Oh, you’re in Procurement…so what do you do exactly?

November 2, 2020

Have you ever told someone you’re a Procurement Professional, and then spent the next 20 minutes explaining what a Procurement Professional does?

Why is it that doctors and lawyers can simply say they’re doctors or lawyers and leave it at that…but as Procurement Professionals we turn ourselves into pretzels trying to justify our reason for existence?

One of the reasons is because the procurement industry, and we ourselves as Procurement Professionals, haven’t done a good job of defining our role in an organization

Remember, if you don’t define your role then somebody else will do it for you

So if your internal clients think your job is to get quotes, cut POs and make sure invoices get paid…those are the only things they’ll want your help with

But if you can articulate and, more importantly, demonstrate your understanding of your organizations competitive market positioning

And how you’re responsible for aligning the supply chain with the organizations goals and objectives

Then getting quotes and cutting POs isn’t who you are, it’s just some of the MANY things you do as a Procurement Professional

No here’s the catch…saying and doing are two very different things

So before you start telling your colleagues about secondary sourcing strategies to mitigate offshore supply chain risk

Or why it’s important to implement formal vendor management and category management programs in your organization

You should also have the skillset to do actually these things

And to help with that, we just launched new Strategic Sourcing Essentials eLearning course I co-developed with my friend and colleague, Mark Morrissey

Mark and I cover 6 modules in the course:

Aligning Strategic Sourcing with corporate goals and objective
Competitive Positioning and Supply Chain Risk
Leading Class Practices
Vendor Management
Negotiation Strategies
Case Study – Process Transformation

You can go through the course at your own pace, and when you’ve completed it and submitted your responses to the final case study, you’ll receive a digital certificate of completion

You’ll also have access to the course for 1 year so you can always go back and review any of the modules or chat with your peers that are also taking the course

And if you’re in a team of 3 or more people, you can take advantage of our corporate rates

2020’s been a tough year and many people didn’t get a chance for any meaningful professional development

Well this is a chance to, not only tick a box on your year-end review, but actually build on your skillset as a procurement professional

For more information you can visit our website

Thanks and hope to see you in the course,

Mohammed

Five Driving Needs – Part 1 – A Framework for Understanding the Energized Brain

October 24, 2020

Your powerfully productive day is the result of an energized brain.

Imagine yourself at the end of a powerfully productive day. You became so immersed in your work you lost all track of time. Every task you checked off increased the buzz. By end of day, the sense of progress was palpable.

What creates a day like that? One could imagine it was sandwiched between two dismally unproductive days. So what changed?

It wasn’t your talents – they don’t change from one day to the next. Neither was it your education, your experience, or skills – they don’t spike from one day to the next. It’s unlikely that gritting your teeth and trying harder contributed a thing.

Consider this possibility: that day was the result of an energized brain. Not raw physical verve and mojo, but what we call intelligent energy – the ability to sustain focus in the midst of distractions, manage your emotions in high stakes situations, process oceans of information, pick out the vital bits of intel and connect the dots in surprising ways.

This article de-mystifies that ever-elusive, powerfully productive day. It doesn’t occur randomly or by chance. There is a pattern:

Your driving needs are fulfilled
Those fulfilled needs energize your brain
That energy endows you with peak performance.

Juices?

Question: what do people mean when they say, “The juices are flowing”?

Answer: Ideas are popping. The volume of ideas, The novelty of those ideas. The usability of those ideas. In short, creativity is getting easy here.

Question: what happens when your phone runs out of juice?

Answer: Brilliant technology – now useless – a paperweight – because it ran out of energy.

Question: what do people mean when they say, “I’ve got the juice to do this now”?

Answer: “I have energy to tackle this.”

The point? Juice is vernacular for energy. You’ve no doubt heard of dopamine – it’s an electro-chemical juice. When it flows – we’re more creative. There are several kinds of juices – each endowing us with a unique functionality. When GABA flows we feel calm. When serotonin flows we feel confident. When oxytocin flows we feel rapport. These juices prime our brains with the connectivity and current that produce peak performance, but they transcend plumbing and electricity by a long shot.

These brain-friendly juices create an emotional state, priming us with feelings of connection, clarity, creativity and confidence. Each juice is a form of intelligent energy that makes our brains smarter and our bodies more vitalized. Juice makes things easier – it shows up in the numbers – and in the work environment.

At Juice, Inc, we have partnered with many leaders to release this intelligent energy in their employees. Here’s what they told us:

Read the full article

By Brady Wilson

Read the next article in our Five Driving Needs Series: Why are Psychological Needs so Biologically Urgent?

Managing Email Overload in Times of COVID

Managing E-Mail Overload – Is Your Schedule Realistic?

Part 2 – Wednesday, October 28 (12pm – 1pm, EST)

Does your inbox make you sweat?

With the majority of the workforce now working from home due to COVID, e-mail traffic is at an all-time high.

In this webinar we will provide you with strategies to help you to organize and prioritize the traffic jam in your inbox while maximizing productivity and purpose while working from home and most importantly – learning how to clear the clutter!

Learn More & Register Here

Plain Language Report Writing for Municipal Council & Community

LIVE WEBINAR

November 4, 2020 12pm – 1pm (EST)

Literacy has significantly changed over this past decade and its meaning has expanded far beyond basic reading and writing skills. In Canada, we have a 99% literacy rate, however, literacy also encompasses the ability to use; language, numbers, images, and technology.

Plain language as we know it, (aka plain English) is a way of writing or presenting information so that readers can understand quickly and easily. Plain language should be easy to read, easy to understand and easy to use. The more concise your messaging, the more likely you will connect with your audience and they will relate and appreciate what you say.

Today, it is more important than ever, that we communicate in plain language. In this webinar we will discuss:

Writing Styles
Why it is important to leave the jargon behind
Boosting writing speeds & shedding bad habits
Tools & Techniques so you don’t kill your content
Understanding rules you should break & rules you shouldn’t
Utilizing report templates to increase time management
Joint Authorship
Understanding Council Expectations
Grammar Tips & Tricks and what to avoid
How mind mapping can get you going & help organize the thought process
Computer Tools: readability stats, fonts & features (ODOA Compliance)
Design Tips

Learn More & Register

The Art of Mindful Storytelling – How Storytelling can level you up as a leader

Toronto VRA Social Event – The Art of Mindful Storytelling – How Storytelling can level you up as a leader

Our Volunteer Regional Ambassadors (VRAs) for 2020-21 are finalized and that the regional (virtual) networking events for Fall 2020 are now open for registration.

Please welcome our VRAs, as they are indeed excited to be back and to have the opportunity to meet you all virtually. Our VRAs have planned these events to ensure that the essence of collaboration and learning is retained even though the events take place virtually.

VRA 2020-201 and Upcoming Regional Networking Events

The Art of Mindful Storytelling – How Storytelling can level you up as a leader

Join the Toronto VRA’s Dorina Vendramin and Wendy Nguyen as they welcome Co-Founder and VP, Admit One Productions & Double J Lifestyle, Jennifer James. Jennifer will teach how storytelling can level YOU up as a leader.

5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – Presentation by Jennifer James
6:30 pm – 6:50 pm – Open Q&A

Tickets:
Members – $10
Non-Members – $15

Date: November 5, 2020

Time: 5:30 p.m.

Location: Zoom Virtual Platform

Learn More & Register Here

Innovation In A Box Virtual Training

Join us for Virtual Innovation Training!

Our online virtual training delivers a structured process with practical tools that will help you enable innovation within your team or organization. In order to innovate successfully, companies need to create a culture of innovation where staff are encouraged to generate and develop ideas.

Attendees will receive:

Online Tools: Access to specialized online resources to support the process

Session Dates:

This Beyond Engagement program is delivered in two 3-hour virtually facilitated sessions:

Session 1: Tuesday November 24th, 2020
8:45am – 9:00am EST: Login & Orientation
9:00am – 12:00pm EST: Beyond Engagement Training

Session 2: Tuesday December 1st, 2020
8:45am – 9:00am EST: Login & Orientation
9:00am – 12:00pm EST: Beyond Engagement Training

“The new virtual training delivers exactly what we have come to expect from the Juice Team – engaging and informative! The virtual training provided a new set of tools that I have been able to implement immediately!”

Learn More and Register Here

Does Insurance Need to be Publicly Tendered?

October 21, 2020

We recently heard about a debate among certain public sector organizations on whether the trade agreements apply to the procurement of insurance. To help clarify things, we decided to answer this question.

In this blog post we only examine whether the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) and the Canada-EU Trade Agreement (CETA) apply as they are trade agreements that apply to most Canadian municipalities. To be 100% sure about whether insurance has to be tendered, municipalities should also check their local rules.

When must a procurement be publicly tendered under CFTA and CETA?

The CFTA and CETA trade agreements apply to Canadian municipalities when:

- The municipality is included in the trade agreement
- The good or service is included in the trade agreement
- The dollar value of the final contract is:
  o 105,700 or greater for goods or services and 264,200 or greater for construction (CFTA)
  o 366,200 for goods/services and 9,100,000 for construction (CETA)

Must the purchase of insurance be publicly tendered under CFTA and CETA?

No. Insurance is not subject to either CFTA or CETA as of the date of this blog post.

CFTA, at Chapter 13, defines the term “financial service” to include a variety of financial services, including insurance. The CFTA, Article 504(11)(h), stipulates that the procuring of a “financial service” is exempted where it is in respect of managing government financial assets and liabilities, including any ancillary and information services. Since insurance is a tool used to manage public assets and liabilities, it is therefore exempted from the application of the CFTA.

CETA applies only to the specific services listed in Annex 19-5. Services are denoted by their Central Product Classification (CPC) code. The CPC codes for insurance and insurance services are not listed in Annex 19-5. As such, insurance is not captured by the CETA.

Regional Note for Western Canada Municipalities — Although CFTA and CETA exempt insurance and related services, entities in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC may be under an obligation to tender their insurance requirements under the regional New West Trade Partnership Agreement (NWTPA), which does not explicitly exempt financial services. To be sure, we recommend municipalities consult with their legal counsel or a procurement professional.

Are the ancillary services, such as brokerage and insurance advisory services also exempt?

Yes, services ancillary to insurance are excluded.

Under CFTA, the services provided by insurance brokers, which are by their very nature services ancillary to insurance, are exempted.

As for CETA, the omission of the CPC codes for insurance and related services is sufficient to conclude that brokerage services are excluded from CETA.

Even if insurance exempted from the public tendering requirements, should municipalities tender their insurance requirements?

We think so, particularly if the municipality has never put its insurance requirements out to tender before.

In our experience, all brokers are not created equal. Some are well equipped to provide insurance and risk advisory services while others, not so much.

Municipalities are best served by brokers with experience in the municipal sector who are well-positioned to advise municipalities on available insurance products and who are well positioned to find the best coverage possible for given risks. Tendering your insurance requirements using a RFP that, among other things, evaluates broker capacity and experience, that qualitatively ensures you’re accessing the best brokers and advisors, is a great way to ensure the municipality is getting the best advice and value available for the dollars spent. Tendering may take a bit more upfront time and effort but the dividends should pay off in the long term.

Lise Patry is a business and public procurement lawyer working out of Ottawa. She co-founded LXM LAW LLP in 2020 to help municipalities with their procurement and contracting legal needs. LXM LAW’s team includes both experienced municipal procurement consultants and lawyers. Lise can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 613-601-6333. (Special thanks to Daniel Ebady, articling student, for his assistance with this blog post.)

Readers are cautioned not to rely upon this article as legal advice nor as an exhaustive discussion of the topic or case. For any particular legal problem, seek advice directly from your lawyer or in-house counsel. All dates, contact information and website addresses were current at the time of original publication.

The Art of Strategic Planning for Rural Municipalities

Acquire the skills needed to develop a comprehensive Strategic Plan that will provide guidance and direction.

Overview

Strategic planning is the process of establishing and documenting a direction for your organization by assessing both where you are and where you want to go. It involves analyzing the organization, setting realistic goals and objectives, creating a plan of action, and establishing metrics to determine whether you have achieved your goals and objectives.

In this workshop you will learn a powerful but easy-to-apply methodology that will help you form a solid foundation for your strategic planning success.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this 2-day workshop you will be able to:

Conduct a Situational Analysis
Identify Key Priorities
Formulate Goals and Objectives
Create a Plan of Action
Set Key Performance Indicators
Execute and Monitor Strategic Plan

Date/Time

Monday, November 9, 2020 from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm EST

AND

Tuesday, November 10, 2020 from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm EST

Provided by: TRAICON

Learn more and Register Here

Hiring in the time of COVID-19. Part 1

October 15, 2020

I found myself in a very strange situation for the first time in 25-years of doing this thing we call, “search”. Suddenly I had candidates, and I had a search committee, but the two were separated by both distance and the mandate to stay home. The option to fly out to meet with my search committee and just have the candidates come to us was not the right option for these new and challenging COVID times – so what was the right option?

I have always been keen to find creative ways to achieve success for the clients and candidates I have served and supported over the years, and this new reality would be no different. It was simply about meeting the goals of the client by finding them a new CAO in a timely manner, and meeting the needs of the candidate by finding them a new and challenging role, but keeping them both safe in the process. Like many, I turned to the use of technology to create a virtual option for the personable aspects of the executive search process.

Here a few lessons learned that might help those who are looking to do the same:

1. Maximize the use of online tools that are available. With the use of video conferencing apps and platforms like FaceTime or Zoom, you can host a ‘face to face’ meeting with your search committee, and conduct interviews, right from the comfort of your home office. Choose a platform that will provide you with a variety of options to enhance your interview process such as dial-in audio to help maximize internet bandwidth, multiple video participants, a chat feature, and the ability to send quick links so others can easily join your online meeting.

2. Be flexible and adaptable. While technology can be incredibly useful, it can also be incredibly unpredictable. Remember to be flexible and adaptable when links to the video conference platform don’t work for candidates, or when the internet connection becomes unstable and someone freezes. Such issues may even mean re-scheduling an interview at the last minutes to allow time to troubleshoot issues. Try to remain patient in these moments and put everyone in the interview at ease.

3. Remember to smile. Remember to be personable during an online interview by using engaging in body language that encourages discussion and puts people at ease. While the virtual environment feels a little less formal, realize that the stakes are high for both the client and the candidate and both parties may be nervous. Offer a smile to re

4. Ease people into the online environment. Provide an opportunity for your candidates to familiarize themselves with using the online platform or app to participate in an interview process. Set up a time to test the technology and their equipment so they can get used to the environment. Ask them a few prep questions while you’re online together and assess how they might answer a question. Coach candidates with tips about looking at the camera when they talk and how to best use a microphone and headphones. This will also help you become comfortable with the online setting as well.

5. Minimize distractions. I tend to forget that my taste in art isn’t necessarily the same as everyone. There is one canvas in particular that hangs behind me on the wall in my home office that might easily distract someone during an interview Knowing this, I will take it down before I login to FaceTime or Zoom to ensure that it does not distract others during an interview, nor become the point of focus. Be aware of what others may be seeing in your background and minimize distractions as much as possible.

These five elements, when combined with the use of technology, maintained the personable aspects of the interview process even though we were engaging in a virtual environment. In Part 2, I’ll elaborate more on how technology can be effectively used in other aspects of an executive search to ensure a timely and successful hire of leadership talent.

Philip JW Smith is President of Smith Search.

Municipal Procurement Goes International!

October 6, 2020

In 2017, the introduction of the Canada EU Trade Agreement (CETA) suddenly shined a new spotlight on municipal procurement, thrusting it onto the international stage. For the first time ever, municipalities were forced to open up procurement opportunities to international suppliers. Almost concurrently, Canada updated its domestic trade agreement, the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), modeled on the CETA. Together, these agreements represent a major paradigm shift for municipal procurement, with some notable impacts as discussed below.

Trade Agreements Regulate Municipal Procurement. Before 2017, Canadian municipalities were generally expected to adopt procurement rules ensuring openness, fairness and value for money. The impact of the new 2017 trade agreements was that, for the first time, municipalities were now required to comply with detailed procurement processes and procedures. The trade agreements cover a full range of new requirements including:
• posting tender notices online
• specific information to include in tender notices
• permitted types of procurements (e.g. open, direct)
• how to handle receipt of bids
• the do’s and don’ts of drafting solicitation documents
• the award of contracts
• posting notices of contract awards and
• bidder barring rules.

Increased Liability Exposure – New supplier rights and remedies. Before 2017, it was almost impossible for disgruntled suppliers to complain about trade agreement violations under Canada’s national trade agreement. The 2017 agreements have introduced new rights and remedies for suppliers, including the rights to:
• a debriefing when they are unsuccessful in a procurement process;
• file a complaint that now must be addressed by the procuring entity – can’t be ignored;
• to submit legal challenges to a federal/provincial/territorial bid dispute panel.

Single Portal Access to all Canadian procurement opportunities. Currently municipalities use all sorts of online portals to publish their opportunities, making access to contract opportunities challenging for suppliers. In the 2017 agreements, the federal government committed to establishing a single online portal by 2022 so that suppliers have one point of entry for all Canadian contract opportunities. Once implemented, this portal will undoubtedly expose municipal procurements to an exponentially greater number of suppliers, further shining the light on municipal procurement practices.

The Municipal Procurement Experience Under CFTA/CETA After 3 Years
It’s hard to conclude the trade agreements had a major impact on municipalities. While anecdotal evidence suggests municipalities have shored up procurement bylaws, policies and procedures, we’ve seen few challenges to municipal procurements under the new trade agreements. This could suggest the supplier community is not paying close attention to the changed landscape and that perhaps it hasn’t caught on to new supplier rights and remedies. And what about Canada’s promised single access portal by 2022? It appears the federal government is working on it. A 2018 Ernst & Young LLP/SAP press release announcing a contract award to develop the portal stated: Provincial and municipal organizations will… be offered an option to use this new platform to streamline their procurement processes … while engaging with more than 183,000 government suppliers. (That’s a lot of suppliers!)

What does the future hold?
The future is now for municipal procurement. We suggest it won’t be long before the seismic shift of the trade agreements is felt. It’s just a matter of time before suppliers gain a better understanding of their rights and remedies under the trade agreements and hold municipalities accountable for compliance. Once the federal portal is implemented, we expect a slew of new suppliers (national and international) will foray onto the municipal procurement stage. There’s still time. If the seismic shift is coming as we suggest, there’s no better time than now for municipalities to get their procurement house in order.

Lise Patry co-founded LXM LAW LLP in 2020 to help municipalities with their procurement needs. LXM LAW’s team includes both experienced municipal procurement consultants and lawyers. Lise can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 613-601-6333.

We connect municipalities and the businesses that serve them.

Tag Archives: Chief Administrative Officer