Shared Service Agreements Require Governments to Work Together

Error message
In order to filter by the "in queue" property, you need to add the Entityqueue: Queue relationship.-
County NewsAlternative service delivery that involves shared services requires governments working together to achieve shared policy objectives and services.Shared Service Agreements Require Governments to Work TogetherOctober 15, 2018October 15, 2018, 1:15 pm
-
County News Article
Shared Service Agreements Require Governments to Work Together
Alternative service delivery that involves shared services requires governments working together to achieve shared policy objectives and services.
GFOA recommends that governments examine the benefits of alternative service delivery that involves shared service efforts and use the process described below for successful implementation.
1. Getting Started. Governments should organize themselves to establish relationships that encourage the identification of prioritized opportunities.
Talking with communities that have successfully launched cooperative initiatives is one such example. Stakeholders such as unions or customer groups can play a successful role in the establishment of intergovernmental efforts. Communicating with them early and often can improve chances for positive implementation.
San Diego County, Calif. was awarded the GFOA Award for Excellence for outstanding use of GFOA’s Best Practice on Alternative Service Delivery: Shared Services.
Learn more There are several potential outlets to find shared service information such as extension offices of state universities, local government relation offices of state governments, local and national professional associations and councils of governments
2. Feasibility Study. Clearly identify the costs, benefits and potential risks of a proposed agreement. Data collection may be necessary for more complex endeavors. Governments need to determine the return on investment to the greatest extent possible, both in financial and quality terms. Key items that should be considered in the feasibility stage include goals and objectives, tangible and intangible benefits, potential barriers (political, economic, funding, human resource, legal, social or economies of scale).
3. Coming to Agreement. Agreements between collaborating communities should address the following:
- Liability and Legal Basis for the Relationship. This would include enabling legislation, understanding of relevant employment law and risk management (including workers compensation and indemnification). It is also important that legal counsel for all participating jurisdictions review the agreement before it is finalized.
- Cost allocations (both direct and indirect). Cost allocation establishes the methodology for deciding who pays how much. Consideration may also need to be given to the handling of capital expenditures and any revenue coming in from this service.
- Financing. Revenue sources must be identified to fund the service. The establishment of an authority with its own taxing powers may be necessary for more complex services without designated revenue sources where allowed by state statute. Debt financing may also be considered, but could be dependent on legal statutes.
- Governance structure, membership, and protocols. A governance structure must be in place to facilitate oversight and communication. This may include elected officials, staff, and citizens.
- Time period covered. The agreement needs to specify the time period covered with a process for renewal of the agreement. If there is a sunset provision, that time frame should be specified.
- Dispute resolution and mediation. A clause or some language in the agreement should cover how disputes will be resolved. Arbitration may be an option.
- Service Level Agreements. The level of service agreed upon and expected by all participating entities should be explicitly documented with associated performance measures to ensure that level of service is achieved. The measures should focus on the quality of the service.
- Termination clauses. A critical feature to the intergovernmental agreement is the opt-out provision, which is often crucial to gaining political support for the agreement. It is important to ensure that the opt-out clause is practical and will not, if enacted, disrupt service delivery. Likewise, opt-in provisions should be considered for those governments that might want to join.
4. Implementation. Continuity of service is of primary concern for stakeholders. For this reason, the transition must ensure a seamless provision of services. To avoid the risk that service quality will suffer, emphasis must be placed on proper training of employees providing the service. Performance measures, benchmarks or milestones should be established related to the particular service. As much as possible, governments should try to simplify processes for providers to ensure good working relationships. A decision should be made on the most effective means to provide administrative or support services.
5. Ongoing Monitoring. A shared service agreement should be treated as a contract, and the terms and conditions should be monitored regularly to ensure they are being met.
All governments involved need to agree on what will constitute regular monitoring frequency (e.g., holding monthly meetings of the original study committee or the new governing committee to monitor progress and contract compliance), what to monitor, how to measure what is monitored (e.g., customer satisfaction, finances, employee performance, hiring, and safety), communicating results (reporting format may include the medium or media for communicating the results (e.g., internet, paper reports, etc.) and quality and quantity of work performed.
6. Long-term Review/Agreement Reassessment. Changes in the service environment may necessitate regular review of the agreement. The original assumptions or parameters surrounding the agreement may need to be adjusted at various intervals.
Alternative service delivery that involves shared services requires governments working together to achieve shared policy objectives and services.2018-10-15County News Article2023-04-11
Alternative service delivery that involves shared services requires governments working together to achieve shared policy objectives and services.
GFOA recommends that governments examine the benefits of alternative service delivery that involves shared service efforts and use the process described below for successful implementation.
1. Getting Started. Governments should organize themselves to establish relationships that encourage the identification of prioritized opportunities.
Talking with communities that have successfully launched cooperative initiatives is one such example. Stakeholders such as unions or customer groups can play a successful role in the establishment of intergovernmental efforts. Communicating with them early and often can improve chances for positive implementation.
San Diego County, Calif. was awarded the GFOA Award for Excellence for outstanding use of GFOA’s Best Practice on Alternative Service Delivery: Shared Services. |
Learn more |
There are several potential outlets to find shared service information such as extension offices of state universities, local government relation offices of state governments, local and national professional associations and councils of governments
2. Feasibility Study. Clearly identify the costs, benefits and potential risks of a proposed agreement. Data collection may be necessary for more complex endeavors. Governments need to determine the return on investment to the greatest extent possible, both in financial and quality terms. Key items that should be considered in the feasibility stage include goals and objectives, tangible and intangible benefits, potential barriers (political, economic, funding, human resource, legal, social or economies of scale).
3. Coming to Agreement. Agreements between collaborating communities should address the following:
- Liability and Legal Basis for the Relationship. This would include enabling legislation, understanding of relevant employment law and risk management (including workers compensation and indemnification). It is also important that legal counsel for all participating jurisdictions review the agreement before it is finalized.
- Cost allocations (both direct and indirect). Cost allocation establishes the methodology for deciding who pays how much. Consideration may also need to be given to the handling of capital expenditures and any revenue coming in from this service.
- Financing. Revenue sources must be identified to fund the service. The establishment of an authority with its own taxing powers may be necessary for more complex services without designated revenue sources where allowed by state statute. Debt financing may also be considered, but could be dependent on legal statutes.
- Governance structure, membership, and protocols. A governance structure must be in place to facilitate oversight and communication. This may include elected officials, staff, and citizens.
- Time period covered. The agreement needs to specify the time period covered with a process for renewal of the agreement. If there is a sunset provision, that time frame should be specified.
- Dispute resolution and mediation. A clause or some language in the agreement should cover how disputes will be resolved. Arbitration may be an option.
- Service Level Agreements. The level of service agreed upon and expected by all participating entities should be explicitly documented with associated performance measures to ensure that level of service is achieved. The measures should focus on the quality of the service.
- Termination clauses. A critical feature to the intergovernmental agreement is the opt-out provision, which is often crucial to gaining political support for the agreement. It is important to ensure that the opt-out clause is practical and will not, if enacted, disrupt service delivery. Likewise, opt-in provisions should be considered for those governments that might want to join.
4. Implementation. Continuity of service is of primary concern for stakeholders. For this reason, the transition must ensure a seamless provision of services. To avoid the risk that service quality will suffer, emphasis must be placed on proper training of employees providing the service. Performance measures, benchmarks or milestones should be established related to the particular service. As much as possible, governments should try to simplify processes for providers to ensure good working relationships. A decision should be made on the most effective means to provide administrative or support services.
5. Ongoing Monitoring. A shared service agreement should be treated as a contract, and the terms and conditions should be monitored regularly to ensure they are being met.
All governments involved need to agree on what will constitute regular monitoring frequency (e.g., holding monthly meetings of the original study committee or the new governing committee to monitor progress and contract compliance), what to monitor, how to measure what is monitored (e.g., customer satisfaction, finances, employee performance, hiring, and safety), communicating results (reporting format may include the medium or media for communicating the results (e.g., internet, paper reports, etc.) and quality and quantity of work performed.
6. Long-term Review/Agreement Reassessment. Changes in the service environment may necessitate regular review of the agreement. The original assumptions or parameters surrounding the agreement may need to be adjusted at various intervals.
Hero 1
-
Webinar
Federal Nexus: Using Federal Resources to Support Housing
Sep. 25, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pmCounties and the federal government work together to support local communities in addressing housing affordability. Federal funding is used by counties to administer housing programs and assist low-income residents. -
Blog
An alternative solution for the government workforce crisis
NACo Partner Resource This blog post is sponsored by NACo partner CAI. Explore our latest blog on leveraging neurodiversity for a stronger government workforce. -
Webinar
National Membership Call: Unpacking Supreme Court Decisions on Waters of the U.S. and Property Tax Forfeiture Laws
Jun. 1, 2023 , 3:00 pm – 3:30 pmJoin NACo for a membership call unpacking these rulings and their implications for county governments moving forward. -
Webinar
Earmarks 101: What You Need to Know to Get Started
May. 23, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pmCongress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending (often referred to as earmarks) in early 2021. Since then, hundreds of county governments have secured hundreds of millions in funding during the last three funding cycles. -
Blog
How counties are taking control of constituent communication
This blog post is sponsored by NACo partner Indigov. Enhance your government outreach! Discover the best strategies for effective constituent communication in our latest blog. -
County News
Remote work pays off for Travis County, Texas
With most employees sent home during the pandemic, Travis County leaders saw the cost savings and productivity boost that could come from keeping them there.
-
Webinar
Local Regulations, Building Codes, and Fees: Improving County Regulation Systems to Enhance Efficiency
October 11, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pmDeveloping property for housing requires following a set of codes and regulations to ensure safety and some counties require a review of construction plans before it can be completed.10111:00 pm<p>Developing property for housing requires following a set of codes and regulations to ensure safety and some counties require a review of construction plans before it can be completed.
-
Conference
National Council of County Association Executives Annual Meeting
October 23, 2023 – October 27, 2023We are pleased to announce that registration for the 2023 NCCAE Annual Meeting in Asheville, N.C. is now open. Following your conference registration, a hotel registration link will be provided, affording you the opportunity to secure your accommodation conveniently.10239:00 am<p>We are pleased to announce that registration for the 2023 NCCAE Annual Meeting in Asheville, N.C. is now open.
-
Webinar
Land Use, Infrastructure, Planning, and Zoning: Creating a Long-Term Housing and Land Use Plan and Periodically Measure Success Towards Goals
October 25, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pmZoning is important to designate how a parcel of land is used within a community, and a community land use plan seeks to properly map out the land within a county jurisdiction.10251:00 pm<p>Zoning is important to designate how a parcel of land is used within a community, and a community land use plan seeks to properly map out the land within a county jurisdiction.
-
Webinar
Financing, Lending, and County Tax Policy: County Programs Aimed at Supporting Residents and the Construction of Housing Units
November 6, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pmInvestment – often a blend of financing, lending, and county tax policy – is required to successfully develop new housing, maintain existing housing stock, and navigate housing support systems. Looking holistically at county financing, tax and policy touchpoints can help foster housing affordability.11061:00 pm<p>Investment – often a blend of financing, lending, and county tax policy – is required to successfully develop new housing, maintain existing housing stock, and navigate housing support systems.
-
Webinar
Community Engagement, Partnerships, and Education: Fostering Healthy Dialogues and Collaborations with Community Organizations and Neighboring Counties to Advance Housing Affordability
December 4, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pmHousing is a foundational element to community prosperity, contributing to health, economic mobility, safety, and resilience. Sometimes the conversation around housing can be limited to finances, but engaging with the community to reframe the conversation to one about community property can gather support for housing projects.12041:00 pm<p>Housing is a foundational element to community prosperity, contributing to health, economic mobility, safety, and resilience. Sometimes the conversation around housing can be limited to finances, but engaging with the comm
-
Basic page
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid, a skills-based training administered by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, teaches people how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges in their peers, friends and colleaguepagepagepage<h3><strong>WHY MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID?</strong></h3>
-
Basic page
NACo High Performance Leadership Academy
The NACo High Performance Leadership Academy is an online 12-week program that will empower frontline county government professionals with the most fundamental leadership skills to deliver results for counties and communities.pagepagepage<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="medium-call-out transparent">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td> -
Basic page
cashvest
cashvest® by three+one is a cash management platform that provides new and unparalleled level of liquidity analysis and data services for local, county, school district and college governing bodiespagepagepage<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="call-out">
<tbody>
<tr>
Related Resources
-
Blog
An alternative solution for the government workforce crisis
NACo Partner Resource This blog post is sponsored by NACo partner CAI. Explore our latest blog on leveraging neurodiversity for a stronger government workforce. -
Blog
How counties are taking control of constituent communication
This blog post is sponsored by NACo partner Indigov. Enhance your government outreach! Discover the best strategies for effective constituent communication in our latest blog. -
County News
County program offers opportunities for developmentally disabled residents
Prince George’s County, Md.’s Project HIRE finds good fits for residents with special needs, enriching county departments and participants’ work experiences.
-
Press Release
Longtime Insurance Executive Joins NACo’s Public Promise Insurance Agency
NACo today announced that veteran insurance executive Tim Brown will join NACo as managing director of the newly created Public Promise Insurance Agency -
Video
2022 Annual Conference County Talks
Watch NACo's County Talks to hear from county and private sector partners on solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing county governments. -
Press Release
National Association of Counties Partners with National Council for Mental Wellbeing to Deliver Mental Health First Aid Training to County Workforce
NACo and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing announced a new partnership to make Mental Health First Aid training available to county employees across the country.
Related Events
-
11Oct2023Webinar
Local Regulations, Building Codes, and Fees: Improving County Regulation Systems to Enhance Efficiency
Oct. 11, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm -
23Oct2023Conference
National Council of County Association Executives Annual Meeting
Oct. 23, 2023 – Oct. 27, 2023 -
25Oct2023Webinar
Land Use, Infrastructure, Planning, and Zoning: Creating a Long-Term Housing and Land Use Plan and Periodically Measure Success Towards Goals
Oct. 25, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm -
6Nov2023Webinar
Financing, Lending, and County Tax Policy: County Programs Aimed at Supporting Residents and the Construction of Housing Units
Nov. 6, 2023 , 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm