Washington § 43.19.008 - Director — Executive powers and management — Review of programs and services — Audit.

(1) The executive powers and management of the department shall be administered as described in this section.

(2) The executive head and appointing authority of the department is the director. The director is appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by the senate. The director serves at the pleasure of the governor. The director is paid a salary fixed by the governor in accordance with RCW 43.03.040. If a vacancy occurs in the position of director while the senate is not in session, the governor shall make a temporary appointment until the next meeting of the senate at which time he or she shall present to that body his or her nomination for the position.

(3) The director may employ staff members, who are exempt from chapter 41.06 RCW, and any additional staff members as are necessary to administer this chapter, and such other duties as may be authorized by law. The director may delegate any power or duty vested in him or her by chapter 43, Laws of 2011 1st sp. sess. or other law, including authority to make final decisions and enter final orders in hearings conducted under chapter 34.05 RCW.

(4) The internal affairs of the department are under the control of the director in order that the director may manage the department in a flexible and intelligent manner as dictated by changing contemporary circumstances. Unless specifically limited by law, the director has complete charge and supervisory powers over the department. The director may create the administrative structures as the director deems appropriate, except as otherwise specified by law, and the director may employ personnel as may be necessary in accordance with chapter 41.06 RCW, except as otherwise provided by law.

(5) Until June 30, 2018, at the beginning of each fiscal biennium, the office of financial management shall conduct a review of the programs and services that are performed by the department to determine whether the program or service may be performed by the private sector in a more cost-efficient and effective manner than being performed by the department. In conducting this review, the office of financial management shall:

(a) Examine the existing activities currently being performed by the department, including but not limited to an examination of services for their performance, staffing, capital requirements, and mission. Programs may be broken down into discrete services or activities or reviewed as a whole; and

(b) Examine the activities to determine which specific services are available in the marketplace and what potential for efficiency gains or savings exist.

(i) As part of the review in this subsection (5), the office of financial management shall select up to six activities or services that have been determined as an activity that may be provided by the private sector in a cost-effective and efficient manner, including for the 2011-2013 fiscal biennium the bulk printing services. The office of financial management may consult with affected industry stakeholders in making its decision on which activities to contract for services. Priority for selection shall be given to agency activities or services that are significant, ongoing functions.

(ii) The office of financial management must consider the consequences and potential mitigation of improper or failed performance by the contractor.

(iii) For each of the selected activities, the department shall use a request for information, request for proposal, or other procurement process to determine if a contract for the activity would result in the activity being provided at a reduced cost and with greater efficiency.

(iv) The request for information, request for proposal, or other procurement process must contain measurable standards for the performance of the contract.

(v) The department may contract with one or more vendors to provide the service as a result of the procurement process.

(vi) If the office of financial management determines via the procurement process that the activity cannot be provided by the private sector at a reduced cost and greater efficiency, the department of enterprise services may cancel the procurement without entering into a contract and shall promptly notify the legislative fiscal committees of such a decision.

(vii) The department of enterprise services, in consultation with the office of financial management, must establish a contract monitoring process to measure contract performance, costs, service delivery quality, and other contract standards, and to cancel contracts that do not meet those standards. No contracts may be renewed without a review of these measures.

(viii) The office of financial management shall prepare a biennial report summarizing the results of the examination of the agency's programs and services. In addition to the programs and services examined and the result of the examination, the report shall provide information on any procurement process that does not result in a contract for the services. During each regular legislative session held in odd-numbered years, the legislative fiscal committees shall hold a public hearing on the report and the department's activities under this section.

(ix) The joint legislative audit and review committee shall conduct an audit of the implementation of this subsection (5), and report to the legislature by January 1, 2018, on the results of the audit. The report must include an estimate of additional costs or savings to taxpayers as a result of the contracting out provisions.

Effective date—Purpose—2011 1st sp.s. c 43: See notes following RCW 43.19.003.