(Quebec) The unprecedented scale of bidding for the use of independent workers in the healthcare network is suspended following a complaint filed with the Autorité des Marchés Publics (AMP).
Posted at 11:46 am
The decision by the Electronic Tendering Service (SEAO) comes on the same day that La Presse reports on the concerns of the largest group of private employment agencies, who have denounced the introduction of new commitment clauses. According to him, the tender risked throwing the public health network “into chaos” in addition to “exploding the cost” of hiring independent health professionals.
According to the SEAO website, the controversial tender of unprecedented size is suspended after a complaint was lodged with the AMP. The deadline for receipt and opening of bids, which was supposed to be Monday 23 January, has to be postponed due to processing time.
Group of Quebec Private Care Companies (EPPSQ) President Patrice Lapointe was briefed on SEAO’s decision on Thursday. He confirmed that the complaint, filed last Monday, came from a member of his association, which brings together around twenty companies. The elements of the complaint are essentially the issues denounced at La Presse, such as the introduction of a uniform tariff.
“What we find regrettable is that we are addressing this [Centre d’acquisition gouvernementale], we have no answer. We ask to speak to the government, we get no answer. We complain to the AMP, we have no news. And then we go to the media, and then suddenly something happens,” laments Mr. Lapointe. “Is that the only way to challenge the government? »
It leaves us with the impression that it was our press release that started things?
Patrice Lapointe, President of the EPPSQ
In mid-December, CAG launched a call for tenders to fill the need, which is estimated to require more than 8 million hours of work to be performed by private agency workers. This unprecedented volume is based on needs estimated by CIUSSSs and CISSSs across the province for the next year. The EEPSQ also regretted the short deadline of 30 days to respond to the tender.
“It’s not trivial, CAG is launching the largest contract ever in our industry, covering the entire province of Quebec. They do this on December 19th, with the minimum time allowed by law, not a minute longer, and they do it by changing all the rules of the game: historically, there were meetings with the suppliers before the start of the tender. All of that has been abolished,” he denounces.
In the tender, Quebec introduced for the first time the notion of “single rate”, meaning that a bidder must propose a single rate per employment group, regardless of whether the service is offered in Montreal or in Sept-Iles. Otherwise it is inadmissible.
In this framework strategy, too, the tender tightens the non-competition clause. For example, a caregiver who leaves the public network cannot work for a period of one year in a facility for a sponsorship in the same administrative district as her previous employer or even “in the adjacent districts”.