Canada’s Office of the Procurement Ombud discussed closing federal procurement gaps through a government-wide vendor performance management system during its second Procurement Solutions Forum on Feb. 17.
OPO stated Monday that the event focused on one of the five foundational changes prioritized in its July 2025 report to improve fairness and accountability across federal contracting.
What Did the Forum Examine?
The session brought together senior members of the federal procurement community to discuss the potential creation of the VPM system. According to OPO, the objective was to explore how such a framework could address longstanding systemic issues in federal procurement.
Panelists, including City of Ottawa Chief Procurement Officer Joanne Graham and a Metrolinx representative, shared their organizations’ experiences implementing vendor performance frameworks. They described how structured performance evaluations can support accountability, reduce contracting risk and help ensure value for taxpayers.
Speakers identified several factors that contribute to a functioning VPM program, including consistent application of performance criteria, strong documentation practices, accurate data and training for officials responsible for contract oversight.
Why Is a Federal Approach Being Considered?
Federal participants noted that the absence of a consistent, government-wide VPM system limits the use of supplier performance information in future contracting decisions. Without reliable performance data shared across departments, officials face constraints in holding underperforming vendors accountable or recognizing strong performance.
Procurement Ombud Alexander Jeglic said the lack of a federal VPM system remains a significant gap in Canada’s procurement framework and called for tools that properly incentivize contract performance and safeguard public funds. He added that lessons from jurisdictions with existing systems can inform the development of a federal model that promotes fairness and transparency.
OPO said it will continue advancing discussions on procurement modernization and plans additional forums to address the remaining foundational changes identified in its 2025 report, including developing a universally applicable set of federal procurement rules, using artificial intelligence to modernize procurement tools and processes, and creating a government‑wide framework for procurement data collection to increase transparency.