EPMO Outreach October 2019 Fall Edition

By now, you may have heard that the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) has reset its policies with the goal of streamlining and clarifying policy instruments while shifting public service culture towards a focus on better service and results. Some of the changes brought by the reset include the introduction of the Senior Designated Official (SDO) role, revision of project costs thresholds for classifications, and the requirement of lessons learned at each stage of the project.

In response to the changes to the policy in the TBS Acquired Services and Assets Sector (ASAS), ESDC will be updating a number of policies related to Project and Programme Management and is working towards aligning the ESDC Policy instrument hierarchy with what is used at TBS. This means replacing the Project Management Foundation and Project Management Framework with the Policy on Project and Programme Management (PDF, 1.1 MB), and its related/supporting Directives and Standards.

The PPPM (PDF, 1.1 MB) is the formal direction on responsibilities that apply to all ESDC projects and programmes. Like the Foundation and Framework, the PPPM, Directives and Standards will define roles, responsibilities and governance. Guides, templates and processes will be provided to support effective project management.

On July 3 2019, the Senior Designated Official (SDO) approved the ESDC Policy on Project and Programme Management. The PPPM and the new supporting Directives and Standards will come into effect on October 11, 2019.

As a result of the policy changes, the Project Programme Management Practice (PPMP) will also be updated. These minor updates will also address known gaps and some deliverables associated with the Project Management Maturity Action Plan. Changes to the PPMP will include the addition of Benefits realization practice and artefacts, and the HR Engagement and Implementation Checklist that will help identify resourcing needs for your project.

Other changes include:

• Introduction of the Concept Case in the initiation stage
• Updates to the Change Management Practice (Standard, Guides, Tools)
• Introduction of Lessons Learned at each stage
• Updates to privacy assessment artefacts
• Revision of Business Case, Charter and Project Management Plan at each stage (if required)

The Deputy Head has delegated authority to the SDO to issue operational standards as necessary. Mark Perlman, CFO, has been appointed to the role of SDO for project and programme management. Part of his role will be to establish, document, and maintain a department-wide project and programme management framework that will consist of processes, systems and controls, anchored in best practices.

For investment projects already in-flight, the EPMO will be working closely with project teams to guide you through the changes, stage-by-stage. There will be no need to re-do project documentation already submitted for gate approval. In addition, projects that are governed by Major Projects Investment Board (MPIB) today will remain under the Board’s governance, and current projects governed by the Director General Project Oversight Committee (DGPOC) will remain under this Committee’s governance. However, DGPOC Chairs may require any project to be brought to the attention of MPIB for approval, for information and/or oversight.

The Treasury Board Secretariat has also recently released a new Guide to Cost Estimating that provides practical guidance on how to develop credible cost estimates. It replaces two costing guidelines and supports the continuous improvement of cost estimation capacity across government.

While ESDC’s current project costing practices are well positioned to meet expectations stipulated in this Guide, CFOB’s Financial Management and Advisory Services are looking at its suite of costing guidance and tools to ensure proper alignment with the new Guide and the revised TBS and ESDC policy suite on project and programme management. Continue to work closely with your Financial Management Advisor (FMA) who can provide guidance.

The ESDC Policy on Project and Programme Management (PPPM) establishes the standards that apply to all ESDC projects and programmes. To complement the PPPM, a new Directive on Programme Management will be released to provide guidance to Programme teams and applies to all programmes and their constituent projects managed by ESDC.

In January 2017, ESDC developed its first programme management approach as part of the Project and Program Management Framework and Foundation. This approach has been enhanced and updated based on best practices and to align with the requirements in the new Treasury Board Policy reset.

Programme management is recognized as a key tool to enable organizations to manage and deliver complex transformational change to achieve outcomes and benefits related to ESDC’s strategic objectives. It provides the means to manage a combination of outputs from a number of linked projects and business change activities in a coordinated and consistent way.

The Directive on Programme Management promotes a positive culture and environment by defining common processes based on industry standards for programme management to:

• Ensure programme governance and controls are applied and effective;
• Define key programme roles and responsibilities;
• Establish key decision points and assurance functions throughout the life of the programme; and
• Support accountability and transparency for programmes.

If you want to learn more about ESDC policy changes related to project and programme management, or have questions about what these changes mean for your project, contact nc-bgpe-epmo-gd@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca or visit EPMO Centre of Expertise – Projects Support Contacts in the EPMO.

You can consult the Policy on Project and Programme Management, and new Directives and Standards on the iService website. As new Directives and Standards become available, they will be added to this website and to the ESDC Knowledge Repository.

Stay tuned—more information regarding the development of guides, templates, tools, and updates to the Project Programme Management Practice (PPMP) will be available soon.

For more information on the Project Management Information System (PMIS) Phase IV project, Project Management Competency Development (PMCD), and EPMO training opportunities please contact nc-bgpe-epmo-gd@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.