After the program identifies and collects information on potential outsourcing projects, it would screen, plan, and implement them. The program staff could establish a process for monitoring outsourced activities and monitor or assist departments with monitoring vendors. The program could also provide support to departments as they prepare their own proposals, if the county chooses to implement a managed competition approach. Other governments have seen dramatic results from formal outsourcing programs. Massachusetts' Essex County has improved the quality of its highway maintenance through outsourcing and managed competition.
Recommendation Develop a formal process for making outsourcing decisions.
The El Paso County Commissioners Court should establish a department to manage the county's outsourcing efforts. Housing it in a separate department would enhance the staff's objectivity. The department's duties would include identifying and selecting potential outsourcing projects, applying formal cost methodologies to provide reliable and complete cost information, and implementing selected projects. These efforts would provide a consistent approach for analyzing outsourcing opportunities. The department should establish a process to monitor the performance of contractors to ensure that the county's interests are protected.