Certification program for the federal government procurement and materiel management communities: Privacy impact assessment summary

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Section I: Overview and privacy impact assessment initiation

Government institutions

Government officials responsible for the privacy impact assessment

For Public Works and Government Services Canada

Begonia Lojk, Director, Canadian General Standards Board

For Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Rosa Paliotti, A/Director, Procurement, Materiel Management and Real Property Communities Management Office

Heads of the government institutions or delegates for section 10 of the Privacy Act

For Public Works and Government Services Canada

Rachelle Delage, Manager, Policy and Governance, Access to Information and Privacy Directorate

For Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Danielle Golden, Director, Access to Information and Privacy

Description of the program or activity of the government institutions

For Public Works and Government Services Canada

Acquisitions is the program, Standards development and certification is the sub-sub-program

For Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Financial management is the program, Assets and acquired services is the sub-program

Standards development and certification

This sub-sub-program identifies Public Works and Government Services Canada as responsible for providing a client-centred, comprehensive development of standards and conformity assessment services in support of the economic, regulatory, procurement, health, safety and environmental interests of government, industry and consumers.

Financial management

The Financial Management Program provides oversight and direction to federal organizations to improve the stewardship of taxpayers' dollars and government assets. The program works to strengthen financial management, internal audit, management of real property and materiel, investment planning, project management and procurement across the federal public service. This is accomplished by:

The legislative authority for this program is the Financial Administration Act and appropriation acts.

Assets and acquired services

Under the assets and acquired services sub-program, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat monitors performance regarding the management of assets, acquired services, procurement, project management and investment planning. The Secretariat provides leadership and oversight to inform decision making by ministers and officials in central agencies and departments, and develops and maintains the government's policies to support the efficient management of public assets and acquired services. In order to help departments achieve performance expectations, the Secretariat provides advice to departments on the interpretation of policies and standards, monitors compliance, and facilitates capacity development within relevant functional communities.

Class of records associated with the program or activity

For Public Works and Government Services Canada

Personnel Certification Program

For Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Certification program for the federal government procurement and materiel management communities

Description

Federal employees working in procurement and/or materiel management can obtain a professional designation through a government-wide certification program. The program certifies two professional designations: certified federal specialist in procurement (CFSP) at levels I and II and certified federal specialist in materiel management (CFSMM) at level I .The Procurement, Materiel Management and Real Property Communities Management Office at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat manages the certification program and coordinates the participation of federal departments, agencies and central agencies, professional designation-granting bodies and professional institutes in its development. The administration of the certification program is carried out by the Canadian General Standards Board. It acts as the certification body, providing an independent and impartial assessment of candidates' qualifications against the program requirements. Certification provides proof of professional qualifications, signals that an employee can perform effectively in the federal government work environment and provides a competitive edge in pursuing career opportunities in procurement or materiel management.

Document types

Class of record number

TBS PM 243

Personal information bank

For Public Works and Government Services Canada

Proposal to modify an existing personal information bank

For Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Proposal for a new personal information bank

Description

This bank contains information about individuals who apply to and participate in the certification program for the federal government procurement and materiel management communities. The program, based on the Federal Government Procurement Competency Suite and the Federal Government Materiel Management Competency Suite, enables practitioners in procurement and materiel management to obtain a professional designation recognizing their level of qualifications. The Procurement, Materiel Management and Real Property Communities Management Office at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat manages the certification program and coordinates the participation of federal departments, agencies and central agencies, professional designation-granting bodies and professional institutes in its development.

Personal information may include candidate name, personal record identifier (PRI), contact information, biographical information, signature, educational information, employment history, participant certification number, certification designation number, employment equity information, language, whether accommodation is required, and results of candidates' progress through the program, candidates' views and opinions of the certification program.

Class of individuals

Full-time and part-time employees of federal institutions who apply to and participate in the certification program as well as their manager or supervisor.

Purpose

Personal information is used to conduct an impartial assessment of a candidate's qualifications, to administer and to provide services for the certification program for the federal government procurement and materiel management communities, to determine eligibility for the program, to establish and maintain an inventory of candidates and to obtain candidates' views and opinions on the program. Personal information is collected pursuant to section 7(1)(e) of the Financial Administration Act.

Consistent uses

The information may be used for candidate evaluation, establishing and maintaining an inventory of certified federal specialists, reporting progress and results to senior management and/or for statistical purposes. Personal information is shared with Public Works and Government Services Canada as the certifying body for the federal government certification program for procurement and materiel management communities (refer to personal information bank PWGSC PCU 195—Certification program for federal government procurement and materiel management). Candidates' personal information is also shared with management of their home department or agency in order to obtain agreement to enrol, undertake required evaluations, and monitor candidate progression through the program. With direct, prior consent of the certified participants, their names, designations and levels, certification designation umbers, certificate numbers, and certification dates may be posted to GCPedia or Public Works and Government Services Canada's public internet website.

Retention and disposal standards

Records of active program participants will be retained. Individuals no longer in the program will be notified that their records will be retained for two years, and then disposed of. All records (electronic and paper) are retained for two years after being declared inactive, and then destroyed.

Legal authority for program or activity

For Public Works and Government Services Canada

Department of Public Works and Government Services Act, sections 7, 15, 16 and 17 Order in Council P.C. 1998-657

For Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Financial Administration Act, paragraph 7(1)(e) and section 11.1

Summary of the project, initiative or change

Federal employees working in procurement and materiel management can obtain a professional designation through a government-wide certification program launched in 2006 by Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

The Secretariat developed the certification program in collaboration with stakeholders including federal departments, agencies and central agencies, professional designation-granting bodies, professional institutes, and bargaining agents. Oversight and overall management of the program rests with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's Procurement, Materiel Management and Real Property Communities Management Office.

The Canadian General Standards Board is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the certification program. Supported by a review panel, it also acts as the certification body by providing an independent and impartial assessment of candidates' qualifications against the requirements outlined in the Federal Government Procurement Competency Suite and the Federal Government Materiel Management Competency Suite (April 2014 or latest version).

The program certifies two professional designations:

The designation obtained through certification provides proof of professional qualifications that meet the highest requirements of the standard. A professional designation signals to employers that the employee is a skilled professional who can perform effectively in today's increasingly complex work environment. Certification is intended to provide federal employees with a competitive edge for pursuing career opportunities in procurement or materiel management.

To become eligible for certification, an employee must meet the program requirements for training, experience and knowledge. The Procurement, Materiel Management and Real Property Communities Management Office periodically reviews and modifies the professional requirements in collaboration with partners in program delivery (the Canadian General Standards Board and Public Works and Government Services Canada's Acquisitions) and stakeholders (participating departments and agencies) in order to reflect changing business needs.

Section II: Risk area identification and categorization

Table A: Description of the privacy risks associated to the type of program or activity for which the privacy impact assessment is describing the program
Type of program or activity Level of risk to privacy
Program or activity that does not involve a decision about an identifiable individual 1 (does not apply)
Administration of programs, activity and services 2 (applies)
Compliance or regulatory investigations and enforcement 3 (does not apply)
Criminal investigation and enforcement or national security 4 (does not apply)
Table B: Description of the privacy risks associated to the type of personal information involved and context
Type of personal information involved and context Level of risk to privacy
Only personal information provided by the individual, at the time of collection, relating to an authorized program & collected directly from the individual or with the consent of the individual for this disclosure or with no contextual sensitivities 1 (does not apply)
Personal information provided by the individual with consent to also use personal information held by another source/with no contextual sensitivities after the time of collection 2 (applies)
Social insurance number, medical, financial or other sensitive personal information and/or the context surrounding the personal information is sensitive. Personal information of minors or incompetent individuals or involving a representative acting on behalf of the individual 3 (does not apply)
Sensitive personal information, including detailed profiles, allegations or suspicions, bodily samples and/or the context surrounding the personal information is particularly sensitive 4 (does not apply)
Table C: Description of the privacy risks associated to partners involved in the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information
Program or activity partners and private sector involvement Level of risk to privacy
Within the institution (amongst one or more programs within the same institution)  1 (does not apply)
With other federal institutions (Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat-Communities Management Office, Public Service Commission or the program participant's federal institution) 2 (applies)
With other or a combination of federal/provincial and/or municipal government(s) 3 (does not apply)
Private sector organizations or international organizations or foreign governments 4 (does not apply)
Table D: Description of the duration of the program or activity
Duration of the program or activity Level of risk to privacy
One time program or activity 1 (does not apply)
Short-term program 2 (does not apply)
Long-term program 3 (applies)
Table E: Description of the population affected by the program
Program population Level of risk to privacy
The program affects certain Program participants (employees) for internal administrative purposes 1 (applies)
The program affects all employees for internal administrative purposes 2 (does not apply)
The program affects certain individuals for external administrative purposes 3 (does not apply)
The program affects all individuals for external administrative purposes 4 (does not apply)

A "yes" response to any of the below indicates the potential for privacy concerns and risks that will need to be considered and if necessary mitigated.

Table F: Description of the privacy risks associated to the use of technology
Technology & privacy Level of risk to privacy (yes or no?)
Does the new or modified program or activity involve the implementation of a new electronic system, software or application program including collaborative software (or groupware) that is implemented to support the program or activity in terms of the creation, collection or handling of personal information? No
Does the new or modified program or activity require any modifications to information technology (IT) legacy systems and/or services? No
Does the new or modified program or activity involve the implementation of one or more of the following technologies? N/A
Enhanced identification methods
 No
Use of surveillance
 No
Use of automated personal information analysis, personal information matching and knowledge discovery techniques
 No
Table G: Description of the privacy risks associated to the information technology transmission of personal information
Personal information transmission Level of risk to privacy
The personal information is used within a closed system 1 (does not apply)
The personal information is used in system that has connections to at least one other system 2 (does not apply)
The personal information is transferred to a portable device or is printed 3 (applies)
The personal information is transmitted using wireless technologies 4 (does not apply)

The personal information is received by the Canadian General Standards Board, printed and put on file. All of Public Works and Government Services Canada has laptops.

Table H: Description of the potential risk that, in the event of a privacy breach, there will be an impact to the individual or employee
Risk impact to the institutions  Level of risk to privacy
Managerial harm 1 (applies)
Organizational harm 2 (does not apply)
Financial harm 3 (does not apply)
Reputation harm, embarrassment or loss of credibility 4 (does not apply)
Table I: Description of the privacy risk impact to the institution submitting the privacy impact assessment, Public Works and Government Services Canada
Risk impact to the individual or employee  Level of risk to privacy
Inconvenience 1 (does not apply)
Reputation harm or embarrassment 2 (applies)
Financial harm 3 (does not apply)
Physical harm 4 (does not apply)
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