procurement
Where Should We Go and How Do We Get There ?
Part 2
A vision for the Procurement Group in the Government of Canada
By Jessica Sultan
This three-part series explores the challenges and opportunities for the procurement group within the Government of Canada . Part 1 introduced the department and outlined its current challenges and was published in the Quarter 3 2016 issue of Supply Chain Canada . Part 2 begins to explain how the group will move toward its vision of the future , and Part 3 will outline work that ’ s already happening .
This series was inspired by the reflection exercise portion of the federal government Comptrollership Leadership Development Pilot Program , which ran from December 2015 to March 2016 . The program was developed in partnership with the Telfer School of Management , University of Ottawa and the Office of the Comptroller General , Government of Canada to promote greater horizontal collaboration and to sharpen business acumen of our next generation of leaders , and further develop leadership competencies through self-reflection and interactions with senior officials . a-image / Shutterstock . com
STARTING AT THE TOP TO MOVE TOWARD THIS VISION
Establishing a functional authority in each department would demonstrate leadership and provide direction for the purchasing and supply ( PG ) community . This position should be equivalent to a departmental security officer ( DSO ), a role that holds so much importance and gravity within an organization that it sometimes reports directly to the Deputy Minister . Two critical roles for this functional authority could be suggested . First , they should review current policies and procedures and certify annually that appropriate controls and governance structures exist in their organization . This would ensure sound stewardship and lend credence to the professionalism of the functional group . Second , they should review and approve all procurement strategies within the organization . This would
SUPPLY CHAIN CANADA • QUARTER 4 2016 • 27