Evidence of meeting #122 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was phoenix.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
When we had Treasury Board in with regard to estimates, we were chatting. I guess there's a rather large RFP out there to hire a consultant to assist with Phoenix—something to do with PeopleSoft.
Can you fill us in a bit on that?
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Sure. What...?
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
How much is it for, and what is it generally to do if we're replacing Phoenix?
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
It's a $2 million contract that—
Conservative
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
My understanding is $2 million, but if Treasury Board says $3.9 million, I'll have to go back and verify the figure. Essentially, what we were looking for with Treasury Board's lead was to be able to bring Oracle on board to provide advice as to the degree of customization in PeopleSoft, both in the Phoenix system and in the various HR PeopleSoft systems that are being run in a number of departments.
The idea was having the owner, if you will, of the intellectual property and the software be able to give us fresh eyes as to the degree of customization and as to whether or not some of it could be undone or revamped to improve efficiency between those systems.
Conservative
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
It has not been awarded yet.
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
My expectation is that it will happen by the end of April.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Minister, I want to switch subjects to the shipbuilding. When will the contract be awarded for the design? I think, last we spoke to Ms. Campbell in here, it was going to be April. Do you know when that's going to be?
Her letter says just sometime in 2018, later in 2018.
Michael Vandergrift Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. McCauley, that story remains the date. The award of the design contract will be later in 2018.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
It was going to be May of last year. Then it was delayed, and then it was delayed until, my understanding was, April. So, you're saying there is a further delay?
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
The RFP closed at the end of November. We've been working now on evaluating the bids. It's an extremely complicated process, as you can imagine—
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
—making sure that we get the right design for the country, moving forward. That will be completed later this year, in 2018.
Conservative
Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Later this year.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
The reason I ask is that the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report shows that every single month that it's been delayed—and it has been delayed significantly to allow BAE and other bidders in—is going to add a quarter of a billion dollars to the actual cost. If you're saying, as your report says, that the first ship will commence in the early 2020s, if it's going to be early 2020s, as in 2022 or 2023, it's going to be close to $3 billion a year of added taxpayers' cost because of these delays.
I'm looking for some clear information on when this is actually going to be awarded and when it's going to get started.
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
What I would say to this, Mr. McCauley, is that the good news is that we did close the RFP. As you said, it was delayed a number of times. Now it's closed. Now we're in evaluation. We have to do that part very, very well, and there are a lot of people on board doing that.
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
We still have expectations that it will be within the time frame that we said. We're very mindful of the dollars associated. This is one of the biggest contracts that we've awarded. We are very, very mindful, but we have to do it right. We are all hands on deck on that one.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I agree, and I think we appreciate that, but on the other hand, taxpayers have a right to know when this is actually going to get done. So far, all we're getting is “later”.
I'm just trying to clarify. Is it the end of 2018 and then 20...?
Deputy Minister, Department of Public Works and Government Services
You heard that the timeline remains from the last conversation, right?
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Well, we've heard other timelines that have changed, so I'm just seeking clarification. The last we heard, I think when Ms. Campbell was here, was that it was going to be April. Now we're saying later in 2018. Is that what I'm hearing?