Debates of October 14, 2005 (day 10)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the honourable Minister of Public Works and Services with regard to the procurement practices of our government. Recently in Fort Simpson, the PWS leased some office space locally, and I am here to say that I don’t think it was done properly in following a proper procurement process. There were no tenders put in the newspapers or asking the general public to bid on the contracts, Mr. Speaker. So I would like to ask the Minister today, what is the procurement process when you are looking for office spaces in our regions and communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 115-15(4): GNWT Office Space Procurement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of practices put in place about how we procure supplies or lease office space in communities. We put out a public request for proposals or a tender on facilities and rate them through the proposals that are received. The others would be in the communities themselves where we know there isn’t adequate space available; if there was only one supplier available, we would go directly to that supplier and have an arrangement made with them. It’s almost case by case because, for example, for office space, there are standards that have to be met that we would look at if we decided to go out for a public offering. In the case in the Member’s community, I believe the example he is looking at is one where we have gone directly to a supplier in that community for space that was available.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 115-15(4): GNWT Office Space Procurement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister is absolutely correct and that is what the government chose to do. They went directly to one owner, one building in the community when there is another business that offers office space. What happens is you have two providers for the service and our procurement policy, Mr. Speaker, is we offer the opportunity to everybody for goods and services that we need. In this case, it didn’t happen, and I would like to ask the Minister why.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 115-15(4): GNWT Office Space Procurement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the community the Member is speaking about, there was a search done to see what would have been available in that community for these offices that we are looking for. One of the conditions we have is it has to meet a certain standard. The other business the Member is referring to did not, from what I am being informed, have the adequate space available to meet what was being requested. It was on that basis that we made the decision to proceed with doing a sole source to one company.

I am prepared to sit with the Member and go over this file if he feels we were not provided accurate information on what was available in his community. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 115-15(4): GNWT Office Space Procurement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With respect to the procurement of office space in Fort Simpson, that’s exactly what has happened, Mr. Speaker. There was no opportunity given to this other provider. He’s got office space. It’s a prefabricated building, which is like a trailer. One of the reasons he was given, Mr. Speaker, is because it’s a trailer-type office space and the government says they don’t even consider that. If I asked a written question today to ask the government to list all the trailers that we do rent throughout the NWT, I am sure it’ going to be there. This reason is not acceptable. As well, can the Minister tell me in what process do we disregard a tender or public proposal call for sole source or negotiations only? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 115-15(4): GNWT Office Space Procurement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, it’s a case-by-case review of what we are looking for. In this case, we were looking for office space. We are familiar with the community and went to the department with our own staff there on the ground in the community and did an assessment of what is available in that community and if it would meet the requirements for that particular office space. We were informed that there was only one suitable location available to us. On that basis, we made a decision to go to a sole source process. So it’s case by case. If there are other opportunities out there, if you are aware of other adequate building spaces, then we would use an RFP process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 115-15(4): GNWT Office Space Procurement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In this case, it appears there is a wrong here, and the wrong is that our protocol wasn’t followed, Mr. Speaker. In fact, I think our policies dictate that it’s Cabinet that determines to authorize negotiations. In this case, it’s apparent that regional staff or administration decided who gets the contract and who doesn’t. I don’t think our government should be able to do that. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister who authorized the sole source negotiations on this file? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 115-15(4): GNWT Office Space Procurement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of procurement policies that we do have within the government: sole source is one of them, negotiated contracts is another, and public tender process is the one we use most commonly. In this case, it wasn’t the staff on the ground in the community who made that decision. They provided the information to headquarters here and, from that information, it was brought forward to me that they were proceeding to make that decision based on the information that they had in hand. That decision could be made here in headquarters and that is where it was made, not at the regional office. Thank you.