Marine Safety Service Standard Review Project

Question and Answers
CMAC, Fall 2011

PDF Format

Table of Contents

• Background
• Question and Answer
  • Q1. What are services and service standards?
  • Q2. How are service standards measured and evaluated?
  • Q3. Why is it necessary to monitor and measure service standards?
  • Q4: What are the benefits Project to stakeholders and the Canadian public?
  • Q5. How long will the Marine Safety Service Standard Review Project take?
  • Q6. How are updates of TCMS service standards communicated to marine industry, stakeholders, and the Canadian public?
  • Q7. Who should take part in the consultations for the review and updating of TCMS service standards?
  • Q8. In terms of data collection, how will MS implement a performance measurement information system?
  • Q9. What types of performance indicators are currently collected, how are they used to evaluate current service standards?
  • Q10. Which MS services will be impacted as a result of the Service Standard Review Project?

Background

Transport Canada Marine Safety is currently reviewing and updating its service standards and developing performance measurements to better align itself with the Transport Canada Service Improvement Strategy as well as the goals of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (CSA, 2001).

This review highlights a citizen-focused service approach. Our plan is to update our service standards to reflect improvement of services and recent investments in infrastructure and technology while at the same time demonstrating Marine Safety’s commitment to the public and marine industry stakeholders.

While setting the standards, our responsibilities to continuously maintain and enhance safety and the protection of life, health, property and the marine environment remain paramount.

As well, the project aims to implement a uniform performance measurement information system that consolidates and streamlines all performance indicator data related to services and their respective service standards.

Question and Answer

Q1. What are services and service standards?

A1. A service is an activity that delivers a final product to a client, under the authority of a program, for the benefit of a target group.

A service standard is a public commitment to a level of service that a client can expect, under normal circumstances. A service standard includes a target, which is an internal measure of expected achievement. Service standards typically address timeliness, accuracy, and accessibility. As such, Marine Safety service standards:

• State a performance level for the service;
• Explain how services will be delivered;
• Seek stakeholders to provide feedback for service improvement; and
• Include procedures for handling complaints.

For example, at Marine Safety, consider the Vessel Registry program, a first or reregistry application of a vessel will be processed within 30 working days.

Q2. How are service standards measured and evaluated?

A2. Performance indicators measure Service Standards; this measurement is usually a function of time, but also includes: impact of timeliness, accuracy and accessibility, level of effort required, nature and volume of transaction, and resource and infrastructure required to improve the service.

Further, services are measured by service standards, which (where applied) provide ways for directly measuring, tracking and publishing organizational performance results.

Q3. Why is it necessary to monitor and measure service standards?

A3. The purpose of monitoring and measuring service standards are to:

• Apply continual improvement using a fact-based approach;
• Demonstrate performance against realistic targets;
• Comply with Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) requirements;
• Adjust service standards using stakeholders’ input and feedback.

Q4: What are the benefits Project to stakeholders and the Canadian public?

A4. The major benefits of the Service Standard Review Project are to:

• Evaluate client complaint and feedback tracking systems within departments to emphasize the focus on services with stakeholders in mind;
• Monitor and analyse performance against realistic standards, each TC office that provides a service and updates system data or billing data, should also document whether the service standard was met;
• Simplify and streamline documentation by recording of the service standard performance must happen as the service is recorded;
• Ensure the consistent delivery of services.

Q5. How long will the Marine Safety Service Standard Review Project take?

A5. TCMS is currently underway and in phase 1 of service standard development, as such, phase 1 of the project aims to complete proposal by the end of the current fiscal year (March 2012) and it is expected that new service standards will coming to effect by the end of 2012.

Q6. How are updates of TCMS service standards communicated to marine industry, stakeholders, and the Canadian public?

A6. TCMS publishes external service standards on its website at: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/service-standards-fees-321.htm

These standards communicated to the marine industry and the Canadian public through stakeholder consultations at the Canadian Maritime Advisory Council (CMAC), held nationally and regionally, twice a year.

Consulting the marine industry, stakeholders, and the general public enables TCMS to highlight our commitment to transparent management, accountability for results, and citizen-centered service delivery.

Q7. Who should take part in the consultations for the review and updating of TCMS service standards?

A7. All TCMS industry stakeholders should take part in the consultations, including:

• Marine personnel;
• Unions;
• General public;
• Recognized partners of the various delegation agreements; and

Q8. In terms of data collection, how will MS implement a performance measurement information system?

A8. Implementation of a performance indicator measurement system through IT infrastructure updates and data entry software in regional offices will provide HQ with the raw data necessary to make a full review of the efficacy of service standards.

For example, within the Vessel Registry Program, small IT updates have provided this program with the ability to measure, in a function of time, the efficacy of the registry program. The clock starts upon receiving the complete registration application and stops upon the registration being sent out to the client.

Q9. What types of performance indicators are currently collected, how are they used to evaluate current service standards?

A9. Three general performance indicators include measurements of timeliness, accuracy and accessibility. For the most part, Marine Safety collects data based on the timeliness of the service provided, usually calculated by the number of working days, under normal circumstance, a client can reasonably expect a service.

MS provides many services including inspections, examinations, registrations and approvals. It is essential to have these services provided in a timely manner. As such, we measure how consistently a certain program or regulation is meetings or exceeding its service standards.

Q10. Which MS services will be impacted as a result of the Service Standard Review Project?

A10. Service including, but not wholly limited to the following list:

• Inspection Services
• Crew Accommodations and Examination Services
• Plan Approvals
• Vessel Registry
• Medical and Seafarer Certificates

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