Despite its name, the Government of Canada’s Phoenix pay system won’t be rising from the ashes as CIO Alex Benay has been tasked with finding a replacement. But it will at least be stabilized before the transition to a replacement system, he writes in a blog post.
The federal government announced Aug. 24 that it will be mothballing Phoenix, the much-maligned federal payroll system that was introduced in 2011, and replace it with a new pay system. It posted a notice of proposed procurement on that same day in order to attract information and potential solutions that could both help stabilize Phoenix and ultimately replace it with a “next generation HR and Pay solution.”
At the time of publication, there were five suppliers that have stated interest so far:
- Infor
- Terradare Solutions
- Telus Employer Solutions Inc.
- James Evans & Associates
- Avanti Software Inc.
“The GoC is committed to exploring all options, and will be working with experts, unions, public servants, and technology providers to address the current pay challenges as well as define the way forward. In particular, we are committed to working in partnership with our bargaining agents and system users at the centre of this process,” states the tender notice.
A request for proposals will be issued by the government this fall, Benay writes. Plans to host employee user experience workshops are also in the works.
Benay wants a system that will better integrate the government’s human resources and pay services. “The next generation HR and pay system will be mobile, accessible, and available 24/7, because that’s exactly what our public servants expect, and deserve, from a modern system,” he writes.
Following a damning Auditor’s Report in the Spring, the Liberal government put aside $16 million to be spent over two years by the Treasury Board Secretariat to replace Phoenix.