NCJ Number
66650
Date Published
1979
Length
118 pages
Annotation
THIS HANDBOOK FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS DISCUSSES CONTRACTING WITH PRIVATE BUSINESS OR OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SERVICES; CONTRACTS ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
DESPITE THE TAXPAYERS' REVOLT, PEOPLE ARE STILL DEMANDING BETTER MUNICIPAL SERVICES. THUS, MANY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FIND IT EXPENSIVE AND IMPRACTICAL TO MAINTAIN AND DELIVER ALL PUBLIC SERVICES. CONTRACTING MAY PROVIDE A SERVICE NOT OTHERWISE AVAILABLE, LOWER COSTS, SOLVE INTERAGENCY JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES, AND PROVIDE SERVICES NEEDED INFREQUENTLY, THEREFORE NOT JUSTIFYING GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT. HOWEVER, CONTRACTED SERVICES MAY ALSO COST MORE, RESULT IN POORER SERVICE AND LESS CONTROL OVER SERVICE, MAY OUTRAGE TRADITION, AND OFTEN REQUIRE GREATER CARE AND COSTS IN MONITORING THE SERVICE. CAREFUL PLANNING AND A PROPERLY NEGOTIATED CONTRACT SHOULD ALLEVIATE MOST PROBLEMS, HOWEVER. FINALLY, CONTRACTING MAY BE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. PRECONTRACT COST, RESOURCE ALLOCATION, AND LEGAL INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN. DISCUSSION COVERS PRIVATE SECTOR CONTRACTS OBTAINED THROUGH BIDDING OR NEGOTIATION, AS WELL AS SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATION OF INTERGOVERNMENT CONTRACTS. EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL CONTRACTING IN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA ARE PRESENTED. IN ARKANSAS, TEXAS, LOUISIANA, AND OKLAHOMA, 187 CITIES OF OVER 10,000 WERE SURVEYED ABOUT THE EXTENT OF GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING. THE PERCENTAGE OF CITIES CONTRACTING FOR SERVICES VARIED FROM 57 PERCENT IN TEXAS TO 11 PERCENT IN ARKANSAS. MOST INVOLVED IN CONTRACTING HAD A COUNCIL-MANAGER TYPE OF GOVERNMENT. SERVICES MOST FREQUENTLY CONTRACTED TO PRIVATE FIRMS INCLUDED MASS TRANSIT AND PUBLIC WORKS, WHILE OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES MOST OFTEN PROVIDED PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH AND WELFARE SERVICES. APPENDIXES CONTAIN EXAMPLES OF CONTRACTS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY, TABLES, NOTES, AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)