Management Lab

In September 2008, Pew expanded the Government Performance Project’s work to create a Management Lab to actively foster management reform and implement the Pew recommendations. The Management Lab provides states with a range of support including access to best practices to recruit and retain a highly-qualified workforce, improvements in transparency and accountability in budgeting and policy decision-making. The key components of the Management Lab include:

• Gubernatorial Transition Support – Management gains can get lost in the transition between administrations. Pew is actively working with new governors during their transitions to provide objective, non-partisan counsel on policy and management priorities. 
  
  
• Lab Seminar- Pew will host an in-depth Lab Seminar focused on human resources and budget and information topics for state officials who want to learn more about public and private sector strategies and best practices to control costs and boost performance.  Seminar case studies and implementation strategies will address the management topics that state leaders have told Pew are at the top of their agendas.
  
  
• Future States Council- Governors of states that received the highest grades in Pew’s 2008 assessment were invited to participate in a council and identify two senior level management officials to actively advise and support Pew’s work. The Governors and state officials will support the other Management Lab components by advising transition teams, supporting the year-long Lab States projects and contributing to the Lab Seminars. The Council will also be convened for a summit in 2009 to discuss the future of state management and to guide Pew’s ongoing work.
  
  
• Lab States- Over the course of this year, Pew staff and advisors will work closely with state teams from three states – Georgia, Ohio, and West Virginia - that have committed to strengthening service to the public by significantly changing how they do business. The states will receive a planning stipend and a year’s worth of consultation from Pew and access to state-to-state learning opportunities. In addition, participating states will share the tools, analyses and other products that emerge from their efforts to benefit other states in their own improvement efforts.  The three states will work on the following specific projects:
  
  
  
  • Georgia will build a system to analyze spending data for all state agencies, universities and colleges that could save millions. “In the current economic crisis, states have to do more with less,” said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue.  “This initiative will continue Georgia’s efforts to ensure we are providing maximum value for our citizens.”
    
    
  • Ohio will create new human resources guidelines to ensure that personnel are effectively deployed throughout the state. “This work will help us make the best use of existing state talent to deliver for taxpayers in this tough economy,” said Ohio Governor Ted Strickland.  During this project, the state and its agencies will evaluate their business needs and align the workforce accordingly.  The framework created will enable agencies to utilize their limited resources in areas that are mission critical.  As a result, tax dollars will be directed toward the initiatives deemed most important by the governor. 
    
    
  • West Virginia will establish new statewide planning and budgeting systems that will enable the state to ensure the best return on public investments.  “We know we can and must do better to improve our planning and budgeting process,” said West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III.  “We are pleased to have this opportunity to save taxpayer dollars while delivering better service to our hard-working West Virginians.”  Throughout this year, the state will develop a strategic planning process that creates a template that can be used by all state agencies. In addition, Pew’s work with the state will focus on Other Post-Employment Benefits unfunded liability, which is a significant long-term issue.