• How are the maintenance dollars allocated amongst Housing Management Offices and Site Management Offices at the Bases and Wings across Canada?
• What are CFHA’s priorities in terms of maintenance and repairs to residential housing?
• Does CFHA provide an after-hours emergency repair service?
• How are contractors chosen? Are there any rules for them to follow?
• Does CFHA have to take the lowest bidder, and if so why?
• What are the functions of CFHA Inspectors? Why is there not an inspection after every job performed by a contractor?
• Are quality assurance checks conducted? If so, could you explain the process to me?

How are the maintenance dollars allocated amongst Housing Management Offices and Site Management Offices at the Bases and Wings across Canada?

Routine and programmed maintenance funds are distributed amongst the Housing Management Offices and Site Management Offices across Canada on a pro rata basis according to portfolio attributes such as size, number of units, asset replacement value, occupancy turnover rate, asset condition and other local factors.

What are CFHA’s priorities in terms of maintenance and repairs to residential housing?

CFHA continues to emphasize maintenance activities aimed at ensuring the immediate health, safety and security of occupants, and at protecting the structural integrity of the housing units. Priority is given to programmed maintenance, which consists of all preventive and life cycle maintenance activities that preserve or prolong the design service life of a unit. CFHA also performs routine maintenance, which is largely focused on the replacement or repair of minor deficiencies, and non-discretionary maintenance, which covers regulated or mandatory activities as well as safety requirements such as fire inspections.

Does CFHA provide an after-hours emergency repair service?

CFHA’s centralized Emergency After-Hours Response Service, staffed by the Corps of Commissionaires, continues to provide quality and efficient emergency after-hours contractor dispatch services to occupants.

How are contractors chosen? Are there any rules for them to follow?

For routine maintenance, contracts are competitively tendered using standard and electronic methods, and most are awarded based on “best value”. Defence Construction Canada (DCC) and Public Works Government Services Canada (PWGSC) tender, review and award the majority of the maintenance contracts on behalf of the CFHA. All CFHA contracts are awarded and administered in full compliance with the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) Contracting Policy and the Government Contract Regulations.

Programmed maintenance projects are tendered and awarded in the same manner as the maintenance contracts, with the exception that they are normally structured to be “lump sum” contracts.

Does CFHA have to take the lowest bidder, and if so why?

The winning contractor is selected by the contract authority (usually PWGSC or DCC). Normally, the winner is the lowest bidder, provided the contractor has met all the requirements of the tender call. However, there are occasions where other selection criteria are used, such as in larger, more technically complex projects or performance based contracts.

What are the functions of CFHA Inspectors? Why is there not an inspection after every job performed by a contractor?

Among other tasks, the Technical Services Officers are to conduct “march outs” and “march ins”, and supervise the work of contractors. As resources are limited, CFHA relies on the contractor selection process, as well as on feedback from occupants. Occupants are encouraged to provide immediate feedback (both positive and negative), which will enable CFHA to assess the quality of the work and correct deficiencies if necessary.

Are quality assurance checks conducted? If so, could you explain the process to me?

Quality assurance is something that we take very seriously and spend a lot of time and resources on. Whenever occupants raise issues, they are logged, vetted and passed to the contract manager’s representative (DCC, PWGSC or CFHA) for resolution. CFHA has a detailed work order inspection and verification process that includes on-site physical inspection and telephone verification with occupants. The aim is not only to ensure that the work of the contractor has been performed according to the contract requirements, but also to ensure that CFHA is serving customers at a satisfactory level with regard to maintenance.