Florida Government Efficiency Task Force

This task force (www.floridaefficiency.com) was created by Article III, section 19(i) of the Florida Constitution to develop recommendations for improving governmental operations and reducing costs.

BACKGROUND

First established in 2007, the task force meets each fourth year and submits its recommendations to the chairperson and vice chairperson of the Legislative Budget Commission, the governor, and the chief justice of the Supreme Court. As enacted in Section 11.9005 of the Florida Statutes, the task force is composed of 15 members of the Legislature and representatives from the private and public sectors appointed by the governor, the president of the Senate, and the speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Government Efficiency Task Force Final Report includes recommendations to increase government efficiency and achieve more than $3 billion in savings over four years.

Appointees:

Abraham Uccello, Chair


Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, Vice Chair

Subcommittee on Education:

Ann Duncan

Belinda Keiser, Chair

Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto

Michael Heekin

Eric Silagy

The following final recommendations were issued in June 2012.

State Employee Health Insurance Benefits:

• Establish uniform premium contribution amounts for all classes of state employees.
• Set contributions for all employees at the current contribution levels of Career Service employees. Equalizing contributions at these levels is estimated to save $34 million per year.
• Implement a defined contribution model for state employee health insurance benefits. A defined contribution model is estimated to save $250-300 million per year.
• Consider multiple defined contribution options when designing a new defined contribution 
structure for state employee health insurance.
• Review the state’s contribution and adjust for changes in health care costs at a minimum of 
every three years.

Higher Education:

• Implement a pilot project for year-round school operations in SUS.
• BOG should create a University Review Program.
• Strategies for degree production:
  • The Blue Ribbon Task Force should develop strategies to increase degree production.
  • The Blue Ribbon Task Force should review methods to increase the production of STEM degree graduates in the SUS, and in doing so, consider the actions of HB 7135 and the creation of a statewide STEM strategic plan.
• Optimum facility utilization:
  • The Blue Ribbon Task Force should review and develop a comprehensive assessment tool to evaluate facility usage, including classroom utilization, to more accurately determine the need for PECO funds.
• Funding:

  • The Blue Ribbon Task Force should investigate innovative strategies of funding for higher education.
  • The Blue Ribbon Task Force should find ways to increase transparency in state funding of higher education.
  • The Blue Ribbon Task Force should study the issue of market rate tuition and provide recommendations to the governor and Legislature on its implementation.

State University Procurement:

• SUS should adopt an electronic procurement platform(s) that offers functionality similar to the systems at FSU
  and UF
• BOG, SUS, and DMS should continue to coordinate their efforts in the area of procurement in order to better manage tracking of spend, contracting, strategic sourcing and best procurement practices.
• DMS and the SUS should identify, and jointly and strategically, source common goods and services in order to achieve maximum savings to both parties.
• State universities should utilize state term contracts to achieve savings.
• The BOG should leverage the creation of Florida Polytechnic to pursue opportunities to implement shared services models across multiple institutions.