The vendor is required to provide professional services for the ombudsman function ombudsman function reporting directly to the board of directors.
- Responsibilities
• The ombudsman will accept and act upon all reasonable requests or complaints regarding matters falling within the purview of the ombudsman
• The ombudsman may, where appropriate, offer recommendations to the agency for changes to policies, procedures or practices.
• The ombudsman deems it is appropriate and with the consent of one of the individuals involved, the ombudsman may intervene to attempt to facilitate a resolution of the complaint.
• The ombudsman will keep the agency apprised of statistics, trends and the emergence of agency wide issues through a semi-annual and annual report.
• The ombudsman will advise the public about the procedures for bringing forth complaints to the ombudsman.
• The ombudsman is responsible to make a toll-free number accessible to the public.
• The ombudsman and their staff will adhere to the ethics and standards established by the board of directors.
- The ombudsman shall not investigate any decision, recommendation, act or omission whatsoever of:
• The board of directors or its committees;
• Any person in the context of labor relations with the person or group whose interests are affected by the intervention;
• Any person in the context of a contractual relationship with the agency, including contractors, suppliers or tenants, whose interests are affected by the intervention, or
• An elected official or any member of the cabinet of elected officials.
- The ombudsman may refuse, postpone or discontinue an intervention in any complaint when:
• The ombudsman is of the opinion that a complaint is frivolous, vexatious, not brought in good faith;
• The ombudsman is of the opinion that a complainant is not providing necessary information in a timely manner;
- The ombudsman will not act on any complaint if:
• The complaint is the subject matter of a legal or regulatory proceeding; or
• The ombudsman is in a potential or perceived conflict of interest; in which case the ombudsman is replaced by a special substitute named by the board of directors.
- The ombudsman shall inform the complainant in writing whenever a reasoned decision is made to interrupt an investigation or intervention or not to investigate or intervene.
- Contract Period/Term: 3 years