Thank you again, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon. My name is Jeff Lynt. I'm the past president of the Canadian Business Information Technology Network, also called CABiNET. With me is Cathy McCallion, also a fellow CABiNET board member.
Our CABiNET may be slightly less influential than the other one that meets here on Parliament Hill, but nonetheless, we're here to speak today.
We represent about 100 small and medium-sized businesses in the IT professional services sector. Most of the companies are based in Ottawa.
I own a small business in Ottawa, and we employ people, provide innovative solutions, and retain a very satisfied group of clients in the government and private sectors. A couple of years ago we were also named the fastest-growing IT business in Ottawa by Ottawa Business Journal.
CABiNET is not here to criticize. We feel that there are a lot of things OSME is doing well. However, as with any organization, there are opportunities to improve, so we're here to present solutions to what we see are some issues with the way OSME presently functions.
There are many challenges SMEs face. Those that offer products and services to the government want something simple: fair access to government contracts. Let us compete, and we'll be happy. Let us have the chance to prove we can do the job, and we'll be satisfied. Give us an opportunity to help the government be more effective and save money, and we'll do so. Simply put, that is what we really need.
Let me be clear. We do not want set-asides for small companies. We do not want special deals. We're not looking for made-for-SME solutions. We want to compete with large companies. In most cases, SMEs win contracts against large companies based upon their lower prices, innovation, flexibility, and capacity to adapt. To do this, we have to be allowed to compete, and on occasion, contracts are bundled in order to stop SMEs from being able to compete.
There are other ways to exclude SMEs, such as the request for references going way beyond the level of the contract. A lot of excuses are used, but for the real fact, it is the intent to stop SMEs from competing, because some bureaucrats mistakenly believe that it is easier to deal with one organization than a few companies.
It doesn't hurt that hundreds of lobbyists representing large companies spend their time meeting with senior bureaucrats to convince them that only they can be part of the solution. We don't have these resources.
We need OSME to be more effective when it comes time to convince senior mangers that SMEs can provide them innovative solutions at lower costs. We don't want it to be just an advocate for SMEs, or a public relations effort for the government. We want it to be a real proponent for SMEs. It should facilitate contacts. It should help us to be present when senior officials plan for large projects in order for us to provide them with information on how we can help. It should be more active. It should be independent from the procurement side of Public Works and Government Services Canada.
Big changes in government departments are happening today with the creation of Shared Services Canada. The plans are being drafted, actions are being taken, and large companies are jockeying for position.
We would like to see OSME facilitating meetings with SME associations and the leadership of Shared Services Canada in order to make sure that contracts are structured in a way that SMEs can provide their services to this new agency. We're not interested in a few token contracts, but rather, in the ability to provide real solutions to this great initiative. Again, we want it to be a fair, open, and transparent process for SMEs.
As for OSME'S role, we know they're trying, but they need to have a louder voice. When we talk to senior procurement officials and senior IT officials, they tell us OSME is not on their radar.
Mr. Chair, some people may view this as an Ottawa-centric issue, with which they're tired of dealing. We heard that comment last time this committee met, while someone was getting coffee. At that time, one of the members of the committee mentioned that he was tired of dealing with this Ottawa-centric issue.
If all contracts are given to large integrators, then yes, Mr. Chair, this will become a very Ottawa-centric issue. There won't be any of us left to make presentations and no small companies to provide solutions to Service Canada offices in Winnipeg, which is the riding of the chair, who is not here today. The small businesses in his riding will not be successful in winning contracts, and in that riding, they won't be able to defend themselves either.
They may not be as vocal as we are, because they're far from Ottawa, but the impact on their operations will be as serious if contracts are bundled and OSME isn't there to make a strong case for SMEs.
We want to continue to employ people in all of your ridings. We want them to continue to be part of the regional economic development framework.
Thank you.