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On the first day of class, I woke up early and headed to college. It was a mix of familiar faces and new ones. I was delighted to find that my professor from the previous semester, Sarah, was teaching the Public Sector course. This made me confident that the subject would be enjoyable and easy.

During the class, everyone introduced themselves, and we went through the course structure. The topics covered included Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, Public Agencies and Cooperative Purchasing, Broader Public Sector Directive and Trade Agreements, SILEx Introduction, Risk Management, Case Analysis Review, Public Procurement and the Law, Competitive Bidding, Midterm Case Analysis, Document Building (Specifications and Scopes of Work, Evaluation Criteria), SILEx Project (working period and presentations), Ethics and Fraud, and Contract and Supplier Management.

Sarah explained the distribution of marks in various fields and highlighted the differences between public and private sector supply chain management. We learned about the key components of public procurement and why they are essential when using taxpayers' dollars. Overall, it seems like it's going to be an interesting and informative class.

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The second day was focused on a PowerPoint presentation in class about a public agency. My teammates and I successfully researched and presented information on what the agency does, what they buy, who they buy from, and their funding. We received full marks for our efforts. Additionally, we learned about different types of cooperative purchasing, including Piggybacked, Pooled, Consortium, and Formal Cooperative Purchasing. The class also covered the benefits and challenges associated with cooperative purchasing.

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Even though I could not attend the class that day, I still went through the modules and learned that In addition to the BPS Directive, public procurement must adhere to negotiated trade agreements. Canada has 15 trade agreements with over 40 countries, including significant ones like the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, World Trade Organization General Agreement on Trade in Services, and Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. These agreements aim to facilitate the exchange of goods and services, strengthen ties with trading partners, and eliminate trade barriers. Public procurement under these agreements involves compliance with specified criteria for invitational and non-competitive procurements, public posting lengths, award notification requirements, and bid dispute resolution processes. Overall, the goal is to ensure the transparent and fair use of taxpayers' dollars while promoting economic growth and competitiveness.

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In this class, we delved into Risk Management, which is a systematic approach to identify, prevent, and reduce exposure to various types of losses. Given that public procurement deals with public funds, it's crucial for public agencies to employ effective risk management strategies to avoid wasting time and money. We specifically discussed the $1000 job case and reviewed the case analysis process. The class also covered the main strategies for risk management.

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In this module, we explored the laws governing public procurement in Ontario and Canada. We learned about common law, which is based on decisions by judges or panels of judges. Unlike a single piece of legislation, common law relies on precedent, where current decisions often refer to past ones. Additionally, we covered the law of agency, which governs the relationship between two parties, giving one the authority to act on behalf of the other.

The Law of Agency explains that an agent (like an employee) is authorized to act on behalf of the principal (the employer) to establish a relationship with a third party, such as a supplier. We also delved into the formation of contracts and distinguished between Contract A (governing the competitive process) and Contract B (the agreement with the successful bidder). The module also covered a bidder's rights and the requirements of an invitation to bid.

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I couldn't attend class in week 6, but I still had to complete my individual case analysis on the Wiper Blade Stock-out Problem. This involved defining the issue, analyzing case data, generating alternatives, determining decision criteria, assessing alternatives, selecting a final recommendation, and developing an implementation plan.

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After module 6, I submitted my individual analysis even though I couldn't attend that class. During week 7, we were instructed to form groups and collaborate to finalize an executive summary. The professor dedicated time to each group to discuss our progress. The summary focused on combining ideas and thoughts from all group members regarding the individual case analysis. We addressed problems, alternatives, the best evaluation methods, ways to resolve the issue, and the implementation plan. My group, including me, Adith, and Lakshmi, worked together to come up with the best options by discussing our case analyses. By the end of the class, we had successfully submitted the executive summary.

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In module 8 I learned that Strategic sourcing involves purchasing various items, including products, goods, services, and consulting, in public agencies. The requisition process initiates purchases, with internal customers formally requesting items, providing details, budgets, and timelines. Specifications, such as design, performance, brand name, or scopes of work, outline product or service requirements. Design specifications detail manufacturing characteristics, while performance specifications describe functionality. Brand name specifications identify products by unique identifiers. Scopes of work focus on service aspects. Evaluating specifications involves considering users, suppliers, costs, technology, and environmental concerns, ensuring informed and efficient procurement decisions.

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In our final module on competitive bidding, everyone in the class completed building documents by understanding evaluation criteria and supplier selection. We reviewed various evaluation methods used by public agencies and explored terms and conditions in a final competitive document. We delved into evaluation criteria, worked on examples, discussed criteria considerations, and learned about evaluating responses and team rules.

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During this module, we had an in-class session to collaborate with our Professor and teammates on our SILEx presentation. We received feedback on our draft report and used the time to start working on our presentation while making final revisions to the report. My teammates and I efficiently divided the tasks based on the sections we each worked on in the report, and by the end of the class, we almost completed all the work.

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In this important module, professor talked about how to act ethically when dealing with public procurement, which is something I found really useful for my career. It doesn't matter if you work in the public or private sector—being ethical in procurement and supply chain is key. The lecture covered ethical behavior and fraud in public purchasing, giving me valuable insights that shaped my understanding of good professional practices.

I also learned that ethics, as defined by Merriam-Webster, involve the fairness and rightness of actions, guiding our behavior based on moral principles. In procurement, ethical conduct is crucial due to its influence on significant financial resources. Challenges arise as there's no global agreement on ethical behavior. Unethical purchasing behaviors include personal buying, financial conflicts of interest, accepting supplier favors, sharp practices, and reciprocity. Organizations support ethical behavior through codes of conduct, corporate compliance programs, and professional principles. Social responsibility and sustainable procurement play key roles in ethical business practices.

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Week 11 was a crucial day for the subject, especially because it was the presentation day. I had prepared thoroughly the day before, memorizing almost all the key points. However, during the presentation, I realized I forgot that I could have taken notes to refer to, which would have helped when I blanked on some details midway. It took me a bit of time to recall and express those points. Having speaker notes on a piece of paper would have ensured a smoother delivery and on-time completion. Nevertheless, I considered it a valuable lesson for future presentations. Despite this, the overall performance of my group members was excellent, and we received a good score. I also enjoyed hearing presentations from others, particularly those discussing their procurement system for Western University. This class provided me with valuable lessons and insights into various procurement systems.

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In this module, I learned that Supplier performance is crucial for business success. Regular monitoring ensures they deliver as agreed. The right number of suppliers minimizes risk; too many are time-consuming, too few increase risk. Developing long-term relationships benefits both parties. Measuring performance involves factors like delivery, quality, cost, and sustainability. Techniques include informal evaluations, formal evaluations (categorical and weighted point), and cost-based evaluations. Rationalizing the supply base ensures optimal supplier numbers. Supplier development improves supplier performance through preventive measures. Critical success factors include executive commitment, trust-based relationships, data measurement, financial/personnel commitments, credibility, and power relationships. Procurement relationships should focus on building trust while avoiding unethical practices.

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We just wrapped up our PRCH-3020 class, marking the end of the subject. In this module, I made sure to go back and catch up on any modules I might have missed. I took the chance to thoroughly review the entire semester.