Modernizing Government Contracts: Efficiency With SAS Viya
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/02/25
Michael Dagenais is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in the technology and analytics sectors. Currently serving as the Senior Executive Director of US Manufacturing, Transportation, Entertainment, and Services at SAS, he leads strategic initiatives to drive innovation and operational excellence for clients across industries. Previously, he held the role of Director, Federal Government, for SAS Canada, where he advanced analytics adoption within government operations. With an MBA and a strong background in business administration, Dagenais has also contributed to Canadian corporate leadership. Now based in Wake Forest, North Carolina, he is recognized for his expertise in fostering transformative data-driven solutions. Dagenais discussed the benefits of consolidating annual contracts into a single agreement for the Government of Canada. Dagenais highlighted the efficiency gained by reducing 117 separate contracts into one annual financial transaction, allowing for redirected resources. They also addressed the modernization of SAS software, transitioning from SAS 9 to SAS Viya, which aligns with Canada’s digital transformation goals by shifting to cloud infrastructure. Dagenais emphasized the importance of simplifying contracts and improving flexibility while reducing technical debt. He expressed confidence that future evaluations would be more favorable, with significant savings and alignment with government priorities.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: How will the consolidation of annual contracts into a single agreement benefit the Government of Canada?
Michael Dagenais: There are several significant ways. The first and most obvious is efficiency for the federal government. Currently, awarding or renewing a contract requires a full review process at the departmental and agency level. After that, it is sent to Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), which repeats the process to validate terms, conditions, pricing, and other details. Additionally, there is a financial validation process to ensure the agency or department has sufficient funds.
By consolidating these steps into a single annual agreement, the process is reduced from 117 separate negotiations, pricing reviews, and validations to one financial transaction per year. This change greatly reduces the man-hours required and allows resources to be redirected to other priorities, making the process much more efficient overall.
Jacobsen: How does SAS Viya align with Canada’s Digital Ambition Plan to prioritize digital initiatives?
Dagenais: The modernization from SAS 9 to SAS Viya represents a major technological leap for the government. This upgrade transitions from an on-premises infrastructure, where data resides on physical servers, to a cloud-based solution. The move to the cloud brings numerous benefits, including cost savings, reduced physical infrastructure, and environmental advantages, all of which align with Canada’s digital transformation and sustainability goals.
Jacobsen: What will be the challenges in modernizing SAS technology?
Dagenais: While modernization offers substantial benefits, there will be some challenges. A primary issue is the learning curve associated with adapting to cloud-based systems. Government employees, who are used to software residing on physical servers or desktops, will need to adjust to the new approach. From a technical perspective, however, the changes are minimal. The backend processes remain largely the same, but with improved speed and efficiency. Once users are familiar with the system, these adjustments will lead to better overall performance.
Jacobsen: How will standardized access to SAS software enhance the digital capabilities of federal employees?
Dagenais: The transition shifts the platform from a compute-based or CPU-based model to a user-based model. This leads to improved productivity and enhances the digital capabilities of federal employees, helping the government achieve its modernization goals.
Providing unlimited ways to access the system will also help the federal government as they navigate their back-to-work program. For example, whether someone is remote due to geography or by choice, we can accommodate that much better from a cloud-based perspective compared to the old on-premises approach.
Jacobsen: How will adopting SAS Viya contribute to reducing technical debt and improving the flexibility of the computing structure?
Dagenais: As we discussed, the flexibility offered by a cloud-native approach will make access easier not only for end-users but also for the technical teams supporting these environments. From an efficiency perspective, we estimate the new platform is 30% faster than the current system.
For example, data analysis that previously required an entire weekend to process can now be completed in an afternoon. This faster processing translates directly into quicker insights and more immediate realization of efficiency and effectiveness.
This aligns with feedback we received starting in October 2022, when the Auditor General issued a critical report on IT environments in the federal government.
Jacobsen: Do you think there will be a more more favorable review next time?
Dagenais: Yes, I do.
This also supports the Government of Canada’s digital ambition. These are key elements we focused on during the process. It wasn’t about simply selling software and discussing costs. Instead, we emphasized the broader benefits and alignment with government priorities.
Jacobsen: Michael, thank you for your time today.
Dagenais: Thank you, Scott. I appreciate it.
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