ArriveCan probes show Ottawa must fix error-filled public contract database: Procurement Ombud

Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic said the major problems with how contracts are made public is an issue that is broader than ArriveCan and must be fixed.Problems exposed by investigations of ArriveCan spending show the federal government must fix its error-filled website for disclosing government-wide contracts, says Procurement Ombud Alexander Jeglic.

In November, the Canada Border Services Agency had temporarily suspended all contracts with GCStrategies, the two-person IT staffing firm that received $19.1-million to work on the ArriveCan app, more than any other contractor. At the time, Public Services and Procurement Canada said it was conducting an in-depth review.about spending on the app. Both reports took aim at how Ottawa hires contractors and the poor quality of information that is disclosed to the public.

The LaPresse figures were then reported on by CBC News, Radio-Canada and CTV and were used in the House of Commons by Conservative LeaderHowever, federal departments such as the CBSA and Public Services and Procurement Canada’s strongly caution against using those figures as spending totals, given that contracts are often “up to” amounts.

Because of the issues with the pro-active disclosure database, The Globe’s reporting on GCStrategies has focused on figures published in the audited public accounts, which are the official, audited final numbers for what was spent in each fiscal year. Mr. Jeglic said there are no rules in terms of how much profit an IT firm can charge. He said that’s why it is important that contracts are awarded through genuine competition to encourage fair pricing.

Source: Entertainment Trends (entertainmenttrends.net)

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