Ron Dearing received an unexpected call to serve  

Ron Dearing came to Public Services and Procurement Canada as a Supply Team Leader nine years ago after a career as a Logistics Specialist in the Canadian Armed Forces. When he was asked to join the Government of Canada’s personal protective equipment procurement effort in March 2020, Ron and his three procurement officer colleagues from the National Shipbuilding Strategy Management Office didn’t hesitate for a second.

“I just felt I had to do it,” he said. “I didn’t ask questions.”

Ron’s regular job is supporting the National Shipbuilding Strategy by monitoring supply contracts and generally ensuring that taxpayers are getting value for money, giving him a good grounding in the principles of procurement.

However, it did little to prepare him for the stress, long days and nights and the frenetic pace of meeting the demand for procuring personal protective equipment (PPE) for Canada’s healthcare community: a community desperately short of supplies.

“You couldn’t do what had to be done without some experience in procurement,” he said. “It was a crazy time, especially the first month, and it’s still pretty busy.”

Ron was part of a team of nine that conducted emergency procurement of medical gowns. The team assessed Canadian companies to ensure they could fulfill their potential contracts. The team also negotiated prices and ensured delivery dates were met. They kept in constant contact with the Public Health Agency of Canada, which is responsible for ensuring all PPE products meet required standards.

“Handling these contracts is complicated and involves a lot of players,” said Ron. “There are meetings and phone calls. When we began, we had a team meeting every day and I was on the phone with each supplier at least once a day. We’re on a first-name basis now.”

Like most public servants, Ron has been working from home. “It was a pretty weird situation,” he added. “My son and his girlfriend were living with us while their house was being built and my daughter was also at home. So with myself and my wife that was five adults in the home coping, like all Canadians, with the stress and uncertainty of COVID-19.”

“So there have been stresses,” said Ron. “But at the same time, it has been satisfying and rewarding work. Being able to do your bit to help during the COVID-19 emergency, and to help supply life-saving equipment to keep our healthcare workers and Canadians safe, is a privilege, one that only a few of us have been fortunate enough to experience.”

For more stories like this one, check out The faces behind the masks.