Department of Administrative Services

Overview

The Department of Administrative Services is composed of both appropriated and Internal Service Fund (ISF) agencies. The Department firmly believes that State provided support services should be cost effective. The Department's ISFs are run like private sector businesses. Demonstrating lower costs than published industry figures ensures the efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

The Figures below demonstrate both the diversity of services that DAS ISFs provide and the competitiveness of their rates relative to private-market rates. For example, at $4.20 a sq. ft., DFCM's FY 2008 maintenance rate is lower than the local private market rate -$4.88 -reported by BOMA International (Building Owners and Managers Association) for 2006. Likewise, State Mail Services' Optical Character Reader (OCR) rate is lower than that charged by a private vendor with similar operations.

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Data Source: DAS

The Department and its Divisions are committed to providing appropriate services at the lowest possible cost. The Divisions continue to use processes that lead to customer agencies avoiding costs, for example by:

1. Using state contracts that contain in-contract price reductions as negotiated and administered by the Division of Purchasing. The contracts cover a wide array of goods and services and can range from fleet maintenance services to janitorial services to office supplies.
2. Working with the agency-customer to modify operations in efforts to reduce expenses while providing appropriate service levels.
3. Leveraging the economic advantages of consolidation by providing centralized services such as automation support, contracting, accounting, and others, to ensure efficient administrative support for operations.
4. Partnering with providers who can provide services at rates lower than an ISF's rate. For example, the Division of Fleet Operations outsourced the daily motor pool because a provider submitted a bid that was below both the rates charged by Fleet and the provider's normal daily rate. Likewise, the Division of Purchasing and General Services outsourced copy and print services when private providers could deliver the service at a lower cost to public agencies.

Energy Efficiency

Utah State Bulletin Publication

Data Source: DAS - Division of Administrative Rules

Why this is important:

The timely publication of rules promulgated by state agencies is critical to governance because only those administrative rules that go through the rulemaking process outlined in Title 63, Chapter 46a, are enforceable. ( Utah Code Section 63-46a-3.5).

Procedurally, agencies file administrative rules with the Division of Administrative Rules and the Division publishes those rules in the Utah State Bulletin. Timely publication of rules affects state government's ability to implement law, establish and enforce standards, meet legal deadlines, or maintain primacy in certain federally regulated programs.

What we're doing about it:

Timely publication of the Utah State Bulletin is the Division's first and foremost priority. To insure the timely publication of administrative rules, the Division is reprogramming eRules, its filing and publication application, to further automate the process. The Division has cross-trained 75% of the staff to perform much of the publication function, and much of the process is documented should someone else need to perform the task. Operationally, all other tasks are secondary to the publication of the Utah State Bulletin.

Patron Requests for Archive Services

Data Source: DAS - Archives

Why this is important:

The Division of State Archives is the repository for official records of the state and its political subdivisions. The division holds these records in the public trust and is responsible for providing access to all public records in its custody. As indicated by our mission statement, it is critical to the division that we respond to patron requests in an accurate and timely manner.

What we're doing about it:

The Division of State Archives is committed to providing the public with quality access to historical records and this measure is critical in assessing the division's efforts in meeting one of the core principles of its mission. We believe that it is not enough to simply provide patrons with the opportunity to access the state's historical records. The public should receive assistance that is both timely and thorough.

This measure is critical in assessing the division's efforts in providing the public with quality access to the state's historical records. The increase in number of patron requests over the last three fiscal years is indicative of customer need for services that are timely and accurate. To provide efficient and effective service to the public, the division continues to track patron requests; whether the requests are met within applicable time frames; and whether the response is sufficiently thorough. Increasing efficiency will allow the division to provide more patrons with the records they need.

Capital Improvement Projects Under Budget

Data Source: DAS - Facilities and Construction Mgt

Why this is important:

The Division of Facilities Construction & Management (DFCM) is responsible for managing capital improvement projects (repairs and upgrades to state-owned buildings) for all state agencies and institutions of higher education. These projects range in size from $10,000 to $2.5 million.

Each year, the Legislature authorizes funding for the highest priority repairs and upgrades to state-owned buildings ($73 million in FY 2008). In many cases, these projects are so critical that operations and services provided by the agencies and institutions may be hampered or halted if the projects are not completed. Consequently, it is vital that DFCM complete these projects or, at a minimum, have construction underway (under contract) within one year from the date funding becomes available.

What we're doing about it:

In FY 2004 DFCM reorganized the Capital Improvement Team and implemented performance measures to improvement the efficiency and effectiveness of the project delivery system. DFCM's objective is to complete or have under construction 100% of the capital improvement projects funded by the Legislature each year. Since the reorganization of the improvement team and the implementation of the performance measures, DFCM has achieved 93%, 93%, 98% and 93%. Surveys of the agencies and institutions indicated overwhelming satisfaction with DFCM's improved performance in this area.

CAFR Certification (Finance)

Data Source: DAS - Finance

Why this is important:

The CAFR is the official financial statements of the State of Utah . An unqualified audit opinion from the State Auditor indicates that the CAFR is presented fairly and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. It is also a strong indicator that the accounting practices and systems within state government are sound and the financial information produced by the state is reliable.

The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting is “the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and reporting” according to the GFOA. To receive this award, a government must publish an easily readable and efficiently organized CAFR that satisfies both generally accepted accounting principles and applicable legal requirements. The State of Utah has received a certificate for the past 22 years - the 4 th longest record among the states.

What we're doing about it:

The Division continues to strive to annually receive both an unqualified audit opinion from the State Auditor and the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting because these help the state to maintain its “AAA” bond rating and its reputation as a well-managed state.

Fleet Cost Per Mile

Data Source: DAS - Fleet Operations

Why this is important:

The average cost per mile measure is a key indicator of effective fleet management. Average cost per mile allows the Division to track cost trends, and is therefore crucial to meeting the Division's responsibility of managing the state's fleet at the lowest possible cost.

What we're doing about it:

The Division uses the mid-size sedan as a standard vehicle class to monitor cost per mile performance month to month. It is the Division's goal to maintain the fleet's average cost per mile at a level less than the IRS privately owned vehicle reimbursement rates. The variables used by Fleet Operations that make up the typical cost per mile metric for fleet industry comparisons include: vehicle deprecation, fuel, preventative maintenance, and repair.

In recent years the cost per mile measurement for the mid-size sedan in the state fleet has been relatively stable. This is a reflection of careful management of repair costs by fleet staff, thorough monitoring of appropriate preventative maintenance compliance, and a relatively small increase in costs for fleet vehicles.

The Division of Fleet Operations makes all cost per mile information available to agency fleet contacts to monitor when a vehicle is outside of typical cost per mile ranges. In addition, Fleet Operations staff is designated to evaluate monthly cost per mile averages by vehicle and will notify an agency if a cost per mile average over time extends beyond set standards.

Purchasing Cost Avoidance

Data Source: DAS - Purchasing (*note that Purchasing has increased its cost-avoidance metric target from $2.5 mil/qtr to $4 mil/qtr)

Why this is important:

The Division of Purchasing and General Services conducts procurements and negotiates contracts for the purchase of goods and services at reduced prices. The Cost Avoidance measure quantifies the reductions in costs that public agencies are able to realize from all of the Division's procurement-related activities as well as in-contract price reductions negotiated by the Division. The measure is indicative of the value that the Division is able to provide to public agencies.

What we're doing about it:

In FY 2007 the Division set an overall target of $10 million dollars in cost avoidance and savings opportunities. The Division consistently exceeded the goal of $2.5 million per quarter of the fiscal year. As a result, the Division has increased the quarterly goal to $4 million per quarter or $16 million overall, for FY 2008.

Debt Collection

Data Source: DAS - OSDC

Why this is important:

The cost to collect one dollar measures the Office of State Debt Collection's (OSDC) efficiency in collecting receivables for the state.

What we're doing about it:

The OSDC is committed to the goal maintaining the cost to collect one dollar at a level below eighteen cents. As shown in the figure below, the cost of collecting one dollar has continually decreased from a high of twenty four cents in FY 2003 to a low of fifteen cents in FY 2007.

To minimize costs, the Office continues to identify processes for automation and to monitor expenditures, collections and revenue in order to identify significant changes. Corrective action is implemented whenever a significant change is identified. The Office also monitors the performance of outside collection vendors, and accounts are allocated based upon a vendor's performance in relation to other vendors.

Risk Claim Processing

Data Source: DAS - Risk Management

Why this is important:

It is the Division's goal to provide world class claims service to both its clients and claimants. The prompt handling of claims helps to control loss by allowing the Division to inspect the damage, investigate before memories begin to fade, complete scope of damage or repair estimate, and let the client or claimant know who is handling the case and that the claim process is underway.

What we're doing about it:

The division has instituted an audit process whereby each file that is entered into its computer based claims system is reviewed to determine whether certain conditions have been met within seven business days.

An audit conducted by the Division's independent showed that 121 of 125 files met the standard. According to the auditor, “Best practices require the administrator to promptly review new claims, assign for investigation and establish reserves. Risk Management requires claims to be reviewed, assigned and reserved within seven calendar days of receipt… Claims processing performance is evaluated as superior.”