The Office of the Procurement Ombud (OPO) published a report reviewing 37 complaints from interpreters about a proposed amendment to their contracts. These contracts were awarded by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) on behalf of the Translation Bureau.
The proposed contract amendments aimed to extend the contract period while also altering the terms and conditions of the work. Notably, it redefined non-interpreting time, thereby changing what qualified as billable hours. Interpreters were informed that they must accept these changes; otherwise, the period of their initial contracts would not be extended.
This review of complaints is significant as it represents the highest number of written complaints OPO has ever received regarding the administration of contracts.
Among the conclusions of the report, the Procurement Ombud found PSPC's actions during the negotiation of the amendment to be unreasonable in the circumstances. As all 37 complaints raised the same key issues, OPO amalgamated its analysis and findings regarding these common issues into one report.
