Management Response and Action Plan - Audit of the Departmental Investment Planning Process

June 2012

 
Management Response and Action Plan
Recommendations
Management Response and Planned Management Action
Deliverables
Expected Completion Date
Responsibility
Recommendation 1

It is recommended that the Chief Financial Officer update the Investment Planning Framework to: update roles and responsibilities; formalize a planning strategy for moving forward; identify priority areas and costing for non-project investments; strengthen integration of investment planning with operational planning; and clarify the life-cycle management process for all assets.
Management agrees with the recommendation.

The updates to the Investment Planning Framework are consistent with the Department's forward agenda for investment planning.

Regarding linkages with non-project investments or ongoing acquisition of assets and services into the Investment Planning Framework, CFOB will review the scope of expenditures to be included in the Investment Plan and will work with relevant branches to determine priority areas in non-project investment.
Update the Framework related to roles and responsibilities (such as the "duty to inform"). October 2012 Chief Financial Officer Branch (CFOB)
Formalize strategy using the "Path Forward" section of the current Investment Planning Framework as a guide. October 2012 CFOB
Determine scope of investments for inclusion of non-project investments in the Investment Plan, with a particular focus on non-routine expenditures and provide a summary of investment costs broken down by investment area, as part of the Investment Planning Framework documents. October 2012 CFOB and all branches
Align the planning frameworks, within the operational planning process and include approval of investment plan projects as an output of annual integrated planning and reporting process. October 2012 CFOB
Update framework to clarify the requirement for a life-cycle management of assets in all investment areas. October 2012 CFOB
Recommendation 2

It is recommended that the Chief Financial Officer determine the need to include intellectual property in the Investment Plan.
Management agrees with the recommendation

Management will consult to ascertain the need and value for inclusion of Health Canada's intellectual property as an asset in the Investment Plan.

If determined that inclusion would be beneficial, a meaningful approach for displaying the asset information and/or managing the asset will be identified.
CFOB to ascertain the need and value for inclusion of intellectual property, and, if inclusion would be beneficial, identify how these will be dealt with in the Investment Plan. November 2012 CFOB
Recommendation 3

It is recommended that the Chief Financial Officer's Portfolio Project Management Office communicate its mandate and provide appropriate guidance and training to increase the project management capacity in the Department.
Management agrees with the recommendation.

The Office has been established and the proposed roles are being performed.

The Investment Planning Framework now includes tools and templates, which guide project managers to determine capacity requirements for projects. Tools and templates will be supported with training.
CFOB and branches to work together to determine the requirements for strengthening project management capacity across the Department and to develop a strategy for development. December 2012 CFOB and branches
Recommendation 4

It is recommended that the Chief Financial Officer develop performance indicators and targets to measure and monitor investment planning improvements and effectiveness of the investment planning process.
Management agrees with the recommendation.

CFOB will develop performance indicators and targets to measure and monitor investment planning improvements and the effectiveness of the investment planning process.

These will be included in the Investment Planning Framework.
Develop performance indicators and targets.

Include them in the Investment Planning Framework.
October 2012 CFOB

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