Can a government agency successfully compete with private contractors and provide cost-effective services? Orange County, California, the second most populous county in the state, has proven it’s not only possible, but has delivered key infrastructure services to the City of Lake Forest for more than a ½ million dollars less than the nearest competitor! So how did Orange County accomplish this challenging task? Let’s first provide some background information.
William Reiter is Manager – Public Works Operations, Orange County, CA. Harry Lorick is principal of Lorick Associates Consulting, a Manhattan Beach, CA-based consulting firm providing planning and systems & technology services applied to public agencies and municipalities, with an emphasis on systems implementation and technical support for public works operations and maintenance. For more information on this topic, please contact Mr. Reiter at (714) 567-6300; and Mr. Lorick at (310) 798-2998.