The Procurement Ombud reviews 37 complaints from interpreters about a PSPC contract amendment
News release
Ottawa, Ontario – January 13, 2025
The Office of the Procurement Ombud (OPO) published a report reviewing 37 complaints from interpreters about a proposed amendment to their contracts. These contracts were awarded by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) on behalf of the Translation Bureau.
The proposed contract amendments aimed to extend the contract period while also altering the terms and conditions of the work. Notably, it redefined non-interpreting time, thereby changing what qualified as billable hours. Interpreters were informed that they must accept these changes; otherwise, the period of their initial contracts would not be extended.
This review of complaints is significant as it represents the highest number of written complaints OPO has ever received regarding the administration of contracts.
Among the conclusions of the report, the Procurement Ombud found PSPC’s actions during the negotiation of the amendment to be unreasonable in the circumstances. As all 37 complaints raised the same key issues, OPO amalgamated its analysis and findings regarding these common issues into one report.
Quotes
“While this is an unfortunate situation, we are encouraged to see that more Canadian suppliers are aware of our mandate and are requesting our services when they encounter issues with federal contracts.
This increase reflects a growing trend in the number of complaints our office is receiving. However, without adequate funding, our capacity to effectively support Canadian suppliers is at risk.”
Alexander Jeglic
Procurement Ombud
Quick facts
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The Office of the Procurement Ombud was established to promote fairness, openness and transparency in federal procurement.
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The Department of Public Works and Government Services Act mandates the Ombud to review complaints from Canadian suppliers regarding the award and administration of certain federal contracts.
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For a complaint regarding the award of a contract, the value must be less than $33,400 for goods or $133,800 for services for OPO to investigate. For a complaint regarding the administration of a contract, there is no dollar threshold.
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Between June 25 and July 11, 2024, the Office of the Procurement Ombud (OPO) received written complaints from 40 Canadian suppliers regarding the administration of 40 contracts for Parliamentary and Conference Interpretation Services awarded by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) on behalf of the Translation Bureau.
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Three Complainants subsequently withdrew their complaints, and therefore OPO’s review focused on the 37 remaining written complaints.
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The 37 contracts were individually awarded to the Complainants between September 21 and 25, 2023, as a result of a single Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by PSPC. The contract values ranged from $11,300.00 to $452,000.00 (taxes included).
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Contacts
Media Inquiries
Office of the Procurement Ombud
Phone: 613‑947‑9755
Email: MediaBOA.OPOMedia@boa-opo.gc.ca