Government Temporary Help Services Advisory Committee Meetings
Meeting Minutes Report–November 26, 2012
Meeting Minutes Report–November 26, 2012 - PDF Version (147Kb)
- Place
- Place du Portage, Phase III, Tower C, Boardroom 12C1-101A
- Date
- 26 November 2012
- Time
- 13:00 to 16:00
Meeting Agenda
Welcome note
Review of Meeting Agenda:
- Opening Remarks: Introductions
- Update on the Code of Conduct
- Overview of the THS Renewal as of July 2012
- Quarterly Refresh Schedule
- Status and Next Steps
- Overview of the Learning Harmonization Module (Current and Future Development)
- Composition of the THS Advisory Committee Membership
- THS–Feedback Session
- What works well & what could be improved
- Next Steps: An Industry Consultation for a National Strategy for THS
- Round-table - Questions
- Next Meeting
Meeting Attendees Present
- Vincent Robitaille (Chair), Senior Director–Professional Services Procurement Directorate (PSPD), Acquisitions Branch (AB), PSPC–Chairperson
- Isabelle Copeland, Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services (ACSESS)
- Jeremy Ingle, ACSESS
- Martin Chenier, ACSESS
- Dan Moorcroft, QMR Consulting & Professional Staffing
- Paul Gagnon, Portage Personnel
- Jessica Sultan, Department of National Defense (DND)
- Julie Chartrand, Library and Archives Canada (LAC)
- Brenda Harlow, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
- Roland Dimitriu, PSPC Materiel Management
- Brett Hughes, PSPC, Office of Small and Medium Enterprises and Strategic Engagement
- Helen Seto, PSPC, Office of Small and Medium Enterprises and Strategic Engagement
- Julie Tan, PSPC, Office of Small and Medium Enterprises and Strategic Engagement
- Rose Spirito, PSPC, Procurement Strategies Division
- Lan Mao, PSPC, THS A/Team Lead
- Eric Labelle, PSPC, THS Team
- Stephanie Riley, PSPC, THS Team
Meeting Minutes
1. Opening Remarks/Welcome note
- Vincent Robitaille, the chairperson for this meeting, welcomed all those in attendance.
- Members of the committee introduced themselves.
- An attendance sheet was circulated.
- Review of Agenda
- Opening Remarks: Introductions
- Update on the Code of Conduct
- Overview of the THS Renewal as of July 2012
- Quarterly Refresh Schedule
- Status and Next Steps
- Overview of the Learning Harmonization Module (Current and Future Development)
- Composition of the THS Advisory Committee Membership
- THS–Feedback Session
- What works well & what could be improved
- Next Steps: An Industry Consultation for a National Strategy for THS
- Round-table - Questions
- Next Meeting
Introduction
Announcement of Staff Changes
Rose Spirito has been appointed Manager of the Procurement Strategies Division–ZN in August 27, 2012. She is replacing Rita Brown.
2. Update on the Code of Conduct (November 2012)
Participation in programs such as the Competition Bureau's Leniency Program will no longer provide an exemption to the integrity provisions.
Exceptional measures will apply for reasons which includes but are not limited to the following:
- Only one person is capable of performing the contract;
- Emergency;
- National security;
- Health and safety;
- Economic harm.
3. Overview of the Temporary Help Services Renewal Process
As of July 2012
143 Standing Offers (SO) and 150 Supply Arrangement (SA) were awarded. The expiry date for the SO and the SA is July 8, 2015.
Quarterly Refresh Schedule
- Suppliers Evaluations are still ongoing.
- Status on the THS Quarterly Refresh: the 1st Quarter closed on September 28, 2012 and the 2nd Quarter will be closing on January 3, 2013 (the closing date has been revised from December 31, 2012).
Status and Next Steps
- PSPC plans to conduct a client assessment of the usage of the Standing Offer Directed Method between the 3rd and the 4th Quarterly Report period.
- The Quarterly Usage Report Template will be revised for the 3rd Quarter or the 4th Quarter. This initiative is part of the harmonization process which targets other methods of supply.
Action Item:
- The new Quarterly Usage Report Template will be circulated to committee members to gather feedback
- Provisions of the new THS Ongoing Opportunity for Qualification-Failure to Qualify conditions will also be circulated to committee members.
4. Overview of the Learning Harmonization Module
The Temporary Help Services (THS) Team provided onsite refresh awareness training to existing users of the following departments:
- PSPC
- DFAIT
- Transport Canada
- Correctional Services Canada
- Environment Canada
- Aboriginal Affairs Northern Development Canada
- NRCan
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
- DND
- Treasury Board
- Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC)
- Industry Canada
Training dedicated to New Users is being provided once a month every month.
THS is also planning the development of a new web-based training tool. This initiative is part of the harmonization process which targets other methods of supply. A quick overview of the current layout was reviewed. THS will be working to leverage these modules and adding specific requirements for THS. A draft of this will be shared with the Committee in January 2013.
5. Composition of the Temporary Help Services Advisory Committee Membership
PSPC proposed to current members, a methodology for the composition of the THS Advisory Committee. The proposal was well received by all members in attendance. The members would take this back for discussion.
Action Item:
The committee members agreed to review the proposal and provide comments and recommendations to PSPC for review at a follow-on THSAC meeting.
6 & 7 THS–Feedback Session
- Industry expressed the interest to have more frequent meetings;
- The cost impact on suppliers as a result of the updated code of conduct associated with preparing proposals and their impact on suppliers;
- The increasing complexity with the bidding process;
- The possibility to change the quarterly usage report: using the number of transactions instead of the dollar value;
- Vendor performance, non-performance is costly to the industry (more discussion required); and
- The need to further discuss the issues and concerns from both industry and clients with the Replacement of Resource Personnel.
- PSPC announced that there would be an industry consultation in regards to the new National Procurement Strategy for THS. The date is to be determined (TBD).
Isabelle Copeland (ACSESS) announced that she will be retiring effective December 14, 2012 to undertake on new challenges. As a contributing member to ACSESS, the THS industry and THSAC to date, Vincent Robitaille along with Martin Chenier on behalf of all THSAC members extended best wishes to Isabelle as she embarks in all her future endeavours. Paul Harrington will be attending as her replace at the next THSAC meeting.
8. Next meeting–Proposed schedule for next year
Next THS Advisory Committee Meeting tentatively scheduled for January 2013.
- Next Meeting
- Monday, January 28, 2013
- Time
- 13:00 to 13:30
- Registration with Commissionaire
- 13:00 to 13:30 hours
- Meeting
- 13:30 to 16:00 Meeting timeslot
- Location
- Place du Portage, Phase III, Tower C, Boardroom 12C1 101A
- Proposed schedule for next year
- Target every two month, last Monday of the month (to be discussed)
Meeting adjourned at 15:50
- Date modified: