PACP Committee News Release
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Standing Committee on Public Accounts |
HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES OTTAWA, CANADA K1A 0A6 |
Comité permanent des comptes publics |
For immediate release
NEWS RELEASE
Urgent Acquisitions No Excuse for Sloppy Procedures
Ottawa, October 25, 2010 -
The Department of National Defence should not use the urgent need to acquire military equipment for use in Afghanistan as an excuse to be sloppy with respect to procedures, according to a report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts presented to the House of Commons today.
The Committee report comes after a full study of the Fall 2009 Auditor General report that examined procurement of military vehicles for use in Afghanistan.
The audit found that while the vehicles met operational needs, the acquisition of the vehicles did not conform to appropriate procedures. Required documents were not prepared, were deficient, or were prepared after the fact. In addition, National Defence did not disclose important information to the Treasury Board Secretariat during the approval process.
While the Public Accounts Committee acknowledges the urgent nature of the acquisitions, it is concerned that National Defence did not have a process in place to manage urgent acquisitions, and did not fully inform Treasury Board ministers about the costs associated with vehicle purchases.
The Committee recommends that National Defence develop a process to manage urgent acquisitions, that Public Works and Government Services Canada and Treasury Board Secretariat develop criteria and guidelines for urgent acquisitions, and that National Defence properly document key decisions.
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