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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOR CITY COUNCIL PACKET

SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

 

The September 22, 2009 Work Study Meeting has been cancelled.

 

The September 23, 2009 Formal Meeting has been cancelled.

 

 

CONSENT AGENDA

 

1.	Efficiency Study

 

 

Packet Date:  September 11, 2009

 

CITY COUNCIL REPORT
CONSENT AGENDA
TO:	Ruth Osuna Deputy City Manager	AGENDA DATE:		September 15, 2009
FROM:	Jeff Dewitt Interim Finance Director	ITEM:	1
SUBJECT:	EFFICIENCY STUDY

 

This report is to request City Council approval to proceed with a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process in response to the City Council budget savings and revenue recommendation to hire an outside consultant to review City operations for efficiency and performance and recommend improvements.

 

THE ISSUE

 

At the April 14, 2009 Policy meeting, members of the City Council presented several budget savings and revenue suggestions for staff research, review and follow up.  Vice Mayor Simplot, Councilman DiCiccio, and Councilman Nowakowski recommended that an outside consultant be hired to review City operations for efficiency and performance and recommend improvements. 

 

OTHER INFORMATION

 

Staff requests approval to proceed with a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process to solicit responses from firms that specialize in local government consulting, with experience in organizational structure and efficiency. 

 

Four departments have been identified for consideration based on size (largest), a significant expansion that requires operational changes, and the significant impact of budget reductions on operations and staffing levels. 

 

The four departments are:  the Police Department, the Phoenix Convention Center, the Development Services Department, and the Parks Department. 

 

The RFQ will request that respondents submit the cost to conduct a study of each department, on an individual basis, as well as the savings they anticipate to achieve based on their experience and similar studies they have conducted.  Study costs are commonly based on either a fixed fee or a percent of savings achieved.  The RFQ will require that costs be based on a fixed fee rather than a percent of savings that may be realized.

 

After the responses have been evaluated, staff will submit for Council approval the most qualified firm(s) to provide the requested consultant services.  In order to provide more focused results in a timely manner, staff recommends that no more than two of the four departments be selected to participate in the study.  At the time staff returns with the results of the RFQ, the Council will be asked to select the two departments to be studied.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Staff requests City Council approval to develop and issue an RFQ to solicit responses from firms that specialize in local government consulting to provide the cost to study four City departments, on an individual basis, and the potential savings to be achieved from efficiency and performance improvements.  After the RFQs have been evaluated, staff will return to the Council with the most qualified firms and request that the Council select the two departments to participate in the study.