The federal government is seeking a contractor to create an “inventory” of black people and other racial minorities it can shuffle into deputy minister and assistant deputy minister positions.
A request for proposal on the federal government’s procurement and tendering website lists the proposed contract’s objective as being “to establish and maintain on an ongoing basis an inventory of qualified and interested black people and other racialized groups, indigenous people, as well as persons with disabilities, from outside the federal public service for the Government of Canada to consider for the Deputy Minister and Assistant Deputy Minister cadre.”
The program is officially titled “Inventory of potential candidates representing employment equity groups for the Deputy Minister and Assistant Deputy Minister cadre.”
The contract is being pursued by the Privy Council Office, the bureaucratic department that works to support the Prime Minister’s Office.
The contract requires prospective service providers to “identify candidates who reflect Canada’s diversity” and update the database at least every two months.
The request for proposal doesn’t spell out a value for the contract. However, an attached “basis of payment” form indicates money will be paid as a fixed rate, and also on a “per appointment” basis referring to the number of people appointed under the program.
The request for proposal says the bureaucracy is “stronger” when it’s more diverse.
“The Federal Public Service is stronger and most effective when it reflects the diversity of the Canadians it serves,” the post reads. “While progress has been made in recent years to achieve gender parity in the senior leadership community, there is more progress to be made in increasing representation of black people and other racialized groups, indigenous people, as well as persons with disabilities.”
The bidding period for the contract will last for a little over two weeks.
rfp_20200319_en.pdf by True North
