Michael Asner

 

• Wanted: more scandals – This one-page opinion piece argues that procurement reform depends, not on the best efforts of procurement people, but on highly visible scandals. 
• A Guide to Public Procurement for Elected Officials and Public Sector Managers
• BC Hydro fires ‘fairness’ watchdog
  
  

• We need some help. Please send us articles, reports and news you would like included here.. Thank you. Michael Asner michael@rfpmentor.com

• Looking through a dirty window – How vendors can determine if an RFP is rigged. 
• Moving Away from Scandal-Driven Procurement Reform – The impact of recent scandals on procurement reform.
  
• New Trends in Procurement and the RFP Process: Why can't I just buy what I want from whomever I want?
• Some thoughts about unduly restrictive specifications and their impact on fair, open and transparent competition
• Training the newly elected politician (about public procurement)
• A test for fairness and transparency in public procurement
• Lawyers, Expert Witnesses, and Fair and Open Competition
• Sole Sourcing is an offense to public policy
  
• A Leader's Guide to Ethical Public Procurement

If you act as an independent Fairness Officer, let me know. Also, we need  some help. Please send us any material you would like included on this site.  Thank you. Michael Asner   michael@rfpmentor.com

Dennis Chamberland

• Setting the framework: Considerations for fairness experts – Discusses the ideal fairness commissioners and some current issues.
•  The role of "fairness" commissioner needs a boost
• Fairness – Final Report
  

Howard Grant

• In all fairness . . . . Extracting optimum value from the “fairness” role – Discussion of the roles of fairness advisors, monitors and auditors.
  

All other authors

OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

• Public Procurement Review and Remedies Systems in the European Union (How complaints are handled)
  Published 2007, OECD Papers , vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 87-196
  
• Draft Checklist for Enhancing Integrity in Public Procurement
  Published 2007, OECD Papers , vol. 7, no. 7, pp. 58-93
  

Canada

 

• Canada’s New Government Introduces New Measures to Enhance Fairness, and Transparency in Government
  
• Okanagan Lake Bridge Project, Report of the Fairness Auditor on the Procurement Process. 
• RFP Fairness Review - This report presents the findings and conclusions of the Fairness Commissioner for the Request for Proposals process for the acquisition of 300 MW of Renewable Energy Supply (RES) for the province. 
• INDEPENDENT ELECTRICITY SYSTEM OPERATOR, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE PROVISION AND OPERATION OF THE METER DATA MANAGEMENT/REPOSITORY FAIRNESS REVIEW 
• Fairness monitoring . . . the past, present and future. 
• (City of) Toronto Staff Report, Feasibility of Using Fairness Consultants for Certain Procurements – And excellent report on ‘when’ and ‘how’.
  
• Office of the Procurement Ombudsman (federal)
• An Excellent Checklist of Information to be Released Under FOI
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• The Role of Elected Officials in Public Procurement (Toronto Inquiry)

U.S.A.

• FAA CONTRACTING OFFICER INDICTED IN PROCUREMENT FRAUD CONSPIRACY

Australia

• Australia Department of Finance - Guidance on Ethics and Probity in Government Procurement - January 2005 
• ENSURING OPENNESS AND PROBITY IN VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS. A POLICY STATEMENT. 11 October 2000 
• Fairness and Transparency in Purchasing Decisions, Probity in Australian Government Procurement 
• Procurement Fairness Planning Explained
• Probity Plan Template – A cookie cutter approach to planning for fair and open competition
  
  
  

  
  

   

  Sense and Senseless in Procurement Land

  (seemingly and, possibly, somewhat humorous events)

   

• Encyclopedia of Ethical Failure - The Encyclopedia is published by the Department of Defense and it summarizes "real examples of Federal employees who have intentionally or unwittingly violated the standards of conduct". While the entire publication is 110 pages long, only a small number of cases involve procurement; and few involve procurement officials. We have extracted and reprinted (without editing) many of the procurement cases in Issue 54 of The RFP Report.
  
• Red Tape Sours Bakers – This article describes the plight of a public agency in California that issued an RFP
  “If red tape were edible, the folks over at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority would be feasting in style. Awhile back, the authority put out a bid for the estimated $2,000 worth of cakes and pastries it serves up at office parties every year.”
  
  Click here to read the article from the San Jose Mercury News.
  
  Click here to read the article from the San Francisco Chronicle.
  
  Click here to see the 33-page RFP

 

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OUR PROCUREMENT CONSULTING SERVICES

Need some help?? Our clients are all over North America and include government agencies, counties, city governments, states and provinces.

Recent consulting assignments have included:

1. Review of procurement policies & procedures in a government agency;

2. Expert witness in litigation related to 'fair and open competition';

3. RFP Gatekeeper - ensuring that all RFPs comply with policy and incorporate best practices before they are issued;

4. Review of a county's procurement function for effectiveness;

5. Fairness Officer on a RFP project to develop and implement major new software.

To discuss your requirements and to learn more about our services, contact Michael Asner      604.530-7881     michael@rfpmentor.com

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