ArriveCan contracting appears ‘illogical’ and ‘inefficient,’ Trudeau says
Global News
An early estimate for the app's preliminary development put the cost at just $80,000 -- but the total pricetag has since soared to more than $54 million.
The contracting process used to build the ArriveCan app seems “illogical” and “inefficient,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says.
The Globe and Mail first reported on Monday that the Ottawa IT firm GCstrategies, which the government hired to build the ArriveCan app for $44 million, actually subcontracted the work to build it to six other companies including international firms KPMG and BDO.
During a press conference on Monday, Trudeau was asked why the government didn’t skip the middle man and contract directly with the companies that hired the IT teams.
“That’s exactly the question that I just asked of the public service,” Trudeau replied.
“Obviously, this is a practice that seems highly illogical and inefficient.”
Trudeau said he has “made sure” that the Clerk of the Privy Council is “looking into procurement practices” to “make sure that we’re getting value for money, and that we’re doing things in a smart and logical way.”
The contracts are laid out in documents tabled by the House of Commons government operations and estimates committee, which Global News has reviewed.
The documents show that GCstrategies paid the other companies to provide IT “resources,” with almost all employees charging daily rates of more than $1,200 — but many had a day rate of $1,500.
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