The National InfoLine: A procurement lifeline for small businesses
The agents of the Procurement Assistance Canada (PAC) National InfoLine help people navigate the federal procurement process by responding to over 8,000 inquiries by phone, email and web form every year.
Part of Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), PAC offers support to help business owners understand how to sell goods and services to the federal government. Among PAC's offerings are workshops and seminars, one-on-one consultations with procurement experts, and a coaching service for eligible participants from underrepresented groups.
Sometimes, even with all the resources available online and through these services, a question arises. That's where the InfoLine comes into the picture. It's a quick and easy way to get procurement answers.
The InfoLine frontline and background work
InfoLine agents L. Messager and R. Lachance respond to a stream of daily inquiries. They switch seamlessly from written responses to phone conversations and offer services in English and French. Most of their work involves speaking with business owners as they go through the procurement process, but they also assist federal procurement employees who may require direction on a wide range of topics.
"We can get any question," says Lachance. "It can be a bidder wondering how to get more specifics about a tender or a business owner who wants to register for a procurement business number. Sometimes, it's how to get a grant, change a password or find contracting opportunities, or a federal buyer wants to know which procurement tool to use. We have to jump quickly from subject to subject."
J. Mitchell is no longer a frontline agent but now works behind the scenes to maintain a database of information and templates the team uses to cover all the bases. "The agents' jobs are very hectic," says Mitchell. "So I make sure information is available at their fingertips by maintaining our Knowledge Centre, a digital library where we have ready scripts and emails, with links and forms. If we don't have a prepared explanation, the agents can deal with other inquiries while I look into the matter and help them get the information they need to respond to that individual with the appropriate guidance or solution."
Details related to federal procurement change frequently, so Mitchell ensures that the Knowledge Centre is kept up to date. "I'm always doing research and visiting websites to verify that our information is accurate and current," he says. Another challenge is summarizing complex aspects of federal procurement for the InfoLine. "I collaborate with our design team to boil the data we provide down to the very basics and find simple approaches to issues. Our job is mostly triage, in that we just need to highlight key points and outline the next steps. So our materials are adapted to that specific function."
The power of connection
The InfoLine can be a lifeline for users, and the feedback the team receives is a testament to that fact.
"People tell us how much they appreciate the service," Messager remarks. "It's the human contact. They can talk to a person, get clarification at their own pace, and be guided to the right resources. That's irreplaceable." The stakes for callers can also be high. "By helping people figure out how to do business with the government, we may be supporting their livelihood," notes Messager. Mitchell adds: "We might be talking to someone who's about to be awarded a contract, but there's a snag, or a supplier who hasn't been paid because of a technical problem we can solve in a second. We've heard the relief in people's voices when we know what to do." He observes that contacting the government can be daunting, so people are grateful to find dedicated and professional agents to work through a challenge with them.
The InfoLine also has indirect benefits for both users and the department. "We gather excellent business intelligence," Mitchell points out. "We track every inquiry, so we can spot trends. If people are confused about a web page or process, we can flag it internally to drive improvements and remove barriers."
According to Mitchell, the team's client service focus and can-do attitude have contributed to its success and value. For the team members, the work on the InfoLine is gratifying. "At the end of the day, I feel like I've supported a lot of people and had a positive impact on their lives," says Lachance. "It's also really rewarding to help business owners from underrepresented groups, such as women and Black entrepreneurs, to increase their participation in federal contracting opportunities," Messager reflects.
Find out more about procurement support for businesses and getting assistance with procurement, including InfoLine contact information. You can also see Our stories for other interesting PSPC articles.