- Engaging the membership in identifying efficiencies in engineering services.
- Deciding which department will participate in the JIMEE committee.
- Identifying areas to study for tangible “real” savings.
- Understanding CAP rates and how they affect the cost of in-sourcing.
- Sustaining the engineering workforce through Knowledge Management.
I think this meeting went well and the biggest item in my estimate to get accomplished is to get our astute, smart, long term, institutional knowledge holders engineers in SEIU 721 units 8 & 17 engaged in this initiative. We will discover many streams and avenues for savings and efficiency gains if we can somehow tap the minds of the membership. We could do this through an electronic process that shows the participants a little about process optimization. Or perhaps we can act like consultants and go to members’ work locations and find ways through process optimization to increase the efficiency of delivering professional engineering services. I believe members intuitively know “real” cost savings and efficiency gains within their work units, but often say to themselves, “that’s the way it has always been done in the city.” So, let’s stop thinking that way and bring ideas to the attention of the JIMEE committee and seek change.
Let me know your thoughts on engaging the whole membership in order to identify efficiencies, opportunities and cost savings for professional engineering services citywide.
–Reported by Michael SimpsonSenior Environmental Engineer
Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation