Report 2011-120 Recommendation 27 Responses

Report 2011-120: California Department of Transportation: Its Poor Management of State Route 710 Extension Project Properties Costs the State Millions of Dollars Annually, Yet State Law Limits the Potential Income From Selling the Properties (Release Date: August 2012)

Recommendation #27 To: General Services, Department of

To determine if the construction unit's use of casual laborers to perform work not in their job specifications, such as procurement, is cost-effective, General Services should perform an analysis comparing the cost of paying the casual laborers at the prevailing wage rate and the cost of paying permanent civil service employees. If it finds that using permanent employees is cost-effective for the State, General Services should seek approval for additional permanent employees to perform those functions.

6-Month Agency Response

General Services stated that its construction unit completed an analysis of the cost effectiveness of its practice of using a limited number of casual laborers to occasionally perform office administrative type tasks, such as procurement. The analysis determined that there was sufficient ongoing workload and cost-effectiveness data to justify the hiring of a staff services analyst to oversee/perform these tasks. General Services stated that a staff services analyst was hired on January 2, 2013.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

General Services stated that its construction unit is in the final stages of analyzing the cost effectiveness of its practice of using a limited number of casual laborers to occasionally perform office administrative type tasks, such as procurement. (See 2013-406, p. 174)

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

All Recommendations in 2011-120

Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.