Yes, that is not a problem.
In response to the second recommendation to “put processes in place to ensure that information related to contract administration is accessible, preserved and retained throughout the procurement lifecycle to comply with applicable authorities and support fair, open, and transparent procurement”, GAC's management action plans include reviewing current directives and procurement guidelines and, where required, updating procurement guidance documents to assist departmental personnel in the fulfillment of their procurement-related duties, which we are on track to completing before December 2024.
We are committed to assessing the training curriculum for procurement employees abroad and to updating procurement training based on this assessment, which we completed in February 2024 and have begun to roll out to our employees. We will ensure that information related to contract administration is accessible, preserved and retained throughout the procurement life cycle to comply with applicable authorities and support fair, open and transparent procurement.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that this audit was undertaken proactively to objectively assess our procurement of consulting services and to identify areas where we can improve. We are a large, complex department and fully recognize that there are areas where we can do better, as we are committed to the integrity of the contracting process to support best value to Canadians.
As part of our next steps to further strengthen our rigorous approach, the department has already implemented various tools and processes and will continue to evolve our practices.