Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Today, the Comptroller General of Canada released a Horizontal Internal Audit of Procurement Governance. This audit was announced in March 2024, as part of a series of actions to strengthen the management and oversight of government procurement.
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat has also undertaken a number of actions to strengthen the management of federal procurement activities, including the following:
- In 2023, amended the Guide to Internal Control Over Financial Management to strengthen expectations for regular review and testing of procurement controls to ensure that procurement transactions are carried out in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and policies.
- In 2023, amended the Directive on the Management of Procurement to strengthen and reinforce departmental responsibility to create and maintain accurate and comprehensive procurement records and establish risk-based internal controls that ensure the accuracy, completeness, and timely proactive publication of contracting information.
- In fall 2023, released the Manager's Guide: Key Considerations when procuring professional services to help managers make informed decisions on whether to procure professional services to meet operational needs and to meet their responsibilities under Treasury Board's Directive on the Management of Procurement. In March 2024, the Manager's Guide was updated to include additional guidance to reinforce managers' responsibilities in making decisions that demonstrate a prudent use of tax dollars.
- In May 2024, introduced new mandatory procedures for procuring professional services. This includes managers' confirmation that they do not have a conflict of interest; that they have not directed which resources should be working under the contract; and that the contractor did not assist or have unfair access in the solicitation process.
- In March 2025, established the Guide to Mitigating Conflicts of Interest in Procurement to help public servants involved in procurement activities identify conflicts of interest and better understand their responsibilities. The guide also provides practical advice to public servants on how to meet their conflict of interest obligations.
- Provided more contract information on the Open Government portal by requiring detailed contract descriptions for certain services above $1M and advising departments and agencies to review existing data for completeness and accuracy.
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