COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – The City of Colorado Springs is looking to outsource its fleet division as part of a major effort to reorganize its departments. The City’s Mayor Stephen G. Bach said this effort is designed to allow the City’s government to “live within its limited financial resources” and be the ‘best in class’ city of its size.” Bach’s plan calls for the City to partner with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU, a local utility services provider) in order to completely outsource the City's and CSU's fleet division functions to a private-sector company.

At this point the plan is in its early stages, according to the City’s Public Works Director, Helen Migchelbrink, whom Government Fleet contacted. She said the City’s government has formed a group to develop an RFP to outsource the fleet division for the City and for CSU. Beyond the RFP, she had few details, explaining that the effect on the City’s fleet division and on CSU could vary depending on how both organizations decide to work with an outsourcing partner, assuming each goes through with this process.

“The next step is to develop a comprehensive RFP and seek qualified bidders,” Migchelbrink said. “The City has not adopted a formal managed competition approach at this time. No final decisions have been made.”

The fleet division is only one of out of a group of City departments that City government has targeted for significant reorganization or outsourcing. Other proposals include eliminating some Streets Division positions, consolidating and reorganizing the City’s Finance Department, and outsourcing snowplow operation. The City already eliminated 18 positions in the City’s Public Works and Planning divisions as part of this overall reorganization.

By Greg Basich