SSC has identified five areas of work with the ICT sector: 1) establishing a quarterly IT Infrastructure Roundtable for consultation, 2) developing a Government of Canada Architecture Framework, 3) exploring models to support innovative Canadian enterprises, 4) adopting procurement benchmarks, and 5) outlining its views on appropriate sourcing models by April 2013. The areas of work are aimed at transforming government IT infrastructure while building a long-term, substantive relationship with the ICT sector.

1. Moving Forward:
SSC ICT Sector Engagement Process
Context
Following a series of consultations with associations in the information and
communications technology (ICT) sector, Shared Services Canada (SSC) has identified
five possible areas for further work. SSC believes that these areas of work will help the
department achieve its transformation objectives for the Government of Canada’s
information technology (IT) infrastructure, while also addressing items of interest from
an ICT sector perspective. SSC wants to ensure that it develops a long term
relationship with the ICT sector that is substantive and sustainable.
Clear outcomes for some of these areas of work have been proposed. In other cases,
SSC needs to further explore how to best move forward. SSC has sought feedback
from all associations that participated in the consultation process on these areas of work
and the proposed approach for moving forward has been endorsed.
SSC has received preliminary feedback from other government departments on the
discussions that it held with associations. The input from associations is consistent with
the type of commentary that other departments have heard from the ICT sector in
recent years. SSC’s discussions with associations represent a specific point in time and
do not necessarily reflect steps that have been taken in other departments to address
process gaps or other problem areas. In particular, PWGSC feels that there may be a
lag between some association views and initiatives that PWGSC has recently
introduced to improve the procurement process.
SSC will continue to be driven by its guiding principles (see below) that were developed
at the outset of this engagement process.
• Fairness, transparency, inclusiveness and integrity are the foundation of our value
system.
• Market-based competition is the best vehicle to deliver the most efficient, effective
and highest value solutions.
• The current federal government policy framework governs our execution.
• Portfolio and individual project risk will be managed at all times.
• Our horizon is biased towards the future.
• Leading edge innovation will be an important determinant in assessing alternative
solutions.

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Areas of Work
A. IT Infrastructure Roundtable
An early, open and ongoing consultation between the Government of Canada and the
ICT sector has been identified as key to a “win-win” relationship. Historically, the
Government of Canada has tended to engage industry after decisions were made.
However, meaningful consultations and open dialogue have shown to be more effective
if they occur early in the process in order to affect or influence an outcome.
SSC places a high premium on outside advice as a touchstone for validating
approaches and providing guidance on complex issues. SSC also needs to be able to
keep pace with the best industry solutions while achieving value for money, sound
stewardship, innovation and service excellence. Trying to strike that balance and
deliver through new and different sourcing approaches can be challenging.
To support ongoing substantive consultation, SSC will establish a quarterly mechanism
for dialogue with the ICT sector – the IT Infrastructure Roundtable (ITIR). Leading
technology innovators will form an important component of ITIR’s membership.
The purpose of this consultative body will be to discuss the long term IT transformation
agenda for the Government of Canada; emerging technologies in the marketplace; first
use technologies; provide progress reports on other key initiatives within government
(e.g., Canadian Innovation Commercialization Program); and future directions for
innovation.
B. Government of Canada Architecture Framework
SSC agrees with the feedback from the ICT sector that reference architectures are a
best practice tool in managing technology diversity while promoting interoperability,
standardization and cost management. Additionally, SSC in cooperation with its
government partners (Communications Security Establishment Canada and Treasury
Board of Canada Secretariat), needs a modern information security architecture to
underpin our forward work on cyber security.
Moving forward, SSC proposes to work with the sector, and in partnership with the
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, to establish a Government of Canada
Architecture Framework with layered domains for security, data, applications and
technologies (e.g., platforms, networks and middleware). The Framework would be
reviewed annually and its inaugural publication would be targeted for April 2013. The
specific vehicle to accomplish this work could take the form of a Government of
Canada / ICT sector working group that would:
a. identify best practices in establishing and adopting reference architectures and
standards in the ICT industry in Canada while encouraging compliance; and

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b. identify and encourage adoption of technical standards, as well as the appropriate
use and development of product-based reference architectures that support
standardization and interoperability while simultaneously encouraging innovation
and competition.
It will be important to strike the right balance in the development of a Government of
Canada Architecture Framework. The Framework will need to have sufficient precision
to be a useful reference tool while not unintentionally limiting innovative solutions as a
result of being overly prescriptive.
C. Supporting Innovative Canadian Enterprises
SSC has a keen interest in spurring innovation so that it can access the best
technologies available to meet its transformation needs while ensuring value for money
and service excellence. In particular, SSC would like to create a forum to further
examine the procurement limitations faced by Canadian ICT companies developing
intellectual property. SSC believes that the significance of the economic value that is
created as a result of these solutions has not always been well understood within
government.
As a new federal organization with a mandate in the IT field, SSC has a unique
opportunity to lead a dialogue on supporting Canadian enterprises, and in particular
small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, there are other measures
within the Government of Canada that will also contribute to addressing these issues.
Economic Action Plan 2012 announced a number of initiatives in support of innovation.
• Support innovation through procurement by connecting SMEs with federal
departments and agencies to build their capacity to compete in the marketplace.
• Refocus the National Research Council on demand-driven business oriented
research that will help Canadian businesses develop innovative products and
services.
• Further explore recommendations from the Jenkins Expert Panel, in particular
options to consolidate the suite of programs that supports business innovation to
make it easier for businesses to access government support and improve efficiency.
• An additional $95 million over three years, starting in 2013–14, and $40 million per
year thereafter to make the Canadian Innovation Commercialization Program
permanent and to add a military procurement component.
SSC proposes to work with its federal counterparts to explore possible models for
advancing a dialogue on the procurement limitations faced by Canadian ICT companies
developing intellectual property.

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D. Procurement Benchmarks
SSC agrees that there is room for improvement with respect to the execution of
government-wide procurement and that business outcomes need to drive procurement
activity. SSC will adopt best practices with respect to focusing on outcomes and
avoiding over-prescriptive specifications, as well as fairness monitors for large Request
for Proposals’.
Timely and effective procurement processes are a critical component of SSC’s
transformation journey and are also important to the ICT sector. Lengthy, protracted
and litigious process is costly and harmful for both business and government.
SSC will consider adopting a performance benchmark which stipulates that all
procurements need to be completed in a given period of time (e.g., less than twelve
months). In cases where a contracting process is likely to exceed the twelve month
period, the cause for delay will be examined and SSC will cancel the process if the
cause cannot be addressed and the contract awarded in reasonable timeframes. As it
moves forward, SSC will explore other potential performance benchmarks for
procurement to ensure it is less costly and faster for all parties.
E. “Right” Sourcing
As part of its ICT sector consultations, SSC asked for feedback on sourcing models.
SSC agrees that it will be important to articulate the department’s views on “right”
sourcing for the Government of Canada’s IT infrastructure services. By April 2013, SSC
commits that it will provide declarative statements on the sourcing models it will pursue
for email, data centres and telecommunications. Specifically, the department will outline
the components of its IT infrastructure services that could potentially be considered for
outsourcing and will also outline those components that will be managed directly within
the Government of Canada.
SSC believes that this type of information will help the ICT sector to better position itself
and plan for potential opportunities to work with the department. This approach also
provides SSC with the ability to better work with its current employees and those of the
future.