Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic has raised serious concerns about the integrity of federal procurement practices, alleging that insiders are exploiting the system to reward preferred contractors, says Blacklock's Reporter.Speaking before the Commons government operations committee, Jeglic emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive reevaluation of federal procurement processes."I think there needs to be significant rethinking as to how federal procurement is done," Jeglic stated, underscoring the necessity for immediate action. "We really need to reconsider federal procurement in its totality."Expressing a sense of urgency, Jeglic warned against superficial solutions, asserting, "I am fearful if I don’t start acting in a more aggressive manner, significant changes will not come."Jeglic's remarks follow the release of an April 15 report titled Procurement Practice Review Of Contracts Awarded To McKinsey & Company, which uncovered instances of bidding rules being manipulated to favour McKinsey & Company. Jeglic testified that there was apparent favoritism towards McKinsey in several cases.When questioned about the presence of fraud, corruption, or political interference in the contracts, Jeglic indicated that his investigations did not uncover such misconduct.Bloc Québécois MP Julie Vignola echoed concerns about systemic issues within federal procurement, citing numerous audits that have identified irregularities. Vignola questioned whether the problems extended to influence peddling, collusion, or deficiencies in staff training.Responding to Vignola's concerns, Jeglic acknowledged the widespread nature of the problems, stating, "People are using the system in ways it shouldn’t be used." He proposed the appointment of a chief procurement officer to oversee contracting, currently managed by the Department of Public Works, as a potential solution.Conservative MP Larry Brock expressed outrage over costly irregularities in contracting and demanded accountability for those responsible. Meanwhile, Liberal MP Parm Bains suggested that personal relationships may be influencing procurement decisions, highlighting the need for greater transparency and oversight.
