Ottawa’s citizens have a vision for our city – one that is inspired by our role as the nation's capital and as a growing city, home to more than a million people. To achieve our goal of being our best Ottawa – a place that is inspiring, inclusive, and accessible – we need a procurement system that supports our goals, creates a fair place to do business, and delivers services to achieve our aspirations.

Ottawa is long over-due for a modernization of its procurement process for professional architectural and engineering services. The city spends enormous amounts of time and money on procurement, purchasing more than $1 billion worth of goods, services, and construction annually. However, that money is not always used as effectively as possible.

Today’s procurement process prioritizes proposals by cost, often resulting in the minimum acceptable quality with greater repair and maintenance needs over time. The city’s procurement applies arbitrary minimum thresholds and requirements that can be challenging for smaller firms to meet. The city’s emphasis on low fees as an indicator of savings makes it challenging for firms to pay employees competitive wages or put in the hours on city projects taxpayers expect for their investment in public infrastructure.

This city needs memorable, sustainable, accessible, and equitable public spaces and buildings, and this requires good quality, professional design input. To achieve this, we must start with a modernized process of commissioning projects in the public interest. Help us show the city council that Ottawa is tired of their current procurement process. Sign our petition now!

We the undersigned, petition Ottawa City Council to modernize municipal procurement by acting on the following recommendations:

·        Include the City of Ottawa’s procurement by-law (2000-50) on the Emergency Preparedness and Protective Service’s by-law review work plan for this term of council to conduct a review of the effectiveness of the city’s procurement policy and amend the procurement by-law as required.

·        Adopt a qualifications Based Selection process (a policy already approved by city council in 2004) that bases procurement decisions on knowledge, skill and talent while encouraging local firms, emerging talent and diverse experience to contribute to creating a vibrant and dynamic city.

·        Adopt two-phase submissions and evaluations that can include some limited design competitions, creating a venue for design explorations, public and social engagement, demonstration of talent and skill, combined with a QBS process of fair procurement.

·        Hire a City Architect, following on examples from other Canadian cities and large organizations, to promote design excellence, foster a design culture for people-centered design outcomes, lead procurement reform and advise Council on decisions in the built environment.

·        Adopt an overarching municipal policy on architecture that befits the capital of a G7 country and positions Ottawa as a national role model in placemaking, people-centric design.