PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2413 PRINTER'S NO. 2629
No. 178 Session of 1990
INTRODUCED BY BAKER, CORMAN, SALVATORE, HELFRICK, AFFLERBACH, WENGER, LEMMOND AND SHAFFER, JUNE 29, 1990
AS AMENDED, NOVEMBER 20, 1990
A RESOLUTION 1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to study ways in <-- 2 which the Commonwealth can better provide government services 3 at minimal public cost by utilizing, where appropriate, 4 private enterprise. 5 DIRECTING THE JOINT STATE GOVERNMENT COMMISSION TO STUDY WAYS IN <-- 6 WHICH THE COMMONWEALTH CAN ENHANCE SERVICE EFFICIENCY AT 7 MINIMAL ECONOMIC PUBLIC COST. 8 WHEREAS, It is the function of government to establish <-- 9 policies and manage programs established by or pursuant to law; 10 and 11 WHEREAS, It is the function of the private enterprise system, 12 which is the primary source of economic strength, to provide 13 goods and services needed in that endeavor; and 14 WHEREAS, Optimum efficiency, economy and productivity can 15 often be achieved if government relies on competitive 16 procurements from private enterprise for its needs, goods and 17 services; and 18 WHEREAS, In a democratic, free enterprise system, the 19 government should work to insure that quality standards are met 20 at the least possible cost to taxpayers; therefore be it
1 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission appoint 2 a task force to conduct a thorough study of ways in which the 3 Commonwealth can provide government services at minimal public 4 cost by utilizing, where appropriate, private enterprise; and be 5 it further 6 RESOLVED, That the task force may appoint an advisory 7 committee to: 8 (1) review and identify governmental functions which 9 could better be performed by private enterprise; 10 (2) review existing privatization efforts on the 11 Federal, State and local levels; 12 (3) establish standards of evaluation of existing 13 governmental services by applying cost-benefit analysis and 14 taking into account quality, safety and other performance 15 standards; 16 (4) review current bidding and procurement regulations 17 to determine their efficiency; 18 (5) review the possibility of integrating public and 19 private services; and 20 (6) in particular, examine service areas, including, but 21 not limited to, the following: 22 (i) transportation, including operation, 23 construction, design of highways and transportation- 24 related projects; 25 (ii) municipal services; 26 (iii) hazardous waste and environmental services; 27 (iv) human services, including mental health and 28 mental retardation services; 29 (v) hospital operation; 30 (vi) housing and redevelopment programs; 19900S0178R2629 - 2 -
1 (vii) education and training services; and 2 (viii) administrative services, including data 3 processing and records management; and be it further 4 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission report 5 the findings of its task force, together with recommendations 6 for appropriate legislation, to the General Assembly as soon as 7 possible. 8 WHEREAS, IT IS THE FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH <-- 9 POLICIES AND MANAGE PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED BY OR PURSUANT TO LAW 10 THROUGH THE BEST MANAGEMENT OPTIONS AND TECHNIQUES; AND 11 WHEREAS, OPTIMUM EFFICIENCY, ECONOMY AND PRODUCTIVITY CAN BE 12 BEST ACHIEVED IF GOVERNMENT RELIES ON EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT 13 TECHNIQUES, INCLUDING COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENTS; AND 14 WHEREAS, GOVERNMENT SHOULD WORK TO INSURE THAT EFFICIENCY AND 15 QUALITY STANDARDS ARE MET AT THE LEAST POSSIBLE COST TO 16 TAXPAYERS; THEREFORE BE IT 17 RESOLVED, THAT THE JOINT STATE GOVERNMENT COMMISSION APPOINT 18 A TASK FORCE TO CONDUCT A THOROUGH STUDY OF WAYS IN WHICH THE 19 COMMONWEALTH CAN ENHANCE SERVICE EFFICIENCY AT MINIMAL PUBLIC 20 COST; AND BE IT FURTHER 21 RESOLVED, THAT THE TASK FORCE MAY APPOINT AN ADVISORY 22 COMMITTEE TO: 23 (1) REVIEW AND IDENTIFY GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTIONS WHERE 24 SERVICE EFFICIENCY MAY BE IMPROVED; 25 (2) REVIEW EXISTING COMPETITIVE CONTRACTING EFFORTS ON 26 THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS; 27 (3) ESTABLISH STANDARDS OF EVALUATION OF EXISTING 28 GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES BY APPLYING COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS AND 29 TAKING INTO ACCOUNT QUALITY, SAFETY AND OTHER PERFORMANCE AND 30 EFFICIENCY MEASURES; 19900S0178R2629 - 3 -
1 (4) ASSESS THE EFFICIENCY OF CURRENT PROCUREMENT AND 2 BIDDING REGULATIONS; 3 (5) EXAMINE SERVICE AREAS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED 4 TO, THE FOLLOWING: 5 (I) ALL ASPECTS OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES; 6 (II) MUNICIPAL SERVICES; 7 (III) HAZARDOUS WASTE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES; 8 (IV) HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENT; 9 (V) HOSPITAL OPERATION; 10 (VI) EDUCATION AND TRAINING SERVICES; AND 11 (VII) ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES; AND 12 (6) PREPARE A HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS EFFORTS TO 13 STREAMLINE PUBLIC SERVICES AND MORE EFFICIENTLY PERFORM 14 GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTIONS WHICH SHALL INDICATE WHICH 15 GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES ACHIEVED PERFORMANCE EFFICIENCY; AND BE 16 IT FURTHER 17 RESOLVED, THAT THE JOINT STATE GOVERNMENT COMMISSION REPORT 18 THE FINDINGS OF ITS TASK FORCE, TOGETHER WITH RECOMMENDATIONS 19 FOR APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION, TO THE SENATE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. F25L82JLW/19900S0178R2629 - 4 -