Guide Promotes Competitive Sourcing at State, Local Levels

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Responding to the rapid growth of government contracting, the National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation, assisted by the Reason Foundation, has published a guide to improve the process of competitive sourcing.

According to the Government Contracting Institute, the value of all federal, state, and local government contracts (including outsourcing agreements) has increased 65 percent since 1996, to $400 billion in 2001.
"Policies must be changed to reflect the scope of contracting and the importance of managing these contracts efficiently," suggests the publication, titled "A Legislative Guide to Competitive Sourcing in the States [and Elsewhere]."

The guide chronicles existing rules, guidelines, and legislation used to control and administer contracting procedures and offers suggestions to improve the process. It includes examples of executive orders and legislation already adopted by various states and the federal government.

"The fact that a provision has already been enacted in one state should help overcome opposition to new and innovative legislative approaches in other states, making it possible for policymakers to determine the effectiveness of the law or regulation," says Geoffrey Segal, author of the guide, and Director of Privatization and Government Reform at the Reason Foundation.

"This document will be useful not only for legislators and government agencies," says William J. Dennis, senior fellow at the NFIB Research Foundation. "It will be a tool for all of those interested in good government, to measure the effectiveness of the contracting process in delivering more efficient government services."

The publication contains suggestions to ensure transparency, accountability, and the delivery of high-performance services. It encourages use of best practices and lessons learned from existing state and federal experience with competitive sourcing.

"A Legislative Guide to Competitive Sourcing in the States [and Elsewhere]" will be distributed to state and local governments. It was written by Geoffrey Segal, Adrian Moore, and Rebecca Bricken of the Reason Foundation.

To access the complete guide, visit: www.govinfo.bz/5197-258.

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is the nation’s largest small-business advocacy group. A nonprofit, non-partisan organization founded in 1943, NFIB represents the consensus views of its 600,000 members in Washington and all 50 state capitals.