contracts to ensure that a broad array of voices are heard, from every region of the country.” – Alexander Jeglic, Procurement Ombudsman
The report also presents the Top 10 federal procurement-related issues from complaints and stakeholder feedback received by the Office, including unfair or biased bid evaluations, overly restrictive criteria and the perennial late payment.
Quote – “In examining those issues, we can determine if a systemic problem exists, and how we can develop practical solutions to overcome it,” stated the Procurement Ombudsman.
Background Information
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
For further information: Media enquiries: Anik Trépanier, Director, Communications and Corporate Management, Office of the Procurement Ombudsman, [email protected] | 613-355-3169
