Harnessing the Power of 21st Century Procurement to Boost Innovation and Economic Performance
ITAC Convenes Government and ICT Industry Experts to Educate, Innovate and Collaborate on a Modern Procurement Framework for Canada
OTTAWA, Ontario; Thursday, March 10, 2017 – The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), in partnership with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), Shared Services Canada (SSC), and Treasury Board Canada Secretariat (TBS) hosted the first event of its kind on March 9, 2017, bringing together more than 250 stakeholders from the information and communications technology (ICT) community to help the Government of Canada create a 21st century procurement practice. The recommendations emerging from this event will help federal government leaders harness the power of agile and modern procurement to boost Canada’s innovation and economic performance.
Building on procurement modernization initiatives underway, and the shared objectives of the three participating federal government departments, this ITAC-led event facilitated knowledge transfer and collaboration between the Government of Canada and ICT experts on the development of an innovative and inclusive procurement practice. Following an open dialogue on key opportunities and challenges facing government and industry, and best practices employed in the ICT sector, participants proposed 21st century procurement policies, guiding principles and best practices that:
- Support the growth and commercial success of entrepreneurs, SMEs and scale-up companies;
- Capitalize on the 4th Industrial Revolution and cutting edge technologies;
- Drive economic development; and
- Benefit industry, government and Canadians.
Hosted just steps away from Parliament Hill in Ottawa, this session created a unique opportunity for ICT entrepreneurs, innovators, SMEs and multinationals to directly engage decision-makers from PSPC, SSC and TBS. Working together in breakout groups, industry-government teams offered winning procurement ideas, action and solutions on four key topics:
- Procurement Policy in a Digital World: How the Government of Canada and ICT sector can apply global best practices and principals to build a modern and agile procurement policy.
- Innovating Contracts, Terms and Conditions: How new approaches to contract terms and conditions could deliver better outcomes for government and reduce challenges for industry
- Socially and Economically Responsible Procurement: How to create a socio-economic development procurement strategy that is inclusive and supportive of SMEs, environmentally beneficial and considers innovation in what is procured
- Leveraging Public Sector Procurement to Support SMEs and Scale-Ups: How procurement can better support SME growth
“Our Government values the opportunity to work with our vibrant information technology sector which plays a very important role in Canada’s economy,” said the Honourable Judy M. Foote, Minster of Public Services and Procurement. “Innovation, technology, and a solid working partnership between government and our leading-edge businesses are vital to Canada’s future success. Working together, I am confident that we will continue to build on our achievements in realizing our priorities to modernize our procurement and implement our Innovation Agenda.”
“ITAC is committed to helping government and industry collaborate in new and impactful ways that bring our strengths to bear on national imperatives,” said Robert Watson, President and CEO of ITAC. “The current government is as an excellent partner, demonstrated by the strong cooperation of PSPC, SSC and TBS on the development of a truly modern procurement practice. The government is committed to working with industry to achieve this goal. Today, ICT experts across the country worked directly with government leaders on an innovative procurement framework that will benefit industry, government and Canadians.”
“Procurement strategy is key enabler of innovation and economic development when it is focused on key priorities, outcomes and impact,” said Janet Kennedy, President of Microsoft Canada. “It is refreshing to see government collaborate with industry on the development of innovative procurement solutions and policy for a digital world.”
“If the Government of Canada aims to leverage procurement to support the growth and commercial success of Canadian scale-up companies such as D2L, it is essential to create innovative programs that address the needs of Canadian growth firms,” said Jeremy Auger. “This is why D2L is participating in this important 21st Century Procurement event. We want to help the federal government understand key opportunities and challenges facing Canadian scale-ups such as D2L, and contribute to an inclusive federal procurement strategy that enables government and industry to achieve greater impact together.”
ITAC will publish an executive summary that highlights key outcomes and recommendations emerging from the 21st Century Procurement event in the days ahead.
About ITAC: As Canada’s national ICT business association, ITAC champions the development of a robust and sustainable digital economy in Canada. A vital connection between business and government, we provide our members with the advocacy, networking and professional development services that help them to thrive nationally and compete globally. A prominent advocate for the expansion of Canada’s innovative capacity, ITAC encourages technology adoption to capitalize on productivity and performance opportunities across all sectors. A member-driven not-for-profit, ITAC has served as the authoritative national voice of the $170 billion ICT industry. More than 36,000 Canadian ICT firms create and supply goods and services that contribute to a more productive, competitive, and innovative society. The ICT sector generates over one million jobs directly and indirectly and invests $4.9 billion annually in R&D, more than any other private sector performer. For additional information, please visit: www.itac.ca