It plays a huge part in making sure that we have sound record-keeping practices. When you have a single repository to keep all your information pertaining to all procurement.... Keep in mind that we have basically $26 billion in value, with 16,000 or more than 17,000 contracts awarded every year by PSPC. A huge number of records need to be tracked, properly documented and properly filed. The beauty of EPS is that, for example, if you have a hundred bids in response to a solicitation, they will all be filed in one single place. Communication between bidders and the contracting authority will all be recorded. It does ensure that we have transparency in the process.
On this ability, I'm very sad every time that I see...because I know that our procurement officers are truly professional. They don't wake up in the morning with the intention of favouring one company over another. At the same time, we appreciate the need to be able to properly document things. This is a key priority for me and something that we're tackling and addressing with EPS.