2006-2007 Report on Plans And Priorities - Information Notices

DATE: December 13, 2005

TO: Senior Financial Officers (SFO) of Departments and Agencies

SUBJECT: 2006-2007 Report on Plans and Priorities

I am writing to you about your next Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP), for the three-year planning period 2006-2007 to 2008-2009.

The tabling of the RPPs is tentatively scheduled for March 28, 2006 and normally follows the Main Estimates, which is required to be tabled on or before March 1, 2006, as per Standing Order 81(4). To meet this timeframe we are asking that departments plan on submitting their signed RPPs by February 20, 2006

However, with the election call, the actual timing for the tabling of both documents is uncertain and will likely not be confirmed until sometime in mid-February.

Moreover, given this uncertainty, we do not know if the traditional gap between the tabling of the Main Estimates and RPPs will be observed. If not, we will likely have to put in place special measures to table the documents outside of the normal supply timetable. This could mean that RPPs would be tabled at roughly the same time as we have tentatively planned.

Therefore, until further notice departments should continue to work against the timelines mentioned above.

Detailed guidelines are provided on line at the TBS Website http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/estime.asp.

The 2006-2007 RPPs are to provide planned spending information on the same “program-activity” basis as the Main Estimates and describe departmental priorities, expected results and the associated resource requirements covering a three-year period.

  The Secretariat continues to modernize its management of government expenditures through the Management Resources and Results Structure (MRRS) and its approach to gathering and reporting expenditure performance information through the Expenditure Management Information System (EMIS), which is under development.

The intention of MRRS is to provide a standard, government-wide approach to planning and managing the relationship between resource expenditures and results, while serving as a consistent and enduring foundation for financial and non-financial reporting to Parliament.

As a result, this year the Secretariat has introduced new reporting requirements as well as refinements to format and presentation (attached in Annex A).

  The content supporting the reporting principles has also been updated to reflect key elements highlighted in previous TBS guidance and provides additional information. The reporting principles ask you to:

• Focus on the benefits for Canadians and explain the critical aspects of planning and performance, and set them in context;

• Present credible, reliable and balanced information;

• Associate performance with plans, priorities and expected results, explain changes and apply lessons learned; and

• Link resources to results.

Templates are again being offered to reduce departmental workload and ensure that the proper structure is followed. Once selected, a suite of templates can be uploaded from the web into a word document (MSWord or WordPerfect).

The planned spending information presented in this document must be consistent with the Budget. The necessary adjustments to convert your reference levels to planned spending will be provided to you in early January.

  The Secretariat will continue to provide advice and assistance to departments and agencies to the extent possible and coordinate printing and tabling of the reports. Accordingly the Secretariat will hold departmental information sessions every Tuesday (11 a.m. till noon) starting January 17, 2006 to February 7, 2006 at 140 O’Connor Street, 7th Floor East Tower, Boardroom 7B. For further information please contact your RPP coordinator (listing located in the RPP/DPR guidelines).

Since the departmental guidance for the preparation of the 2006-2007 RPP and DPR has been integrated and are being constantly updated we recommend that you visit the TBS website before each reporting exercise to confirm new or updated requirements at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/estime.asp

Thank you for your continued cooperation.

The paper version was signed by

David Moloney

Assistant Secretary

Expenditure Management Sector

ANNEX A

The following lists new reporting requirements for both Reports on Plans and Priorities (RPP) and Departmental Performance Reports (DPR), as well as refinements to format and presentation:

RPP Items:

Effective Public Reporting and Reporting Principles

1. Further to the release of Chapter 2: Quality and Reporting of Surveys included in the November 2005 Report of the Auditor General of Canada
   http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/rapports.nsf/html/20051102cf.html, TBS guidance on the reporting of survey results in RPPs and DPRs has been enhanced. Further instructions are provided under Principle 2: Present credible, reliable, and balanced information.

Section I: Departmental Overview

2. PAA Crosswalk (if required) – Departments that have received approval from Treasury Board to modify their PAA (strategic outcomes and program activities) from one reporting period to the next must provide a crosswalk that compares the old structure to the new. Further instructions are provided in Section I.

3. Departmental Plans and Priorities – In addition to the normal requirements, departments must also discuss how their strategic outcomes align with the Government of Canada outcomes, as reported in Canada’s Performance¹.

4. Expenditure Management Review (EMR) – If the EMR has a significant impact on a department’s plans and priorities it should be discussed in Section I at the departmental level. Details (if any) should be provided in either Sections II or IV and be linked to a departmental web site.

5. Procurement Savings – If procurement savings have a significant impact on the department’s plans and priorities they should be discussed in Section I at the departmental level and details (if any) should be provided in Section II.

6. Consistent with the findings of the 2004-2005 MAF assessments, departments are being asked to ensure that their plans and management priorities address human resource issues in an integrated manner. This is to include current human resource needs; the capacity of the department to deliver on its plans and priorities; and future needs. Further instructions are provided in Sections I and II.

Section III: Supplementary Information

7. Table 1 has been modified to include procurement savings (by program activity).

8. Table 4 has been modified and renamed “Services Received Without Charge”.

9. Table 19 has been newly introduced. Departments are to provide a list of any upcoming internal audits and/or evaluations (over the three year planning period) that pertain to the department’s work, and if available, departments are to provide a link or reference to more information.

10. Instructions on how to electronically submit the following six information tables described in Section III have been revised for better clarity:

    • Details on Project Spending;

    • Status Report on Major Crown Projects;

    • Details on Transfer Payment Programs (TPPs);

    • Conditional Grants (Foundations);

    • Alternative Service Delivery; and

    • Horizontal Initiatives.

General

11. Templates are again being offered to help reduce departmental workload and ensure that the proper structure is followed. The use of these templates is not mandatory. A suite of templates has been posted on the Secretariat’s web site. Once selected, the templates can be uploaded onto your computer in MS Word or WordPerfect. You can then fill in the appropriate sections, delete any unnecessary tables and/or information, or make any appropriate adjustments to meet your reporting needs.

12. Instructions on submitting your PDF version and the printing of your document have been modified. Please refer to “What to Submit” under the General Information section.

13. Due to time constraints the Secretariat will no longer accept incomplete submissions. Your submission should consist of a one-sided signed submission with an original signature; three copies (in each official language); a print order form; two PDF files (one in each official language); four HTML files – two HTML files with the complete document (one in each official language) and two files with the special tables (one in each official language).

DPR Items:

(The 2005-06 DPR guidelines have been modified to take the following changes into account. The 2006-07 DPR information is subject to change as the exercise draws closer.)

Effective Public Reporting and Reporting Principles

1. Further to the release of Chapter 2: Quality and Reporting of Surveys included in the November 2005 Report of the Auditor General of Canada
   http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/reports.nsf/html/20051102ce.html, TBS guidance on the reporting of survey results in RPPs and DPRs has been enhanced. Further instructions are provided under Principle 2: Present credible, reliable, and balanced information.

Section I: Departmental Overview

2. PAA Crosswalk (if required) – Departments that have received approval from Treasury Board to modify their PAA (strategic outcomes and program activities) from one reporting period to the next, must provide a crosswalk that compares the old structure to the new. Further instructions are provided in Section I.

3. Departmental Performance – In addition to the normal requirements, departments must also discuss how their strategic outcomes align with the Government of Canada outcomes, as reported in Canada’s Performance.²

4. Expenditure Management Review (EMR) – If the EMR has a significant impact on a department’s performance it should be discussed in Section I at the departmental level. Details (if any) should be provided in Sections II or IV and linked to a departmental web site.

5. Procurement Savings – If procurement savings had a significant impact on the department’s performance they should be discussed in Section I at the departmental level and details (if any) should be provided in Section II.

6. Consistent with the findings of the 2004-2005 MAF assessments, departments are being asked to ensure that their discussion on performance addresses human resource issues in an integrated manner. This is to include current human resource needs; the capacity of the department to deliver on its expected results; and future needs. Further instructions are provided in Sections I and II.

Section III: Supplementary Information

7. Table 4 has been modified and renamed “Services Received Without Charge”.

8. Beginning in 2005-06, Financial Statements for all departments must be inserted in each DPR. To avoid duplication of information, the Contingent Liabilities table is no longer required.

9. Updated instructions have been provided for Service Improvement Initiative (table 20) and should now apply to all departments.

10. Instructions on how to electronically submit the following six information tables described in Section III have been revised for better clarity:

• Details on Project Spending;

• Status Report on Major Crown Projects;

• Details on Transfer Payment Programs (TPPs);

• Conditional Grants (Foundations);

• Alternative Service Delivery; and

• Horizontal Initiatives.

General

11. Templates are again being offered to help reduce departmental workload and ensure that the proper structure is followed. The use of these templates is not mandatory. A suite of templates has been posted on the Secretariat’s web site. Once selected, the templates can be uploaded onto your computer in MS Word or WordPerfect. You can then fill in the appropriate sections, delete any unnecessary tables and/or information, or make any appropriate adjustments to meet your reporting needs.

12. Instructions on submitting your PDF version and the printing of your document have been modified. Please refer to “What to Submit” under the General Information section.

13. Due to time constraints the Secretariat will no longer accept incomplete submissions. Your submission should consist of a one-sided signed submission with an original signature; three copies (in each official language); a print order form; two PDF files (one in each official language); four HTML files – two HTML files with the complete document (one in each official language) and two files with the special tables (one in each official language).