Increasingly, governments at all levels are incorporating social goals into their procurement plans.
In an era of infrastructure deficits and rising interest rates that will put pressure on all governments’ budgets, it is more important than ever for governments to maximize value in spending taxpayers’ money. The City of Winnipeg deserves credit for its long-term vision and commitment to open competition.
As a result, they could be less likely to bid on projects with these requirements. This runs counter to another goal of social procurement: to leverage public spending to support smaller, local companies. And fewer bidders also means less competition, which means taxpayers might not get the best possible price.
An early understanding of the requirements of a CBA will help companies plan their approach to the recruitment and training of workers. These are examples of ways governments can ensure businesses have the support they need to fulfill the social procurement requirements. Cardus has developed a much more comprehensive checklist for governments involved in CBAs that addresses a number of other issues related to supplier diversity, workforce diversity, project management and measurement of results.