Public Services and Procurement Canada
Results: What we achieved—Internal services: 2022 to 2023 Departmental Results Report

Internal services

Internal services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the internal services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are:

• acquisition management services
• communication services
• financial management services
• human resources management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• legal services
• material management services
• management and oversight services
• real property management services

Communication services

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) continued to use new technologies and tactics, including audience-tailored communication activities such as proactive media relations, storytelling, digital content, increased use of multimedia content, and amplified social media content, to promote the department’s programs, services and initiatives and enhance openness and transparency. The department updated its social media and internal communications strategies and centralized its web management functions to support a consistent voice and presentation throughout its internal and public-facing presence. PSPC continued the transition to a content management system in order to enhance the clarity, accessibility and usability of its public-facing web content. The department also started to explore the adoption of such a system to efficiently manage its internal web presence.

Human resources management services

With respect to diversity and inclusion, PSPC officially launched its Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) and completed the majority of the initiatives identified in this plan. The department also expanded to all equity‑seeking groups the successful Second Official Language Scholarship Program, which facilitates full-time language training. In addition, efforts were maintained to increase the representation of diverse and racialized groups through targeted recruitment programs like LiveWorkPlay. The department also promoted the Accessibility Passport for persons with disabilities, which provides a mechanism for employees to identify their needs for accommodation in the workplace and when working from home.

PSPC continued the development of a new departmental Talent and Performance Management Policy to support an inclusive and talented workforce and improve employee engagement, retention and talent mobility. This policy encompasses several initiatives, including the Leading, Elevating, Aspiring and Developing (L.E.A.D.) Sponsorship Program and the Indigenous Career Navigator, led by PSPC’s Career Management Services in collaboration with the Knowledge Circle for Indigenous Inclusion. These programs provide development opportunities for the Executive Feeder Group and equity‑seeking groups in order to break barriers and improve existing talent management processes. PSPC’s continued collaboration with diversity networks extended externally as well, including through a solid partnership with the Public Service Commission (PSC) for the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities (FIPCD) and with the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer (OCHRO) for the Mosaic Sponsorship program.

PSPC actively positions itself as an employer of choice with Indigenous Peoples through relationships with post‑secondary institutions and community partners, and through the delivery of regional information sessions. Consultations with key stakeholders continued in 2022 to 2023, and guided the development of recruitment strategies that prioritize the effective recruitment and retention of Indigenous individuals. These initiatives directly addressed concerns highlighted in the Many Voices One Mind report and the Clerk of the Privy Council’s call to action, while making efforts to close employment gaps, as identified in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) article 21 and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's call to action 7.

PSPC submitted its progress plan on the Official Languages Maturity Model (OLMM) exercise to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. The findings from the OLMM exercise combined with the results of internal consultations have supported the development of strategic tools that will contribute to the elaboration of the departmental strategy and allow the department to measure the implementation of the Official Languages Act at PSPC.

In support of mental health and well‑being, PSPC fully implemented the Mental Health, Well‑Being and Inclusion Strategy. Departmental branches and regions were provided with the tools, information, and support to develop mental health, well‑being and inclusion action plans to create and maintain mentally healthy workplaces for all employees.

Management and oversight services

The departmental security program successfully supported the return to the workplace initiatives while focusing on innovation, transformation and the overall evolution of work projects undertaken throughout the department. Notably, security awareness material was developed to inform employees of best practices to secure information and assets when working in a hybrid work environment and in unassigned workstations. Also, new employee departmental identification cards were put in circulation to provide access to the network of office space available to employees. While working horizontally with other branches, security requirements have been identified and implemented in numerous projects outlined in the Departmental Security Plan.

PSPC renewed its efforts for a coordinated departmental approach to managing horizontal priorities, particularly advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, through new internal governance bodies. Multiple activities were advanced, including:

• work on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act action plan and its implementation
• ongoing discovery of documents related to the Indian residential schools
• a departmental reconciliation roadmap and strategy co‑developed with Indigenous partners
• a centralised consultation services and repository of knowledge on engagement processes with various First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities for PSPC
• the creation of an activity inventory of ongoing reconciliation and engagement activities to help identify opportunities to develop and enhance policies, guidelines, programs and initiatives that will advance reconciliation in PSPC

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC continued to strengthen the application of GBA Plus to its various lines of business. For example, to support the meaningful and systematic use of GBA Plus, PSPC developed tools to strengthen the application of GBA Plus in procurement‑related processes and support the participation of under represented groups. The department also continued to improve inclusion and accessibility in the PSPC built environment. To support capacity‑building across the department, PSPC included GBA Plus training as a key component of its department‑wide diversity and inclusion curriculum. PSPC also reinforced its GBA Plus organizational structure by empowering GBA Plus representatives in various organizations to take on a greater leadership role in advancing GBA Plus within different departmental lines of business.

Contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

PSPC is a phase 1 department and as such must ensure that a minimum 5% of the total value of the contracts it awards to Indigenous businesses by the end of 2022 to 2023. In its 2023 to 2024 Departmental Plan, the department forecasted that, by the end of 2022 to 2023, it would award 2.1% of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses.

As shown in the following table, PSPC awarded 2.7% of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses in 2022 to 2023.

Table 1: Value of contracts awarded by Public Services and Procurement Canada to Indigenous businesses in 2022 to 2023

Contracting performance indicators	2022 to 2023 results
A: Total value of contractstable 1 note 1 awarded to Indigenous businessestable 1 note 2	$139,048,765.62
B: Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous and non Indigenous businessestable 1 note 3	$5,150,115,224.49
C: Value of exceptions approved by deputy head	Nil
Proportion of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses [ $A÷(B-C)\times 100$ ]	2.7%
Table 1 Notes Table 1 Note 1 Includes contract amendments with Indigenous businesses and could include contracts that were entered into with Indigenous businesses by means of acquisition cards. May include subcontracts. Return to table 1 note 1 referrer Table 1 Note 2 For the purposes of the 5% target, Indigenous businesses include Elders, band and tribal councils; businesses registered in the Indigenous Business Directory for contracts under the Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business; and businesses registered in a beneficiary business list for contracts with a final delivery in a modern treaty or self‑government agreement area with economic measures as defined by Indigenous Services Canada. Return to table 1 note 2 referrer Table 1 Note 3 Includes contract amendments. Return to table 1 note 3 referrer

In support of achieving the 5% target, PSPC has developed a Departmental Procurement Plan with an enhanced focus on engaging Indigenous businesses for fiscal year 2022 to 2023. Key opportunities particularly suited for Indigenous businesses were identified and resulted in the department taking a bold step in how PSPC’s lower dollar value procurements were undertaken across the country (lower dollar value (LDV) contracts are contracts valued at $3.75 million or less).

On April 1, 2022, all internal LDV procurements were to be considered for competition and award to Indigenous businesses first. Where procurements could not, or would not, be considered for Indigenous businesses first, departmental policy required that explanations be added to the procurement file. This requirement was embedded in mandatory documentation requirements (including a mandatory manager’s attestation) for every LDV contract awarded in the department.

While the total procurement budget for PSPC was just over $5.1 billion in 2022 to 2023, PSPC’s LDV procurement budget during that period totalled $736.5 million. Initiation of the Indigenous business first strategy for LDV procurements resulted in $46.0 million or 6.2% of LDV contracts going to Indigenous businesses.

PSPC also continued to deliver outreach and educational services to procurement officers through PSPC’s senior designated official for the management of procurement, and through its coordinator for procurement with Indigenous businesses. Indigenous Services Canada representatives were invited to speak to departmental procurement officers on the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business in April 2022 in order to get the 2022 to 2023 strategy underway successfully.

PSPC hosted or participated in 403 events tailored towards Indigenous‑led businesses over the fiscal year. In 2022 to 2023, PSPC led or co‑led 13 national and regional Indigenous business information sessions. These sessions brought together Indigenous businesses, communities and associations to raise awareness of the Government of Canada’s 5% requirement for Indigenous participation in federal procurement, highlighted Indigenous procurement opportunities, and outlined the support available through Government of Canada programs and services, such as CanadaBuys and Procurement Assistance Canada (PAC).

With respect to the entire departmental procurement budget in 2022 to 2023, PSPC saw more than $139.0 million worth of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses, including:

• $37.8 million for the Clyde River Harbour Development in Nunavut
• $12,4 million for Coral Harbor Remediation on Southampton Island in northern Hudson Bay

A focus on changing the procurement culture at PSPC saw all departmental acquisitions services procurement officers taking the mandatory course “Indigenous considerations in procurement”. In addition, work was done and continues to be performed to align a number of departmental governance bodies to ensure that there is a commitment to advancing this initiative through an employee culture of understanding and reconciliation.

Table 2: Budgetary financial resources: Internal services—Actual versus planned spending including difference for 2022 to 2023 (in dollars)

2022 to 2023 Main Estimates	2022 to 2023 planned spending	2022 to 2023 total authorities available for use	2022 to 2023 actual spending (authorities used)	2022 to 2023 difference (actual spending minus planned spending)
308,579,366	308,579,366	409,763,688	354,395,781	45,816,415

The variance between actual spending and planned spending is mainly related to funding received to address improvements to the public service pay system as well as the development of a digital solution for the modernization of human resources delivery services, investments in the Evolution of Work initiative and information technology equipment for public servants' return to the office. The increase in expenditures is also due to increased demand for communication services as well as investments in the modernization of the communications function.

Table 3: Human resources: Internal services—Planned versus actual full-time equivalents including difference for 2022 to 2023

2022 to 2023 planned full-time equivalents	2022 to 2023 actual full-time equivalents	2022 to 2023 difference (actual full-time equivalents minus planned full-time equivalents)
3,263.34	3,048.96	(214.38)

There is no significant variance between actual and planned full‑time equivalents.