Management Response and Action Plan - Audit of Shared Accountability in Interdepartmental Service Arrangements - June 2015

Audit of Shared Accountability in Interdepartmental Service Arrangements
Recommendations Management Response and Planned Management Action Deliverables Expected Completion Date Responsibility
Part I - Shared Services Partnership Framework Agreement
Recommendation I.1

It is recommended that the Head of the Partnership Executive Committee (PEC) Secretariat develop and implement an action plan approved by PEC, to strengthen the overall partnership governance.
Management agrees with this recommendation.
A review of PEC and its governance was undertaken in Q4 2014-15. Based on the recommendations of the review, the PEC Secretariat will develop a plan to implement the recommendations. Action plan September 1, 2015 Partnership Executive Committee Secretariat, Corporate Services Branch (CSB)
Recommendation I.2

It is recommended that the Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services Branch, the Assistant Deputy Minister, Communications and Public Affairs Branch, and the Chief Financial Officers from both Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada review and revise the Shared Services Agreement to reflect current service standards, performance measures and monitoring regime.
Management agrees with this recommendation.
CSB will coordinate with CPAB, CFOB and OCFO to review and revise the Shared Services Agreement, where necessary, to reflect current service standards, performance measures and a monitoring and reporting regime. Revised Shared Services Partnership agreement June 30, 2016
  • ADM, CSB
  • ADM, CPAB
  • CFO, CFOB
  • CFO, OCFO
Part II - Other Interdepartmental Service Arrangements
Recommendation II.1

It is recommended that the Chief Financial Officers from both Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada communicate tools and guidance documents that are aligned with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat guidelines on interdepartmental service arrangements.
Management agrees with the recommendation.
The Chief Financial Officers from both Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada will ensure that communication and guidance tools are aligned with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) guidelines on interdepartmental service arrangements. The Materiel and Assets Management Division (MADM) will update its intranet site, including current templates (memorandums of understanding, interdepartmental letters of agreement, etc.) to reflect the requirement that they be aligned with the TBS guidelines on interdepartmental service arrangements. Revised MAMD intranet site, including templates (MOUs, ILAs, etc.) aligned with TBS guidelines on interdepartmental service arrangements. December 2015 Director, Materiel and Assets Management Division (MAMD), Financial Operations Directorate (FOD), Shared Services Partnership
Recommendation II.2

It is recommended that the Assistant Deputy Minister, Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, set out key service standards and performance reporting, including the frequency of performance reporting, for the agreement between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency of Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada for key common services at the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health.
Management agrees with the recommendation.

Senior management at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency of Canada's (CFIA) National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases was engaged informally and formally at the Laboratory Executive Committee meetings. CFIA's Corporate Facility Management Division has also been engaged. Negotiations will begin in 2015-16 to determine if a revision to the services and/or costs of these services is warranted. A renewal of the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health in-depth building cost analysis is due on March 31, 2015. This will serve as the basis for negotiations related to costs. Common services not covered in the building cost analysis will be compiled and CFIA's National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases' use of these services will be estimated to arrive at a dollar value.
CFIA's National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases and the Agency's Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health will develop meaningful service standards, service and financial reports and reporting timelines that will be included in a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or amendment to the existing MOU. Service standards, service and financial reports and reporting timelines to be included in a revised MOU or amendment to the MOU. March 31, 2016 Director, Real Property, Safety, and Security, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada
Recommendation II.3

It is recommended that the Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services Branch, establish the frequency of performance reporting in the agreement between the National Research Council of Canada and the Department for the shared delivery of library and information services.
Management agrees with the recommendation.
The agreement will be revised to outline the frequency of performance reporting. Revised agreement September 30, 2015 ADM, CSB

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