The Rendell Administration: Running the Commonwealth More Efficiently

One of the things that most people don’t fully realize about government is that it’s a real enterprise, not an abstraction to be argued about at cocktail parties. Like any large business or institution, the Commonwealth’s state government administers a vast amount of personnel, physical resources, programs, and processes. This means that there are usually many opportunities to develop management and productivity initiatives that can save money and/or enhance service levels. That said, the Rendell Administration has identified procurement strategies that will generate $140 million in annual savings (see story). It’s a result of “strategic sourcing” (i.e., organizing contracts for maximum savings) initiatives. In addition to public policy and other more “exciting” issues, this is the kind of thing that Rendell and the excellent folks on his team focus on; the mechanics and processes of government. It’s not sexy, but it’s the real stuff of managing a government.