Appendix A - Clothing Advisory Group

The Clothing Advisory Group of the Commercial and Consumer Products Directorate, Clothing and Textiles Division, Public Services and Procurement Canada, will:

1. provide information on commercially available commodities and advise on materials, apparel, their components and their availability;
2. produce information for materiel managers dealing with all aspects of apparel purchasing, expected future costs and the latest available technology in the apparel fields;
3. advise on or produce purchase descriptions and specifications, including quality assurance requirements in both official languages;
4. evaluate the design of present and proposed apparel;
5. produce and arrange for new design apparel;
6. determine the best product or fabrics which would provide maximum safety protection as required for employees;
7. maintain contact with the Treasury Board Secretariat with respect to the Federal Identity Program. (Departments and agencies may consult FIP officials directly when this approach is desirable);
8. arrange for the production of samples;
9. assist in cost‑benefit analyses against actual field performance of clothing commodities using commodity performance reports;
10. arrange for the testing of materials and apparel;
11. arrange for outside inspection services to be carried out at a plant or a consignee point;
12. promote the use of common terminology;
13. assist departments and agencies to follow Treasury Board guidelines on the provision of clothing and related items to federal employees, with:
    1. guidance in the procurement of clothing according to the guidelines set out by the Treasury Board, the Federal Identity Program and according to national objectives, e.g. domestic purchases, regional considerations, scale of issue, economics, design, functionalism, protection, etc.;
    2. assistance in fabric selection consistent with the demand for standardized fabrics;
    3. forecast of fabric required to meet anticipated scale of issue, cost-benefit of maintaining inventories of fabric and garments, average allowance for normal maintenance;
    4. cost estimates related to current prices falling within budgetary limitations as set out in the departmental objectives;
    5. assistance with requisitions that clearly state to contracting officers the precise requirements, including purchase descriptions provided by the Clothing Advisory Group;
    6. a critical path from first advice to product delivery, showing involvement of all parties;
    7. arrangement for consolidation and distribution of all clothing items; and
14. act as the design authority when requested.