AUTUMN 2012
FMI
*
IGF JOURNAL
29
Acquisitions 2000 is in a continuous process
of consultation with other departments and
the private sector. DSS is cooperating with
its client departments to select initiatives
which yield substantial benefits and offer
them tangible results quickly. It is an on-
going process, making incremental change
and harnessing existing technologies and
business processes to pursue change in a
fluid and non-disruptive fashion.
DSS is promoting cooperative efforts
through user groups, joint developments
and flexible implementations. DSS and
other central agencies are working to cre-
ate stable network connections with de-
partments. By applying information tech-
nologies consistent with open systems and
developing automated exchange of man-
agement data as an integral part of trans-
action processes in a distributed environ-
ment, central agencies can achieve most of
the benefits of a single proprietary system
without sacrificing individual departmental
needs.
Bernie Gorman:
One of the main thrusts of the Council
for Administrative Renewal (CAR), which
I chair, is to explore alternative methods
of delivery. Two examples of the options
discussed by the Council which are being
explored by DSS and departments are: the
outsourcing maintenance and continuous
development of systems; and the sharing of
common administrative services, which is
being piloted by departments in the Atlan-
tic region.
There are numerous other delivery ar-
rangements, such as partnerships with the
private sector, which could provide oppor-
tunities for improved delivery mechanisms
and the CAR is committed to exploring
these options in detail and recommend-
ing those which should be adopted. To
this end, a Reengineering and Alternative
Delivery (READ) working group, whose
primary function is to explore alternative
methods of delivery and further the re-
engineering of administrative processes,
has been formed by the Council. This
group is chaired by Arthur Silverman and
is comprised of approximately 15 ADM-
level members and supported by several
project teams.
Jim Westover:
The current integration of program admin
istrative data and financial data that we
have at EIC is significantly advanced over
many other departments. For example, our
Canadian Job Strategy System currently in
tegrates program data and financial data as
a by-product of operations and eliminates
such as the PS 2000 and Increased Ministe-
rial Authority and Accountability (IMAA),
the government is revamping its admin-
istrative infrastructure to permit decision
making authority to be exercised at the
level where the responsibility for a service
resides.
The central agencies are playing a lead-
ership role in promoting the establish-
ment of common core functions based
on accepted industry standards with en-
hancements to be developed in a modular
fashion. Common service agencies are at-
tempting to facilitate the work of depart-
ments by developing systems with open,
client-server architectures. DSS’s strategic
goal is to allow client departments to man-
age more of their own day-to-day procure-
ment, compensation and financial activi-
ties, while providing common systems and
expert support and integration.
Administrative systems development
and integration is taking place in all SSC
directorates to provide the information
necessary for decision making at the local
level for client departments, and current
operational information for management.
Compensation and personnel initiatives
such as the Public Service Compensation
System (PSCS), Departmental Personnel
Management System (DPMS), and finan-
cial and pay initiatives such as the Financial
Information Strategy (FIS) will all result in
dramatic change in the status quo. Each of
these is geared towards inter-departmental
systems integration and fundamental re-
engineering administrative practices by
harnessing the best available technologies
and “best practices”.
DSS has established Acquisitions 2000
which is responsible for mapping the future
of the federal procurement environment.
up resources to capitalize on other impor-
tant opportunities.
This approach is typified by the Depart-
ment of Supply and Service’s Software
Exchange program, whereby custom appli-
cations are registered, publicized and made
available free of charge. Departments can
survey these offerings and choose the best
fit.
Another approach taken has been to
have the policy centre, with departmental
consultation and support, review and reg-
ister a variety of products which broadly
cover the range of federal needs. Again, de-
partments can choose the most appropriate
product(s) based on their needs.
A third strategy could involve the devel-
opment of a “library” of single (or limited)
function reusable modules with clear, con-
sistent, published specifications fromwhich
organizations could pick, choose and “plug
in” modules appropriate for their situation
and environment. There are private sector
companies currently offering this type of
product in the financial domain.
Finally, to further extend our capability
to deliver administrative services, depart-
ments could build on the strengths of other
organizations and establish profitable part-
nerships. This could include, for example,
providing administrative services jointly
with other departments, or providing serv-
ices through the use of private-sector re-
sources. In this spirit, the Treasury Board
Secretariat’s new partnership initiative pro-
motes cooperation and sharing by providing
seed money for pilot projects to identify and
explore new ways of doing business.
Steve Rollwage:
In line with broader considerations in the
renewal of public sector administration,
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