Supplier Advisory Committee terms of reference

The terms of reference are intended to guide committee members in their involvement in the Supplier Advisory Committee (SAC).

Mandate

The members will provide advice and feedback and make recommendations to the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Procurement Branch (PB) Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) concerning:

Government-wide issues may be considered with the understanding that the ability of PSPC to effect change in these areas may be limited.

The ADM, PB, PSPC will consider the recommendations in light of broad policy objectives, operational imperatives and the interests of all Canadians.

Membership

Membership is drawn from a range of industry associations that are representative of Canadian suppliers.

Co-chairs

The ADM, PB, PSPC and 1 private sector representative will serve as committee co-chairs. The co-chairs will be responsible for conducting the meetings and setting the agenda with input received from members. The co-chairs will also consider and approve proposals for new sub-committees of the SAC to address specific issues and make recommendations.

The ADM, PB, PSPC will have authority to provide clarification on whether issues are within the mandate of the SAC.

Private sector co-chair

The private sector co-chair is a non-remunerated position held for a 2-year term. The ADM, PB, PSPC, selects the private sector co-chair. During their term, the private sector co-chair may not delegate their responsibilities to another individual.

During their tenure, the private sector co-chair will be responsible for:

  • Creating an atmosphere of trust and collaboration that is conducive to active member participation and consensus building
  • Focusing the members on priorities
  • Working with the ADM, PB, PSPC to direct the committee’s business (for example, setting meeting agendas, forward planning)
  • Working with members to manage any issues related to contributions, attendance and collaboration

To avoid the perception of a conflict of interest, the private sector co-chair must not have procurement contracts with the Government of Canada.

Members

The SAC will be comprised of a maximum of 15 industry associations. Members may invite 1 member of their industry associations to attend a meeting (based on the agenda, not required to be the same member every time).

The SAC is currently comprised of the following members:

  • Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC)
  • Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA)
  • Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC)
  • Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI)
  • Canadian Association of Management Consultants (CMC)
  • Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC)
  • Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)
  • Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC)
  • Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME)
  • Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officer (Cando)
  • TECHNATION
  • Women Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada)

Members are expected to have their representatives regularly attend meetings (at least 2 meetings per year), contribute meaningfully to the discussion of procurement issues identified, and liaise and consult with their industry association members. Members can consider presenting to SAC on how they support their industry association members in terms of procurement, with critical questions for feedback. Members may also consider participating in sub-committees of the SAC.

All members must disclose real or perceived conflicts of interest to the co-chairs and recuse themselves from parts or all of a SAC meeting if 1 or more of the issues to be addressed in a SAC meeting pertains to contracts, procurement or initiatives that could directly benefit themselves.

Recognizing the need to provide meaningful input to the SAC, members may provide summaries of issues presented at the SAC in their own words to their industry association membership except for items that are specifically embargoed. Members must not directly reproduce, copy, or share any documents provided to them for SAC meetings.

Membership definition, term, and change of representative

Members of the SAC are made up of Canadian industry associations with an interest in procurement. Representatives must be senior executives within the Member association.

Members will be nominated for a 36-month (3-year) term.

While reserving the co-chairs’ right to periodically review membership, co-chairs will undertake a membership review at a minimum of 6 months before the end of a members’ terms. Participation in and contributions to meetings and adherence to the terms of reference will be the basis for considering rotating members from the SAC while providing opportunities for other industry associations to participate.

Members’ interest in remaining with the SAC will also be considered, and they can request to be removed from the SAC at any time. Within their third year of membership, co-chairs will notify members of their ongoing participation in, or rotation from, the SAC. The first month of this period will start in January 2024.

Additional and new members, up to the maximum of 15, can be added, based on nominations by co-chairs to the SAC or recommendations from regional co-chairs to the national co-chairs. Alternatively, should it be required for purposes of diversity, representativeness, or any other reasons, then membership from additional industry associations may be sought at the request of the ADM, PB, PSPC.

In the event a representative is unable to attend a meeting, they may designate a temporary delegate from the member association. The member is responsible for informing the secretariat, copying the co-chairs, of the temporary designation of an alternate representative in advance of the meeting, explaining the reason for the change and the duration.

In the event that a member needs to permanently change their representative, then their senior management or Board of Directors shall notify the SAC co-chairs and confirm that their new representative accepts the SAC terms of references.

Operations

The co-chairs will establish a forward agenda for planning purposes. However, new agenda items may be submitted by members to the SAC secretariat for consideration at any time.

Members will review material provided to them prior to meetings, seek input from their association membership as required, unless embargoed, and provide advice, suggestions, and guidance during or after the meeting, usually directly to presenters, unless otherwise specified.

Secretariat

Procurement Assistance Canada will provide a SAC secretariat for the following support:

  • coordination and organization of SAC meetings (drafting invitations and agenda, securing meeting venues, and other logistics)
  • development of agendas with the co-chairs and maintaining the forward agenda
  • development and distribution of records of discussion to members and having them published to the SAC websites
  • working with the identified offices of primary interest (OPI) within Acquisitions Branch, coordination of work related to establishment of sub-committees, ensuring regular reporting to SAC, and maintaining the SAC web presence
  • identifying and keeping track of the action items agreed upon during the meeting of the SAC

Meetings

The SAC will meet approximately 6 times per year, with approximately 4 virtual meetings (2-hour duration) and a couple in-person meetings (full day) in the National Capital Region. In the event that an in-person meeting is not possible, then additional virtual meetings may be scheduled, if required.

The co-chairs will indicate at the start of a meeting if there are any items on the agenda that are sensitive. If so, such information will be embargoed and prohibited from being shared with the members’ industry associations.

SAC secretariat will provide a draft record of discussion from the previous meeting for approval at each meeting.

An ad hoc meeting may be scheduled in the event that a government mandate might have a direct impact on members.

A joint meeting of the national SAC and the regional SACs will be held on an annual basis for sharing priorities between both committees and to allow for the planning of the following year's activities.

Sub-committees

Sub-committees may be struck to address specific cross-cutting procurement areas of concern and make recommendations on practical solutions to address them.

Suggestions for new sub-committees shall be submitted to the co-chairs in the form of proposals, to be discussed with the managers within the PB, PSPC by those responsible for the topic. Should the co-chairs approve a given proposal, then a departmental lead will be identified to chair the sub-committee.

The roles and responsibilities for members of sub-committees will be agreed upon by their members and outlined in the terms of reference for that sub-committee.

Sub-committee chairs will be required to report on their workplan, progress, and recommendations following each meeting. Their final recommendations will be officially presented for endorsement by the SAC, at which time the sub-committee will be disbanded. These recommendations will then be made formally to the ADM, PB, PSPC.

Changes to the terms of reference

The terms of reference may be reviewed periodically, and amendments may be made when deemed appropriate by the co-chairs. However, changes shall not cause the terms of reference to deviate significantly from the mandate of the SAC. The ADM, PB, PSPC provides the final approval for revisions made to the terms of reference.

Approved by the SAC on October 25, 2023

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