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Response to Parliamentary Committees and External Audits


Responses to the Auditor General and the
Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development (CESD)
Auditor General
2009 Spring Report
Chapter 2 – Intellectual Property
The audit examined whether selected federal entities can demonstrate that they manage Crown-owned intellectual property assets effectively. The audit looked at the Acquisition Program Integrity Secretariat at Public Works and Government Services Canada and included a sample of: procurement contracts; contracts in which the Treasury Board exemption was invoked; invention disclosures; and licence agreements.
Recommendation No recommendation directed at Public Works and Government Services Canada. For further information, visit: http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_200905_02_e_32515.html#hd3e
  Chapter 3 – Health and Safety in Federal Office Buildings

The audit focused on two major activities of the federal government that exist to reduce the risks to the health and safety of federal employees working in office buildings administered by Public Works and Government Services Canada:

  • the operation and maintenance of the buildings, their systems, and equipment; and
  • the planning for fire safety and fire emergencies within these buildings.
The audit examined a sample of 48 office buildings under the administration Public Works and Government Services Canada.
Recommendations

Six recommendations were directed at federal organizations. Five recommendations were directed at Public Works and Government Services Canada.

3.43 Public Works and Government Services Canada should ensure that all high-priority deficiencies, including those related to health and safety, identified by its reviews and assessments of building condition and operating performance are included in its annual Building Management Plans.

3.49 Public Works and Government Services Canada should ensure that it implements mechanisms to consistently identify, challenge, and prioritize high-priority deficiencies, including those related to health and safety, and that it corrects these deficiencies within the time frame it has established.

3.54 Public Works and Government Services Canada should strengthen its systems and practices so that it can consistently demonstrate that it is completing mandated maintenance as required.

3.60 Public Works and Government Services Canada should carry out its responsibilities for leased buildings, as required by departmental policies.

3.70 Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) should work with other government departments to determine the appropriate clarification to be included in lease agreements to facilitate cooperation between building owners and federal tenants regarding fire safety planning and fire emergency organizations. For facilities under existing lease agreements, PWGSC should work with building owners to ensure that tenant departments are provided the information needed to meet their obligations under the Standard for Fire Safety Planning and Fire Emergency Organization.
Departmental Responses Public Works and Government Services Canada agreed with the recommendations and has committed to implementing corrective action. For further information, visit: http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_200905_03_e_32516.html#hd3e
Auditor General 2009 Fall Report Chapter 5 – Acquiring Military Vehicles for Use in Afghanistan

The objectives of the audit were to determine whether:

  • National Defence can demonstrate that the purchase of selected military vehicles used in Afghanistan met operational needs and were acquired in a timely manner; and
  • Public Works and Government Services Canada and National Defence purchased these selected military vehicles in compliance with applicable contracting legislation, regulations, and policies and acquired them in a timely manner.
Recommendation Four recommendations were directed at National Defence.  One recommendation was directed at Public Works and Government Services Canada and National Defence.

5.48 Public Works and Government Services Canada and National Defence should examine lessons learned in contracting for urgent operational requirements that could be applied to help speed up the regular procurement process.
Departmental Response Public Works and Government Services Canada agreed with the audit recommendation and has committed to implementing corrective action. For further information, visit: http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_200911_05_e_33206.html#appa
CESD
2009 Fall Report
Chapter 4 - Annual Report on Environmental Petitions
The objective of this chapter was to inform Parliament and Canadians about the use of the petition process, and described the number, nature and status of petitions received between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009, and the timeliness of responses from ministers.  Public Works and Government Services Canada responded to three petitions assigned to the department within the legislated timeframes.
Recommendation The report made no recommendations. For further information, visit: http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_200911_04_e_33199.html



Responses to the Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC)
PSC
2009 May Report
Audit of the Federal Student Work Experience Program and subsequent appointments through bridging mechanisms

The objective of the audit was to determine whether 11 selected federal organizations complied with legislative and policy frameworks when they hired students for the first time through the Progam and when they used bridging mechanisms to appoint graduates who were formerly hired as participants in this program.  The audit also examined whether, for the period from April 1, 2006, to March 31, 2007, selected federal organizations each had an appropriate framework in place to plan and monitor bridging appointments.

Public Works and Government Services Canada was one of two departments mentioned for their monitoring practices.
Recommendations Four recommendations were directed at deputy heads, departments and agencies, and the Treasury Board Secretariat.
Departmental Responses The deputy heads agreed with the audit recommendations and have already taken action to improve the quality of the student appointment and bridging appointment. For further information, visit: http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/adt-vrf/rprt/2009/fswep-pfete/index-eng.htm#toc26



Responses to the Office of the Comptroller General (OCG)
OCG
2010 January
Horizontal Internal Audit of Corporate Risk Profiles in Large Departments and Agencies
The objective of the audit was to determine whether systems and practices for corporate risk management ― specifically, those associated with corporate risk profiles ― are in place to ensure that strategies exist for identifying and mitigating risks within the operations of large departments and agencies. Public Works and Government Services Canada was one of thirteen departments and agencies selected as part of this audit.
Recommendations Six recommendations were directed at large departments and agencies.
Departmental Responses Management agreed with the recommendations and has committed to implement corrective actions. For further information, visit:http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/report/orp/2010/crp-pro01-eng.asp#s1