Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and honourable members of the committee. Thank you for inviting the RCMP to speak to you today in view of “Report 2—Disposing of Government Surplus Goods and Equipment”, of the spring 2018 reports of the Auditor General of Canada.
I am joined today by my colleague Nathalie Guilbault, our director of materiel and movable assets, to help answer specific questions you may have on the RCMP's action plan relating to the report.
The RCMP agrees with the recommendations of the Auditor General and is working to implement an action plan that addresses the three recommendations related to our organization.
As with the other federal departments, the RCMP is responsible for adhering to the TBS Policy on Management of Materiel, which states that disposal of surplus materiel assets is concluded as effectively as possible, as soon as possible after they become surplus to the requirements of program delivery, and in a manner that obtains highest net value for the Crown.
The RCMP will take this—that is, the best value for the Crown—as the overarching criterion as it moves forward in addressing the audit recommendations relating to the RCMP.
I will now summarize the Auditor General's recommendations and the RCMP's action plan.
The first recommendation is that the RCMP review the asset life-cycle processes, including procurement, to facilitate and encourage the transfer and reuse of assets.
The RCMP will address this recommendation in its entirety by December 31, 2019, with a number of expected outcomes. There will be a complete review of asset life-cycle processes. A finalized disposal guidance document will be provided to those with delegated financial signing authority for disposal of materiel assets, encouraging the use of GCTransfer across the RCMP prior to GCSurplus where feasible. Options for solutions for the reuse of internal RCMP assets will be examined and implemented where deemed feasible and cost-effective.
The second recommendation is that the RCMP should review internal processes to facilitate the donation of surplus assets.
Again, the RCMP will address this recommendation in its entirety by December of 2019, with a number of expected outcomes. Internal processes will be reviewed relating to the donation of surplus assets. Discussions will continue with the Treasury Board Secretariat regarding the directives pertaining to the donation of surplus materiel. Public Services and Procurement Canada is working on an initiative intended to facilitate the donation of surplus assets in an open and transparent manner. The RCMP has been engaged with PSPC in supporting this initiative with a proof of concept. Should it become successful, a pilot is anticipated for 2019-20.
The third recommendation is that the RCMP should keep sufficient documentation to justify the disposal methods they selected. The RCMP should consider standardizing their forms to ensure consistency, and consider all factors when making disposal decisions, such as disposal cost, asset value and environmental impact. Again, the RCMP will address this recommendation in its entirety by December 31, 2019, with a number of expected outcomes. We'll develop a disposal form for the RCMP that allows for the documentation of disposal decisions while strengthening the approval process. We'll implement an electronic approval system that aligns with the delegated financial signing authorities and allows for performance measuring and reporting.
The RCMP is confident that the expected outcomes of the action plan will address the recommendations of the Office of the Auditor General. The RCMP will ensure internal processes are reviewed and will encourage all methods of disposal including transfers, reuse, and will facilitate donations. The RCMP will ensure that all factors are considered when making disposal decisions in an effort to dispose of surplus goods and equipment in a manner that maximizes benefits to the Crown.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. My colleague Nathalie Guilbault and I look forward to answering your questions.