ANNEX A – MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN

Recommendation 1:

The NSS Executive Director should ensure that the NSS website includes appropriate and up-to-date information regarding the SAR NIF program, including examples of successful initiatives recently undertaken.

Management Action

We concur.

The current SAR NIF program information provided on the NSS website is up to date. The information to be updated is the examples of successful initiatives, the final summary report of initiatives from 2006-2007 to 2009-2010 and the NIF toolkit.

We are currently reviewing all NIF content posted on the NSS Website. A compilation of all the final summary reports from 06-07 to 09-10 is being done.

OPI: NSS Executive Director / Director, Policy and Programs.
Target Completion Date: March 2010

Recommendation 2:

The NSS Executive Director should as part of the SAR NIF contribution program renewal process explore the possibility of creating a more efficient and equitable way to provide funding for provincially sponsored projects designed to support volunteer groups. The NSS should also review the omnibus process and determine the effectiveness of this strategic method of providing funds.

Management Action

We concur.

The NSS is currently addressing this issue in the renewal of the SAR NIF Terms and Conditions that is underway.

OPI: NSS Executive Director / Director, Policy and Programs.
Target Completion Date: March 2010

Recommendation 3:

The NSS Executive Director should as part of the SAR NIF contribution program renewal process explore ways to considerably shorten the contribution approval process to Government of Canada / DND norms.

Management Action

We concur.

To clarify the recommendation, there are no specific Government of Canada / DND norms regarding the length of a contribution approval process.

We are concerned about the length of the approval process. This will be addressed in the renewal of the SAR NIF T&Cs.

OPI: NSS Executive Director / Director, Policy and Programs.
Target Completion Date: March 2010

Recommendation 4:

The NSS Executive Director should direct that the rules of engagement for the Merit Board should be re-examined with a view to take into consideration the need for improvement expressed by the members.

Management Action

We concur.

The NSS will ensure that the rules of engagement for the Merit Board members are clearly identified in the renewed SAR NIF T&Cs.

OPI: NSS Executive Director / Director, Policy and Programs.
Target Completion Date: June 2010

Recommendation 5:

The NSS Executive Director should direct that priority steps be taken to ensure that the SAR NIF information systems are robust enough to satisfy government financial requirements as well as program management and user needs. It should be able to track the authorized carry forward to the next year of unspent SAR NIF project dollars at fiscal year-end.

Management Action

We concur.

The NSS has undertaken steps to re-evaluate the NIFIS database. The NIFIS (New Initiatives Fund Information System) is a database that was created to respond to a recommendation made in the 2005 evaluation but was never implemented. The NIFIS will allow the NSS to reconcile the financial data with the FMAS, the official DND financial system and to be used as a program management system. The NIFIS is a database accessible through the Web, which will offer direct access to our SAR partners.

OPI: NSS Executive Director / Director, Policy and Programs.
Target Completion Date: December 2011

Recommendation 6:

The NSS Executive Director should direct that the renewed SAR NIF’s Program Management Strategy includes an appropriate auditing and evaluation framework along with the requirement for systematic collection of performance information and the regular issuance of an annual report on SAR NIF operations.

Management Action

We concur.

The NSS is currently reviewing the Audit and Evaluation framework to reflect the DND/CRS audit criterias.

OPI: NSS Executive Director / Director, Policy and Programs.
Target Completion Date: March 2010

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