Ontario Colleges Procurement Management Association (OCPMA)

Uniting Ontario Colleges in Sustainable Procurement

The Ontario Colleges Procurement Management Association (OCPMA) is a collaborative organization dedicated to uniting the procurement teams of the 24 colleges across Ontario. Through its mission of establishing a unified voice on critical topics and legislation, and supporting its members with driving meaningful change, OCPMA identified a need for its members to have consistent guidance and structure for advancing sustainable procurement.

Building a Scalable Framework with Reeve Consulting

OCPMA engaged Reeve Consulting to leverage the Reeve Best Practice Sustainable Procurement Program Framework and develop supporting resources and training, to strengthen the capacity of Ontario colleges to advance sustainability through procurement. While some colleges had made initial strides on sustainable procurement, there was a clear need for a unified and scalable approach grounded in public sector best practices and adaptable to each institution’s unique priorities.

Four Core Components of the Program

The project consisted of four primary components, all organized around the 10 key elements of the Reeve Best Practice Sustainable Procurement Program Framework:

1. Reeve tailored a comprehensive Maturity Assessment Questionnaire and conducted assessments with each college to identify their own starting point and priorities.
2. Based on the assessment results, Reeve developed recommended Activity Roadmaps for each college to follow in alignment with their capacity.
3. Reeve developed a Resource Library consisting of guides and resource templates to support the colleges with implementing each of the 10 program elements.
4. Reeve delivered a series of eight educational webinars for the colleges to deepen their learning and discuss challenges and success factors.

Strengthening Capacity Across All 24 Colleges

By the end of the two-year project, all 24 colleges had the framework, resources, and training to advance sustainable procurement. The initiative built long-term capacity, empowering procurement professionals to drive institutional change and align purchasing with Ontario’s sustainability goals.

Voices from the Colleges

“I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude and admiration for the exceptional services provided by Reeve Consulting on our recent project. Working with them has been an absolute pleasure, and their commitment to excellence has truly set them apart. From the initial planning stages to the final delivery, Reeve Consulting demonstrated a remarkable level of professionalism, expertise, and dedication. Their team’s proactive approach to problem-solving and attention to detail contributed significantly to the project’s success. Not only did they meet our expectations, but they consistently exceeded them, delivering high-quality results within the agreed-upon timeframe. The seamless collaboration, clear communication, and adaptability to our evolving needs showcased their commitment to customer satisfaction.”