There has been much talk over the years about problems in the process of procuring military assets. Procuring ships for the navy, in particular, receives attention because of the size of the project budgets, and the rarity of ships getting built. If the government procures ships every 20 years, whatever expertise had been built up has generally been lost, and processes need finetuning all over again. Governments of all stripes have promised to streamline the process, while making sure that budgets stay under control. The most recent plan has been introduced by the new Liberal government and it involves the creation of Defence Procurement Canada to centralize the defence procurement process. Instead of the current system involving three departments (National Defence, Public Service Procurement, Innovation), as well as the Treasury Board and the Privy Council Office, procurement would be undertaken through one entity. In an article published by CGAI, entitled “Defence Procurement: Opportunities and Constraints,” author Jeffrey Collins takes us through the plan. Available at https://www.cgai.ca/defence_procurement_canada_opportunities_and_constraints?utm_campaign=pp_defenceprocurementcanada&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cdfai
'Insightful and engaging'
2 thoughts on “Getting Procurement Right”
The Government of Canada spends billions of dollars a year on the procurement of goods and services. The government has a responsibility to maintain the confidence of the vendor community and the Canadian public in the procurement system, by conducting procurement in an accountable, ethical and transparent manner.
I believe that Jeffery Collins (CGAI Fellow) has essentially got this one right, although he seems to be stealing Rear Admiral Mack’s (retired) thunder. https://www.cgai.ca/another_way_to_buy_frigates?utm_campaign=pp_anotherwaytobuyfrigates&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cdfai. A new Defence Procurement Institution may be just what DND and in particular the Navy needs. Both the British and Australians have been somewhat successful in this approach and Canada can learn from both countries to make it better. I also believe that this new agency should consult with government & DND but be at arm’s length from both. It should be non-political with final procurement decisions hammered out between all three levels the government, DND and this new agency, as equal partners.