BCTS Contract Quality Management System (QMS)

BCTS Contract Roles / Position Responsiblities

Choose a role to view its associated responsibilities.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Field Operations

As the Ministry Executive responsible for BCTS the ADM, has overall responsibility and accountability for BCTS contracting practices. The ADM establishes strategic contracting direction and approves BCTS contracting policy and procedures that align with government contracting principles and support the achievement of BCTS goals and objectives. The ADM also approves individual or divisional contract policy exemptions when required as set out in policy.

Executive Director

As the line supervisor of the Timber Sales Managers, the Director of Operations is responsible holding Timber Sales Managers accountable for providing senior management leadership and oversight of business area contracting practices. The Executive Director also approves individual contract policy exemptions when required as set out in policy.

Senior Account Manager

In the role as senior financial officer for BCTS the Senior Account Manager is responsible for asserting to the Ministry’s Senior Financial Officer, the ADM, and External Auditors as to the adequacy and completeness of the division’s system of internal control, and that contracting practices comply with policy, align with government contracting principles, and support the achievement of BCTS’ contracting objectives. The senior manager is also responsible to:

lead the development of contracting policy;
provide functional leadership to guide BCTS contracting practices to ensure the effective management of a large volume of diverse contracts.
lead and supports the development and implementation of innovative contracting practices/methods within the division.
support and secure resources to implement recommendations, initiatives, and innovative ideas to create contract efficiencies and to develop practical strategies, solutions, systems and procedures to continually enhance contracting effectiveness within BCTS.
ensure that BCTS has in place an effective contracting accountability and performance management framework in place by leading implementation of the BCTS Contract Management Framework; and,
represent BCTS on contracting issues with MOFR and central agencies.

Business Manager

In their role as the comptroller for a Business Area, Business Managers provide leadership and oversight in contract practices and are responsible for:

ensuring the efficient and effective administration of a large volume of diverse contracts including reviewing and ensuring that the most cost effective alternatives are utilized;
developing, adapting and implementing innovative contracting practices/methods within the Business Area;
making recommendations to improve contract efficiencies and to develop practical strategies, solutions, systems and procedures to continually enhance Business Area financial capacity as it evolves into a larger more complex organization;
ensuring that the Business Area has in place an effective contracting accountability and performance management framework in place;
leading implementation of BCTS Contract Management Framework in the Business Area;
ensuring that BCTS corporate contracting processes and systems are effectively implemented in the Business Area; and,
asserting to the BCTS Senior Account Manager as to the adequacy and completeness of the Business Area’s system of internal control, and that contracting practices comply with policy, align with government contracting principles, and support the achievement of BCTS’ contracting objectives.

Responsibility Centre Manager - Timber Sales Manager

In their role as the responsibility centre manager (RCM) they provide senior management leadership and oversight of responsibility centre (RC) contracting and are responsible for the overall contracting practices of their staff. RCMs are responsible for:

Approving RC contracting strategies and practices that support the long term success of the RC in achieving its goals and objectives, align with government contracting principles, and support the achievement of BCTS’ contracting objectives.
Applying appropriate risk management to decision making in the approval of policy exceptions within their authority limits.
Supporting the implementation of BCTS Contract Management Framework in the RC.
Ensuring RC staff have the contracting knowledge and competencies required for their roles and responsibilities.

Contract Champion

Contract Champions are a key part of the BCTS Contract Management Framework and Contract Knowledge Management Strategy supporting effective contracting within BCTS. Champions provide local level support for staff in the areas of contract preparation, management and administration. As a group, the Champions also act as a community of practice for developing and sharing innovative practices and improvements to current processes or documents and as a conduit for communicating with the rest of BCTS people on such improvements. As such, Champions:

act as the first point of contact for contract information and issues for staff within a business area;
act as the main avenue of business area contact with MFR corporate contract management expert staff in Victoria;
facilitate overview meetings and contract management sessions to review specific local issues and/or present workshops/presentations related to contracting;
with other Champions, provide feedback to the Contract Efficiencies Working Group (CEWG) on contract management proficiency levels, efficiencies, opportunities for standardization, and improvements;
assist the CEWG in initiating change where current BCTS contract management policy or procedures inhibit improvement or achievement of corporate goals; and,
champion the implementation of the BCTS Contract Management Framework and the Contract Knowledge Management Strategy within their business areas.

Expense Authority

Expense authorities are authorized to initiate and approve expenditures within their budget. They may exercise this authority against their own allotment to a maximum of the uncommitted balance, subject to: any dollar limits or other restrictions imposed by the responsibility centre manager; and ministry and central agency (e.g. Treasury Board) restrictions. As a result, expense authorities are responsible for ensuring that contracting practices associated with expenditures within their budget align with government contracting principles and comply with policy. They are also responsible for ensuring that:

contract expenditures are relevant to program or activity objectives;
contracts are properly completed, awarded and signed;
qualified receivers have sufficient knowledge to monitor the services or inspect the work;
payments plus encumbrances do not exceed the relevant budgetary allocation or the maximum dollar limit(s) specified in the contract;
all contract obligations have been met prior to recommending the release of holdbacks or performance securities;
post-contract evaluations are completed;
records on contract activities are properly maintained in ARCS or ORCS contract case files; and,
pre-approval for any deviations from policy outside their approval limits are obtained.

Qualified Receiver

Qualified Receivers play a key role in ensuring achievement of BCTS’ contracting goal and objectives. Qualified Receivers are involved in all phases of the contract lifecycle for their contracts. As a result, qualified receivers are responsible for ensuring that their contracting practices align with government contracting principles and comply with policy. They are also responsible for:

identifying contract requirements necessary to accomplish the approved program objectives;
preparing the information required to support decisions on appropriate method of acquisition of contract services;
defining the goods or services to be acquired together with contract standards and specifications;
soliciting tenders or proposals from contractors;
reviewing tenders or proposals and making recommendations on the contract award to the expense authority;
supervising the preparation of the contract documents for contractor and expense authority signature;
monitoring contracts and documenting performance;
managing contractor relationship and enforcing contractual terms and conditions;
ensuring invoices are submitted in accordance with the contract;
ensuring the price being invoiced by the contractor is in accordance with the contract;
ensuring all payment coding is complete (including project codes) and all supporting documentation is present;
attesting that the goods/services have been received in accordance with contract specifications;
completing post-contract evaluations; and,
ensuring any deviation from policy is brought to the expense authority’s attention.

Resource Clerk - Financial Operations Assistants (BCTS HQ)

Resource clerks and Financial Operations Assistants (FOAs) play a key role in ensuring BCTS contract practices are effective, align with government contracting principles and comply with policy. Resource clerks and FOAs administrate and coordinate the flow of contract documents and transactions through the contract lifecycle. They are responsible for supporting contract planning, solicitation, evaluation and award, and contract management activities by:

preparing and coordinating the advertising for ITTs and RFPs;
preparing and coordinating solicitation/tender documents;
preparing contracts and amendments and collating schedules integrating specific technical contract clauses, specifications and deliverables from staff;
reviewing contracts to ensure documents meet legal requirements and legislative guidelines and are free of errors;
participating in tender and proposal openings and evaluations as required;
calculating, receiving, recording and securing all payments, fees, securities and other monetary instruments, and reconciling holdbacks and security deposits;
receiving and verifying contract invoices ensuring accuracy and completeness;
coordinating invoices through payment processes (e-invoice)
maintaining BCTS Contract Summary System
assembling contract files, records and monitoring the processes related to the contract’s administration;
investigating and resolving supplier complaints regarding invoices, cheques or account information;
ensuring clearance is obtained prior to release of all holdbacks;
making recommendations to supervisor (Business Manager/Manager Financial and Administrative Operations) on potential opportunities to improve contract administration processes; and,
undertaking activities as a part of the local contract management accountability and performance management framework as directed by supervisor.