Building Equity to Achieve the City We Aspire to be
Something needs to change so we can build #OurBestOttawa.
The change Campaign
CHALLENGE
Ottawa 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 processes prioritize proposals by cost. This results in lower-quality infrastructure with greater repair and maintenance needs over time.
The city’s procurement process is also unnecessarily burdensome for applicants, with extensive up-front requirements that can be challenging for smaller firms to meet. This system excludes small and locally-based firms that can bring innovative ideas to city projects. These stringent processes place unnecessary limits on the creativity of proposals considered by the city.
TARGET AUDIENCE
We need to grow a coalition of citizens looking for change and reach elected City officials and their staff within the City of Ottawa and its agencies.
OUTCOME
We need to shed light on how the current process is broken and its impact on the public interest, climate change, value, quality, small businesses and the construction industry.
OBJECTIVE
There are four key objectives
- Adopt a Qualifications Based Selection process 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.
- Encourage the City to 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
- Encourage the City to adopt an overarching policy on architecture, creating a leadership role for built environment policy that befits the capital of a G7 country and creates a role model for excellence in placemaking, people-centric design.
SUPPORTERS
We have been frustrated by these processes and are looking to you, concerned citizens, to help reach the targeted audiences who can effect change. Do you want to help contribute to the voice that can help make this #OurBestOttawa?
We'd love your support to help get the attention this matter truly needs.
This movement is being led by a coalition of Ottawa-based architecture, engineering, landscape architecture and construction firms who believe that better procurement practices will lead to a better city. Contact us below to get involved and find out more.
We need your support. If you are interested in letting Council know about your concerns about our procurement processes, please download this letter, fill it in, and send it to your Councillor and the Mayor.
Please fill out the form below and we will add you to our mailing list so you can be part of the conversation.
PROCUREMENT NEWS
"RESEARCH SHOWS THAT A CLIENT'S NEEDS ARE BEST MET WHEN THE "BEST SUITED" CONSULTANT IS SELECTED BY VIRTUE OF ITS QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE TO DELIVER A QUALITY PRODUCT". Federation of CDN Municipalities.
For more articles on this very important topic please feel free to read more here:
Learn More about Quality-Based Selection
OAA - Qualifications-Based Selection is the Global Procurement Standard for Architecture Services
Why won't Toronto strive for great public buildings? (2022)
RAIC - Qualification Based Selection
Why Design Competitions Matter - Alex Bozikovic (2022)
How to Build a Great Library - Ottawa needs to take a lesson from Calgary (2018)
Don't Do Spec Work (Video) - #SayNoToSpec
Building social equity (Nov 2020)
State of the Nation: Ontario (July 2019)
Broken procurement is a threat to the public interest (Nov 2019)
Let's talk procurement (June 2019)
York Plaza could be a great civic square (Sep 2018)
Are we doomed to a future of mediocre buildings? (June 2018)
The problem with P3 mediocre buildings (April 2018)
Architect Allan Teramura on the importance of Indigenous solutions (Mar 2018)
How governments should hire architects (Nov 2017)
Why not skate – or paddle – to a new central library? (Jan 2017)
Federation of CDN Municipalities Infraguide on Selecting a Professional Consultant
How can Ottawa decrease its tolerance for crap? (April 12)
Dreessen: City of Ottawa must be more creative about public spaces (April 27)
ARMCHAIR MAYOR: York Plaza could be a great civic square(Sept 18 2018)
The Reform Procurement Campaign Interview
Op-ed: Could Ottawa’s ‘night mayor’ spark a desire to design a city for people? (May 25 2023)
Time To Clean Up Procurement (May 17 2023)
The Cheapest Price Shouldn't be Mistaken for the Best (May 11 2023)
A city architect would improve Ottawa’s vision (April 11 2023)