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JIMEE Committee Report – August 2012

Other possible cost-saving ideas were raised at the meeting, but there was not sufficient time to discuss them in-depth, given the limited JIMEE timeline.
One new idea that could be wrapped into an existing recommendation concerns getting labor (MOUs 8 and 17) involved in the city’s Charter Section 1022 determination procedures.
Charter Section 1022 outlines the steps that must be followed when determining whether city workers in a department or bureau can perform technical services in-house for a different city entity.
Currently, these decisions are made by upper-level management with little input from labor. A “shout” method  (electronic notification) of announcing the opportunities to labor regarding future Charter Section 1022 determinations could help management and labor seek partnerships and engage in creative “outside-the-box” thinking. The goal would be to collaborate and figure out how a desired technical task would be completed in-house by current city employees.
Please provide feedback about whether the Charter Section 1022 determination process should be communicated by management to members covered by MOUs 8 and 17. Communicating to labor may present an opportunity for creative conversations that would increase internal contracting opportunities among departments.
Email your feedback to Michael Simpson: michael.simpson@lacity.org.
Recommendations Tentatively Agreed to by the JIMEE Committee:
  1. Create modified CAP rates for interdepartmental work.
  2. Backfill vacant, funded and critical positions in MOUs 8 and 17 and supportive positions in MOUs 8 and 17 throughout the city.
  3. Revive an employee incentive program on cost saving ideas. A committee will evaluate quality, productivity and innovation ideas with possible monetary benefits. Work within the Quality Productivity Commission.
  4. As an option and when feasible, allow and/or promote that each technical contract have a city employee participation level for the purpose of critical training and knowledge transfer. This would allow a blended team and can be implemented on a project-by-project basis.
  5. Advertise expertise within MOUs 8 and 17 citywide. Using this expertise, promote the use of peer reviews through workshops on initial/concept plans for programs and projects. In addition, these peer reviews can be implemented during phases of design (50 percent, 90 percent).
  6. Have a standardized citywide project delivery manual with best management practices including citywide RFP procedures.
  7. Promote access of consultant contracts between departments.
Michael-Simpson80.jpg–Reported by Michael Simpson
Senior Environmental Engineer
Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation