Public Works andGovernment ServicesCanada

Travaux publics etServices gouvernementaux Canada

Travaux publics etServices gouvernementaux Canada

Public Works andGovernment ServicesCanada

INFORMATION. INTÉGRATION. INTÉGRITÉ.

INFORMATION. INTEGRATION. INTEGRITY. REAL PROPERTY BUSINESS AND SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION

Real PRoPeRty Business ModeRnization

Implementing industry-standard real estate business processes within Public Works and Government Services Canada is at the heart of a major initiative that will transform the way Real Property employees carry out their day-to-day duties. The Real Property Branch (RPB) is the corporate real estate (CRE) organization that provides office accommodation for the

Government of Canada.

The Real Property Business and Systems

Transformation (RPBST) Project will

provide an industry-standard process and system solution to support this modernization. This solution will be known as NOVUS.

noVus defined

NOVUS [nō-vus], a Latin word meaning “extraordinary, a new thing”, captures the spirit of the RPBST Project. NOVUS will be key to the ongoing modernization of the Real Property Branch

infoRMation. integRation. integRity. The corporate real estate world is ever changing. As the steward of one of Canada’s largest real property portfolios, RPB has embarked on several complementary projects to ensure that Branch functions, procedures and supporting systems keep pace with changing circumstances. The National Service Management Strategy and the Real Property SIGMA Alignment project are just two other examples.

The RPBST Project will address the need to define and implement

the NOVUS solution. Its defining features will be information, integration and integrity…

… up-to-the-minute information resources supporting data analysis and reporting requirements; … nationwide integration of people, processes and systems; and … data integrity resulting from consistent practices, data entry at source and assigned accountability.

Together, these features will increase efficiency, strengthen decision-making and enable more forward-looking asset management.

the noVus solution

NOVUS is PWGSC’s lead response to Auditor General of Canada audits calling for more timely, accurate, and complete information to support real property investment decisions. As a first step, RPB engaged an international management consulting firm to identify the most effective approach to modernizing our business processes and systems. After weighing a number of alternatives, we agreed the most viable approach would be to implement industry-standard real estate business processes supported by the purchase of a commercially-available

software solution.

NOVUS Timeline: Project Definition Phase The RPBST Project is currently in the Project Definition Phase, which includes the planning, analysis, configuration and preliminary testing of the NOVUS solution.

Project InitiationPreliminary

Project Approval (PPA)

Request for Information (RFI)

on MERX

Winter 2009

The NOVUS solution will include:

modern business processes for carrying out real • property functions;information management systems that will integrate • the functions of existing systems; andemployee training to facilitate the transition to new • business processes and the systems that support them.

The procurement process is now underway. Contract award is anticipated in 2009, followed by development and implementation of the solution. Key stakeholder groups will be fully engaged in each of these phases. When NOVUS is fully in place, employees at every level of the organization will benefit. Enhanced processes and tools will support more effective portfolio management and more timely service delivery.

Beyond PWgsC

There has already been interest in NOVUS from other government departments and organizations. The largest custodian of federal real property, the Department of National Defence, and the largest tenant of PWGSC office space, the Canadian Revenue Agency, are both represented on the RPBST Project Steering Committee. Other departments have requested early briefings on the project. With all the interest it is generating, NOVUS may prove to be a truly whole-of-government enabler of effective real property stewardship.

RPB Corporate Real Estate ModelIn April 2007, Real Property Branch (RPB) unveiled its new business model and organizational structure. Realigned along the functions of the industry-recognized Corporate Real Estate (CRE) model, the Branch is repositioning to become a best practice organization. The NOVUS solution will play an important role in achieving this. NOVUS is about strengthening RPB’s portfolio and service management capacity by introducing consistent industry business practices supported by a standard integrated information technology solution.

NOVUS: A Key EnablerIn announcing the RPBST Project, the Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property Branch, identified NOVUS as a key enabler of the Branch’s vision: “The transition to improved business processes and an integrated systems solution will modernize our operations, enhance our accountability, governance and cost-effectiveness as well as align the Branch with leading industry practices.”

Integrating Complementary FunctionsNOVUS will integrate the management of four key real property functions:

Real Estate Portfolio Management• Project Management• Facilities Management• Maintenance Management•

This integration will promote improved efficiency, cost effectiveness, governance and accountability.

Request for Proposal (RFP) on

MERX

Evaluation and Recommendation for

Contract Award

Contract Award and Project

Start-up

Business Process Alignment

Architecture and Design

Implementation, Planning and Preparation

Effective Project Approval (EPA)

Maintenance Management

Facilities Management

Project Management

Portfolio Management