Government Temporary Help Services Advisory Committee Meeting Record of Decision - July 25, 2007

• Agenda
• Record of Decisions

Agenda

Wednesday, July 18, 2007
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
11A1, Room 101
Gatineau, Québec

1. Comments to be tabled re: RFSO/SA (including requested changes to the proposed System)
2. Update and Discussion of Classifications according to comments fed in to PWGSC
3. Update on GoCM activities
4. Round table
5. Next meeting

Record of Decisions

In attendance:

• Steven Turner, Chair (Consultant)
• Sylvain Cardinal, PWGSC
• Debbie Sinclair, PWGSC
• Marcel Landry, PWGSC
• Sylvie Fournier, PWGSC
• Captain Crane, DND
• Helen Seto, Health Canada
• Jeremy Ingle, ACSESS
• Kathryn Tremblay, ACSESS (via teleconferencing)
• Paul Gagnon, Portage Personnel
• Daniel Moorcroft, QMR Staffing Solutions Inc.
• Martin Chénier, Spherion
• Guest: Phil Battaglini

Item

Item 1 Comments to be tabled re: RFSO/SA (including requested changes to the proposed System)

Streams 1 through 3 final information presented. Industry expressed concern with the lack of junior levels, e.g. "legal secretary needs 4 levels. (This is already in the final information). Industry advised that at minimum the junior level needs to be added to the secretary classification.

As a result of requests by Committee members, the following are the changes requested to the proposed System and will be reflected in the RFSO/SA:

There is no longer a requirement to limit the display of Active SO/SA Holders to 10. This was in the SO segment. The new requirement is that the entire list (still ranked from lowest rate to highest rate) is to be displayed and the Federal Government Department user can choose as many to from the list (to receive the RFA), however, the system must prevent the user from bypassing or skipping over an Active SO/SA Holder, i.e. bypassing a lower rate.

As part of the RFA and RFS preparation by a user, the system must provide a drop down menu to set the cut off for a response from Active SO or SA Holders invited to respond. The choices are: 4 hours; close of business next working day (i.e. 4:00 p.m.); 48 hours from date of request; or Other (this allows users to specify longer periods).

The system will save each search and the list of Active SO or SA Holders invited to respond (i.e. the Bidders' List). If, after closing of an RFA or RFS there is no successful bidder the user may continue the search. The original list and a further group of Active SO or SA Holders will then be invited to respond. The user must then choose the lowest cost supplier who responds within the time limitation established

Random invitation by the System is still acceptable, however, it is not to be associated with lowest rate, i.e. any Active SA Holder can be chosen, e.g. "spin the drum and pull a number out".

System needs a warning message linked to every level for every classification string, e.g. Stream 1/Clerk/ATIP. The warning is intended to remind users and SOSA Holders: The level you have chosen requires ___ years of experience. Please refer to the Management Framework for this method of supply.

The intent here is to constantly remind users of the importance of the level and that THS resources must possess the experience matching the classification. It also serves as a reminder to SOSA Holders to submit resources that meet the essential requirements of the classification. This is something that PWGSC will include in its Management Framework, i.e. audit of users.

RFA and RFS Templates in System must include check box for Active SO and/or SA Holder to confirm: The permission to submit the name(s) of the THS resource(s) contained in this response has been obtained from the resource(s).

RFA template in System must include the following check boxes (additional to above): Yes, the resource is available; and Yes, the proposed resources meets the mandatory experience and educational requirements of the classification.

ACSESS again reminded PWGSC of the importance of Client training and the need to change culture and behaviour. PWGSC agreed that training will include web based training, as well as face-to-face sessions.

Industry raised concern with the definition for THS with respect to consulting. Revised wording will be provided to PWGSC by Dan Moorcroft.

The following list was reviewed/discussed:

Page 38:
What is required of suppliers within the response time? Answer = an acknowledgement indicating intent.
What are normal business hours? Answer = Monday to Friday. What are the hours?  This answer is inaccurate.
Minimal years in business = the requirement is simply for a business to have been in any business.

Page 41:
PWGSC confirmed that Suppliers must provide a bilingual service to clients in the NCA.

Page 45: 
CGL - does this apply to all subs? Answer = yes.

Page 47:
E&O - only applies to the SOSA Holder's internal staff.

Page 89:
Was this not a discussion about Assignment or Substitution of SA Holder explained, i.e. if the Supplier continues to operate under the name stated in the SA name, there is no change to the data in the proposed system.

Page 90: 
Testing and Interviewing = text from ACSESS included in RFSO/SA (this wording was agreed to by Industry in June 2007).

Page 117:
System maintenance period to be changed to reflect week-ends.

Page 119:
PWGSC confirmed that Suppliers can refuse credit card payment.

Page 128:
Error rate for typing changed to 40 WPM with 10% error or 25 WPM with 6% error.

PWGSC is to provide an explanation covering "CRM reference number".

Protocol, Code of Ethics:  wording to be revised further to remove ACSESS specific requirements.  Jeremy Ingles will provide revisions to Sylvain Cardinal.

Closure of Government Offices:  The new requirement of 1 week (37.5 hours) was explained.  Additional wording to be included as follows:  There is no guarantee that the same THS resource will remain available.

Joint Venture:  PWGSC explained that a supplier cannot be in more than 1 joint venture.  The intent of the clause is to allow a supplier to form a joint venture for work that alone, the supplier could not be in a position to compete.

Overtime:  It was agreed that overtime is to be paid according to provincial legislation.  Overtime must be pre-approved by the Client via an email to the Active SO or SA Holder.  It is also recognized that the provincial legislation in effect at the time of the approval of overtime governs and cannot be altered. 

The classifications that are to be in the 5% exclusion will be provided/finalized by the next meeting, i.e. 1 August 2007.

Item 2 Update and Discussion re: Classifications

It was agreed that experience will be used to create 4 levels under Stream 5: 6 mo, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years. Phil will revise the documentation to reflect this agreement.

PWGSC advised that "health professionals" cannot be included at this time.

PWGSC also advised that public opinion classifications are being reviewed and may need to be removed due to restrictions within PWGSC on this type of work.

Work under Streams 1 through 4 is complete. Stream 5 will be completed after 12 noon, Friday, July 27th. To meet the completion date for Stream 5, Phil will distribute revised document to Committee members on or before noon, Thursday, July 26th; feedback from members must be received on or before noon Friday, July 27th.

Item 3 Update on GoCM Activities

In summary 181 requirements (changes to SRM, i.e. the GoCM platform) have been identified and are deemed possible/feasible.

• A presentation will be made to the Committee late August/early September covering the conceptual design. This will be the same presentation that is to be made to Senior Executives in PWGSC.

Item 4 Round Table

Sylvain Cardinal provided the following information:

• The release of the RFSO/SA has been delayed to August 20th, following the Deputy Ministers attendance at the August 15th Advisory Committee meeting.

The contract with Steven Turner is expected to be amended, extending Steven's work at Chair for this Committee to August 15th.

Item 5 Next meeting

The following is the proposed meeting schedule: 1 August and 15 August. No meeting will occur on 8 August.

The following is the proposed agenda for the meeting of 1 August:

• Handout on Final Classifications
• Update on GoCM
• Final comments on RFSO/SA t at the meeting of August 15th
• Final decision on the 5% exempted classifications