Download or read book Contracting Out for Human Services written by Ruth H. De Hoog and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 1985-06-30 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contracting out for services has become a popular technique in government's perennial quest to cut spending. Yet seldom has the practice been examined from any but the public choice approach. This book explores contracting out in the important area of human services, covering the critical conditions of contracting and the vital points of politics, procedures, service quality, and effectiveness. In doing so, DeHoog uses three theoretical perspectives drawn from social science traditions: the economic perspective of market imperfections, the political perspective of cooptation, and the interdisciplinary perspective of organizational decision-making. To evaluate the perspectives and their predictions in the human services, DeHoog has examined contracting in social services (Title XX) and employment and training programs, (CETA), primarily through in-depth interviews with participants.

Download or read book Contracting Out in Government written by John Rehfuss and published by Jossey-Bass. This book was released on 1989-01-27 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Contracting for Services in State and Local Government Agencies written by William Sims Curry and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-28 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This second edition of Contracting for Services in State and Local Government Agencies provides state-of-the-art tools for best practice in the procurement of services at state and local levels, from initial stages through to completion. Including lively case studies and research conducted with state and local agencies across the United States, this book provides management advice and tips on compliance to reduce costs, select the best-qualified contractors, manage contractors’ performance, and prevent corruption and waste. Utilizing the results of new research in all fifty states, author William Sims Curry offers updated best-practice documents, methodologies, and templates including: a Request for Proposal (RFP), a scorecard for proposals to select the best-qualified contractor, a toolkit for meeting socioeconomic contracting goals without compromising price, quality, or on-time delivery, and a Model Services Contract (MSC). Special consideration is given to obtaining services and products in states of emergency. Several additional resources for practitioners are available online, including sample contracts and a straightforward, inexpensive tool for tracking contractors’ progress and cost management. The roadmap and templates contained in this book and available online to readers will prove essential to state and local government agency contracting professionals and other officials and employees called upon to participate in the drafting of solicitations, writing sole source justifications, writing scopes of work, serving on advance contract planning and source selection teams, recommending award of contracts, or assisting in the management of those contracts.

Download or read book Contracting Out Government Services written by Paul Seidenstat and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 1999-06-30 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Privatization of government services in the United States has accelerated in the last two decades, especially at the state and local levels. This work focuses on contracting out—the most widely used method of privatization. Contributors from academia, consulting firms, government agencies, and private providers discuss the why and how of contracting out and examine the results of contracted services, including quality and cost measures of performance. Some chapters apply economic theory to contracting out. Others examine recent case studies of contracting out initiatives. The book begins with a thoughtful essay on the theory of privatization and examines the recent record of use in state and local governments. Section 1 takes an overview look at contracting out. Section 2 examines contracting in the criminal justice area as well as examples of contracting in such diverse areas as trash collection and the operation of golf courses. The final section looks in depth at the mechanics, obstacles, and effects of contracting. The book points out the pluses and minuses of contracting out and points to the lessons that can be learned from the recent history of this privatization technique.

Download or read book Government by Contract written by Jody Freeman and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2009-02-28 with total page 550 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The dramatic growth of government over the course of the twentieth century since the New Deal prompts concern among libertarians and conservatives and also among those who worry about government’s costs, efficiency, and quality of service. These concerns, combined with rising confidence in private markets, motivate the widespread shift of federal and state government work to private organizations. This shift typically alters only who performs the work, not who pays or is ultimately responsible for it. “Government by contract” now includes military intelligence, environmental monitoring, prison management, and interrogation of terrorism suspects. Outsourcing government work raises questions of accountability. What role should costs, quality, and democratic oversight play in contracting out government work? What tools do citizens and consumers need to evaluate the effectiveness of government contracts? How can the work be structured for optimal performance as well as compliance with public values? Government by Contract explains the phenomenon and scope of government outsourcing and sets an agenda for future research attentive to workforce capacities as well as legal, economic, and political concerns.

Download or read book National Audit Office NAO Government Contracting The Role of Major Contractors in the Delivery of Public Services HC 810 written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2013-11-12 with total page 70 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the memorandum 'The role of major contractors in the delivery of public services' the NAO sets out some of the benefits that can be achieved through contracting but highlights three issues that deserve greater public scrutiny. First, it raises questions about the way public service markets operate. This includes the need for scrutiny over whether public service contracts are sufficiently competitive and whether the rise of a few major contractors is in the public interest. Secondly, it highlights the issue of whether contractors' profits reflect a fair return. Understanding contractors' profits is important to ensure that their interests are aligned properly with that of the taxpayer. But transparency over rewards that contractors make is at present limited. Thirdly, the report asks how we know that contractors are delivering services to the high standards expected. In particular, government needs to ensure that large companies with sprawling structures are not paying 'lip-service' to control and that they have the right culture and control environment across their group. This requires transparency over contractors' performance and the use of contractual entitlement to information, audit and inspection. This should be backed up by the threat of financial penalties and being barred from future competitions if things are found to be wrong. A related report 'Managing government suppliers' (HC 811, session 2013-14, ISBN 9780102987034) examines the way the Cabinet Office is working to improve government's management of strategic suppliers.

Download or read book Contracting Out Government Services written by Graeme Arthur Hodge and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Contracting Out Public Services to the Private Sector written by M. Azher Khan and published by . This book was released on 1981 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Political and Economic Approaches to Government contracting Out a Study of Human Service Contracting in the State of Michigan written by Ruth Hoogland DeHoog and published by . This book was released on 1981 with total page 516 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Privatization and Public Employees written by Dudek & Company and published by . This book was released on 1988 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A study examined the issue of contracting out traditional government services and its effect on government employees. It found that local governments contract out for two principal reasons: to cut the cost of providing services and to employ specialized skills and resources unavailable within the government. Findings from a review of the privatization literature were that: (1) only about 5-10 percent of public employees affected by contracting out were laid off; (2) public assistance payments to laid-off workers were very low; (3) private contractors paid lower wages and offered lower fringe benefits; (4) contracting out was not inherently harmful to minorities or women; and (5) contracting may have a slightly positive impact on the number of available jobs. Interviews with local officials from 17 cities and counties generally confirmed these findings and indicated that very few workers were laid off as a result of contracting out and few cities had formal contracting out employment policies. Policy recommendations were as follows: (1) target new and expanded services for contracting out; (2) establish a "no layoff" policy; (3) reduce the government work force through attrition; (4) encourage government employees to form private companies to provide government services; (5) allow the city agency to compete in the bidding process; and (6) develop policies for aiding displaced public employees. (66 references) (YLB).

Download or read book Outsourcing State and Local Government Services written by John O'Looney and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 1998-11-19 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Should we be doing—or trying to do—everything ourselves, or might it be better to contract some tasks out to others? Could they do them better and cheaper than we can? More and more state and local governments are asking these questions, and while there are many answers on the Federal level, these answers often don't apply lower down the line. Nevertheless, it is evident that contracting out is often the better strategy—but how best to go about it? What are the benefits and what are the hidden risks? Dr. O'Looney's book provides precisely the guidance that state and local managers need: first, how to decide to outsource a government service, then step-by-step how to proceed. Based on extensive interviews and other research, O'Looney takes managers through the intricacies of contract outsourcing and administration, but in doing so he makes clear that he appreciates the importance of government. His book is not an argument for privatization, as so many other books are; rather, it is an affirmation of government and the benefits of its many services. Readers will find theory and advice on the services that are most suitable for contracting out; a listing and review of the components of a high-quality analysis, including the analysis of often overlooked political, organizational, and functional aspects of government; advice on how to go from deciding to outsource to actually designing, implementing, and monitoring a contract in situations that could prove hazardous to the livelihoods of government workers. He also discusses the changes that need to be made in the organizational culture, management, and employee training as a result of the change to a contract-based system of providing services; the considerations in designing work specifications and other critical aspects of the government-vendor relationship, and how ideal contracting processes and ideal contracts can differ according to the nature of the service being contracted. The result is a thorough and highly practical volume for executives and managers in the public sector, and for those who hope to do business with them.

Download or read book Government Contracting written by William Sims Curry and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-08-05 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The second edition of Government Contracting: Promises and Perils picks up where the first edition’s mission left off: exposing fraud, incompetence, waste, and abuse (FIWA) and analyzing corruption, mismanagement, and ineptitude that defile government contracting. The first edition thoroughly outlined procurement throughout the contracting cycle including initial planning, contractor selection, contract administration, contract closeout, and auditing. This significantly revised new edition provides additional much-needed guidance on contracting documents, management tools, and processes for addressing negative influences on government contracting, including an improved approach to evaluating proposals. Specific guidance for avoiding FIWA is provided for government officials and employees, government agencies, and government contractors, and practical solutions to problems faced by individuals and organizations involved in government contracting are intended for both practitioner and pedagogical applications. The "Government Procurement Corruption Wall of Shame" that was introduced in the first edition to illustrate contracting perils such as conflicts of interest, duplicity, favoritism, incompetence, kickbacks, and protests is continued in the second edition, and cases illustrating the existence of FIWA in government contracting have been thoroughly updated. Contracting documents and contract management tools are provided on a website designed to accompany the book. Written at the graduate level and specifically intended for state, local, federal, and international government procurement activities, this textbook is required reading for public procurement, contract management, business, and public administrations courses.

Download or read book Contracting for Services in State and Local Government Agencies written by William Sims Curry and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2008-11-05 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The First Complete Contracting Reference/ Textbook for State and Local Agencies Federal contracting officials have a comprehensive resource in the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) to guide them through the arduous contracting process; however, until now there has been no such counterpart for state and local government agencies. Contracting for Services in State and Local Government Agencies is the first reference book of its kind specifically designed to provide state and local administrators with a concise authoritative resource on contracting for services. Draws from the best features of existing RFPs and contracts nationwide In preparation for writing this book, author William Sims Curry contacted all 50 state governments, as well a large selection of city and county governments, and asked them to participate in the development of templates for Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and service contracts. These agencies were asked to complete a questionnaire and provide copies of their RFP and service contract templates. Out of their contributions, the best features from each were incorporated into the Best Practices RFP and Service Contract, which are presented here in this volume. The templates can be readily downloaded from an included CD-ROM. These can be fully adapted to meet any specific need. In the text, both of these documents are examined, line by line, with the author explaining specific language choices. Guides you through the contracting process, step-by-step In addition to these model documents, additional techniques and tools are introduced to assist agencies in improving their services contracting programs. The book is presented in the sequence of the contracting cycle, beginning with advance contract planning and proceeding to pre-solicitation, solicitation, proposal evaluation, negotiation, and award through contract administration and closeout. By adopting the techniques in this book, state and local agencies will be able to effectively contract for services, get the best price available, and get important jobs done on time.

Download or read book Human Services Contracting written by Robert A. Shick and published by Public Solutions Handbook Series. This book was released on 2019-12-09 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the last thirty-five years, governments around the globe have increasingly contracted with non-profit and for-profit entities to provide a portion of the public sector's portfolio of goods and services. In the United States, child welfare services adopted a pro-contracting approach early, and a variety of other human services have followed suit, including mental health care, job training, homeless services, and others. This trend can be traced to a variety of factors, including perceived or actual economic efficiencies in outsourcing goods and services, values concerning the role and size of government in society, and the financial and organizational constraints of many government entities. This new volume in the Public Solutions Handbook series is the first volume-length treatment of human services contracting issues, integrating both policy and practice, and exploring a broad range of issues that comprise the field: history, growth, innovations, results and outcomes, best practices, and the future of government human service contracting. Although human service contracting is a growing public sector phenomenon, little has been written on human service contract management, policy implementation and innovation, performance-based contracting, and evaluation. Chapters in this book examine real human service contracts as case studies, incorporating examples from the US and abroad. The book is specifically geared toward practitioners in the public sector, from local government service contractors to municipal employees, as well as MPA students and those enrolled in courses on intergovernmental relations and nonprofit management.

Download or read book Contracting Out Public Services written by Mirjam Plantinga and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Western welfare states are under reform (Pierson 1996; Gilbert 2002; Taylor-Gooby 2004; Henman and Fenger 2006). An important part of those reforms is the introduction of forms of privatization. Over the last decade, in most Western countries private elements have been introduced in (former) public sectors such as health care, home care, public transport, and social security. One of the components of the welfare state that has been subjected to privatization is the provision of public services. Over the years, many countries have chosen to contract out public service delivery (Domberger and Jensen 1997; Majone 1997; Scott 2000). The contracting out of public services is a specific form of privatization. In the case of contracting out, the production or the provision of public services is commissioned to the market. As a result, the role of the state changes from public provider to buyer of public services. Underlying the notion of contracting out is the belief that the introduction of market elements in the production of public services increases effectiveness and efficiency (Raad voor Werk en Inkomen 2003; Van Berkel and Van der Aa 2005). However, as we will explain in section two, this expectation only holds under specific circumstances. When contracting out public services, the agency that is outsourcing is faced with several challenges, such as opportunistic behavior on the part of the supplier. It may turn out to be difficult and costly to have the contractor supply according to the agency's preferences and policies. More specifically, the question arises whether contracts are sufficient for the safeguarding of public interests or whether supplementary government intervention is required. By analyzing the contracting practices of reintegration services in the Dutch reintegration market, we hope to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of public private contract relations and the extend to which it is possible to safeguard public interests within the contract relation.

Download or read book Contracting Out Government Services written by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and published by Org. for Economic Cooperation & Development. This book was released on 1997 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report presents the OECD Best Practice Guidelines for Contracting Out Government Services and accompanying case studies.

Download or read book The Politics of Privatisation written by Kate Ascher and published by Palgrave. This book was released on 1987 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: