Archived - Audit of the Food Mail Program - Follow-up Report Status Update as of September 25, 2008
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| PROJECT TITLE AUDIT OF THE FOOD MAIL PROGRAM (200758) ACTION PLAN APPROVAL DATE: 28/06/2008 |
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| PROGRAM NORTHERN AFFAIRS - DEVOLUTION AND TERRITORIAL RELATIONS |
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| PROJECT RECOMMENDATION Governance 1. A formal structured body with specific roles and responsibilities should be created to provide oversight to the Food Mail Program. |
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| STATUS: | ||
| ACTION PLAN | EXPECTED COMPLETION DATE | RESPONSE |
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| Management's Response Agree. Northern Affairs Organisation (NAO) under the recommendation of Devolution and Territorial Relations (DTR) Branch will implement a robust oversight mechanism. |
Winter 2009 | As of 30/09/2008: |
| Actions Subject to the review of the Program and the identification of a way forward, DTR is planning to expand the Food Mail management team. A human resource plan has been created to improve the capabilities of the Food Mail program. The new Food Mail Program team will serve to inform existing departmental processes and systems to ensure oversight. We will also make better use of NAO Management Board. |
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| PROJECT RECOMMENDATION Policy Development and Program Design 2. A review of the Food Mail policy context should be conducted to address issues such as objectives and outcomes, links to other nutrition, food security and health programs and, jurisdictional questions. |
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| STATUS: | ||
| Management's Response Agree. This will be done in conjunction with the Food Mail Program review. |
Fall 2008 | As of 30/09/2008: |
| Actions A review and an evaluation of the program are underway. This work will provide comprehensive information on the development of a revised policy context. |
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| PROJECT RECOMMENDATION Policy Development and Program Design 3. As part of the review process, and on an ongoing basis, a formal communication process with key stakeholders and partners of the Food Mail program should be established to support sharing of information and strategic and operational planning. |
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| STATUS: | ||
| Management's Response Partially Agree. DTR already has a formal mechanism to engage with key stakeholders. However, we agree that we can improve the robustness of our formal communication process, notably by engaging with CPC at a high level (ADM to vice-President of CPC Operations). |
Fall 2008 | As of 30/09/2008: |
| Actions An Ad Hoc DG level working group has been set-up to assist in the work of the review. Further, Health Canada and INAC co-chair an interdepartmental food security reference group (FSRG). The latter is used to share information and strategic and operational planning. The DG DTR will ensure a standing item is included in the FSRG agenda. |
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| PROJECT RECOMMENDATION Policy Development and Program Design 4. Management should prioritize and review key components of the program design including:
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| STATUS: | ||
| Management's Response Agree. This will be done in conjunction with the Food Mail Program review. |
Fall 2008 | As of 30/09/2008: |
| Actions Pending Staffing of new positions by the fall of 2008, Devolution and Territorial Relations will complete this recommendation using the increasing capacity identified in the HR plan. |
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| PROJECT RECOMMENDATION Strategic and Operational Planning 5. Program management should institute an ongoing process encompassing strategic, operational and human resources planning and should seek to ensure that the program has sufficient resources, both human and financial, to meet annual program objectives and commitments. |
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| STATUS: | ||
| Management's Response Agree. We will first review the Program, and then implement a strategic and annual operating plan process. Subject to the review of the Program and the identification of a sustainable way forward, we need to build a more robust Food Mail team. If the status quo model is maintained, we will seek modifications to the A-base according to the government's decision. |
As of 30/09/2008: | |
| Actions DTR will ensure that we follow the Management, Resources, Results Structure policy (MRRS), including developing appropriate strategic planning documentation. |
Winter 2010 | |
| DTR will use in-house and Treasury Board directives to comply on a yearly basis to prepare and approve annual operational plans and budgets | Concurrent with our Report on Plans and Priorities for the spring of 2010. | |
| Management has commenced a HR plan. We will take action to ensure next steps are taken. DTR will also take measures to ensure our strategic planning is aligned with our HR planning | Spring 2009 | |
| PROJECT RECOMMENDATION Performance Measurement 6. While not required, management should consider preparing an RMAF for the Food Mail program to assist in preparing a program profile and logic model, articulating expected results and designing a performance measurement strategy. Planned results at various stages should be identified and should be realistic and measurable. Performance indicators and targets should also be identified. |
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| STATUS: | ||
| Management's Response Agree. We will commence a RMAF during the review and plan to get sign-off during an appropriate Treasury Board submission. |
Fall 2008 | As of 30/09/2008: |
| Actions DTR will use in-house and Treasury Board directives to comply on a yearly basis to this recommendation. We shall comply with the MRSS which includes a Program and Activity Architecture (PAA) and relevant RMAF. |
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| PROJECT RECOMMENDATION Performance Measurement 7. The results of price surveys should be published in a timely manner and the means of communicating results should be reviewed to ensure that it is appropriate to the audience. |
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| STATUS: | ||
| Management's Response Agree. Management has developed a HR plan to reinforce the program's capabilities to ensure we are able to publish in a more timely fashion. |
Winter 2010 | As of 30/09/2008: |
| Actions Since the revised Northern Food Basket has been launched (in February 2008), we have sent the results to retailers and community leaders in all surveyed communities, and will be able to process the surveys and communicate the results in a more timely fashion. We will review the effectiveness of this approach. |
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| PROJECT RECOMMENDATION Strategic and Operational Planning 8. A formal risk profile and assessment of the Food Mail program should be completed by management. |
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| STATUS: | ||
| Management's Response Agree. We will first complete the review and then address capacity to meet this requirement. |
Winter 2010 | As of 30/09/2008: |
| Actions DTR will use in-house and Treasury Board directives to comply on a yearly basis to this recommendation. An appropriate RBAF will be developed. |
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| PROJECT RECOMMENDATION Strategic and Operational Planning 9. The CPC Agreement, including the rate established for Direct Costs charged under the agreement, should be reviewed and assessed by senior management and Legal Services on a regular basis to ensure that it reflects the services expected of CPC. Program management should ensure that audits are undertaken as required and that audit recommendations are implemented in a timely fashion. |
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| STATUS: | ||
| Management's Response Agree. We shall modify the Agreement with CPC concurrently with the review of the Program. A review of CPC's Costs, Revenues and Compliance is underway. The results of previous audits will be assessed during the review. |
Winter 2009 | As of 30/09/2008: |
| Actions We will review the agreement with CPC after the review. Further, we will commence high level yearly meetings between the ADM Northern Affairs program and the Vice-President operations of CPC. We will revise the Agreement following fall recommendations on a way forward with the Program, if it is not possible to have a revised Agreement for Treasury Board approval by September. A preliminary survey of CPC's Costs, Revenues and Compliance procedures has been completed and options are currently being considered. We will pursue further investigation during the summer 08. DTR plans on reviewing entry points such as Val-d'Or. |
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| PROJECT RECOMMENDATION Strategic and Operational Planning 10. The Program Manager should ensure that Food Mail program documents and records are reviewed for possible destruction or entered into CIDM. |
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| STATUS: | ||
| Management's Response Agree. This is part of the on-going management priorities. |
Fall 2009 | As of 30/09/2008: |
| Actions The present Manager will be assigned this duty as a special project prior to his retirement. |
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