Building Investment, Finance and Audit Committee (BIFAC) Public Session - May 20, 2020

In-Camera Agenda

10:00 - Chair’s Remarks

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal Report

Presenter: Chair

10:05 - Consent agenda

Approval of In-Camera Meeting

Action: BIFAC Approval

Pre-read: Agenda

Presenter: Chair

Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

Action: Declaration

Pre-read: Agenda and Conflict of Interest Policy

Presenter: Chair

10:10 - Change Orders to the PwC Contract related to the HoMES projet

Action: Approval

Pre-read: BIFAC:2020-17

Presenter: Vice President Information Technology Services

TERMINATION

Public Meeting Minutes

The Building Investment, Finance and Audit Committee (“BIFAC”) of Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”) held a Public meeting on May 20, 2020, in Conference Room 7A, 931 Yonge Street, Toronto, and via WebEx, commencing at 10:18 a.m.

BIFAC Directors Present:

Adele Imrie, Chair 

Amanda Coombs

Nick Macrae

Councillor Ana Bailão

Brian Smith 

BIFAC Directors Absent:

N/A

Management Present:

Kevin Marshman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Sheila Penny, Chief Operating Officer 

Rose-Ann Lee, Chief Financial Officer

Vincent Tong, Chief Development Officer

Luisa Andrews, Vice President, Information Technology Services

Allen Murray, Vice President, Facilities Management (Acting)

Darragh Meagher, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Ceilidh Wilson, Assistant Corporate Secretary (Acting)

Sonia Fung, Committee Secretary

The Chair called the meeting to order and Ms. Ceilidh Wilson served as recording secretary.

Item 1 - Chair's Remarks

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. The Chair noted the Acknowledgement of the Land and notified everyone that due to the need for social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19, TCHC is holding this meeting online.

Virtual Meeting

This meeting is being conducted virtually using an online platform that provides for continued effective governance and decision making. None of the Committee members are in the same room.

We are continuing our work to identify and adopt measures that will provide for public attendance, in real time, at this type of virtual meeting going forward. However, we are not presently able to do so. At the same time, we continue to value the input of members of the public to the matters that form part of the Committee’s agenda.

If members of the public wanted to depute to an item on today’s agenda, they had the option to do so either by leaving a voicemail, to be heard by the Committee at today’s meeting, or submitting a written deputation, to be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting.

All deputation submissions will be made public after today’s meeting is held.  Voicemail deputations will be part of the audio video record of the meeting that will be posted to TCHC’s YouTube channel and written deputations will be posted with the meeting minutes.

COVID-19

The Chair reiterated the Board’s support for TCHC’s frontline staff who are in our buildings, offices and communities across the city, working under challenging conditions to provide essential services and needed supports to tenants, as well as our employees who continue to work from home to keep the business running.

Toronto Community Housing is doing its part to support the City’s efforts to protect public health and limit the spread of COVID-19. On behalf of the Board, the Chair thanked everyone at the company for stepping up during these extraordinary times. 

Deputations

The Chair polled for any deputations to be heard at the meeting. The following deputation was presented:

• Item 3 – Change Orders to the PwC Contract Related to the HoMES Project (Submission by Cheryl Duggan)

Item 2 - Consent Agenda

The following items were not held for discussion:

• Item 2A – Approval of In Camera Meeting Agenda
• Item 2B – Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

Motion Carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Deputy Mayor Bailão, seconded by Mr. Smith and carried, BIFAC approved the Public meeting consent agenda.

Item 3 - Change Orders to the PwC Contract Related to the HoMES Project, BIFAC:2020-17

Deputation by Cheryl Duggan was received with respect to this item via written deputation, which was circulated to the Committee prior to the meeting.

The above-captioned report was circulated to BIFAC members prior to the meeting. The Vice President, Information and Technology Services was available to answer questions.

Highlights of the discussion include:

• The report seeks approval of two change orders to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”): one for additional resource hours for business process design (Change Order #3) and one for an addition nine-day in-person workshop (Change Order #4).
• Change Order #3 results from the team working remotely due to social distancing measures.
• The overall schedule is not impacted and Track 1 implementation is still on track to launch on July 6, 2020.
• Business process design sessions require involvement from the HoMES project team, Yardi staff and representation from the appropriate business units. 
• No additional internal resources will be required. 
• The Committee noted that the cumulative change order value seems high at 30.26% of the original contract award amount. Management confirmed that the project is still tracking under budget and both Change Order #3 and #4 are required as a result of working remotely.
• Change Order #4 is a request of the HoMES project team. Track 2 business process design work is complex so the HoMES project team would like to reconvene the teams in person, when appropriate, to review and ensure nothing was missed.
• The Committee asked whether it makes sense to wait to issue Change Order #4 until there is a clearer understanding of how long work from home measures will be in place. Management noted that the nine-day in-person workshop has to occur prior to testing, which is set to begin in September.
• Management estimate that the workshop would take place in August or September, so getting approval of Change Order #4 now is required for planning purposes. In the event of a surge in COVID-19 cases in the summer, the timing of the workshop would be reexamined.
• Change Order #3 was within the CEO’s delegated authority, but given Change Order #4, Management brought both to BIFAC to be considered together.
• The project includes a training team of primarily internal staff, which was part of the original budget. Remote training will begin this week for the Track 1 launch in July 2020.

Motion Carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Macrae and carried, BIFAC moved to:

1. approve a Commitment Change Order (Change Order #3) to PwC totaling $236,360.00 (exclusive of taxes) for additional resource hours needed to complete the Track 2 (Tenancy Management) business process designs and supporting documentation in a remote environment; 
2. approve a Commitment Change Order (Change Order #4) to PwC totaling $122,776.00 (exclusive of taxes) to add an additional nine-day in-person workshop to commence once TCHC’s project team and PwC are able to reconvene in person; and
3. authorize the appropriate staff to take the necessary actions to give effect to the above recommendations.

TERMINATION OF IN-CAMERA MEETING
BIFAC resolved to terminate the In Camera meeting at 10:46 a.m.