Governor Carney Releases Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board Report

Seventh annual report highlights State’s continuous improvement accomplishments

 

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Monday released the seventh annual report of the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board. Governor Carney established GEAR under Executive Order #4 in February 2017 to identify ways for State government to sustain its culture of continuous improvement by improving the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of public services, while bending the cost curve of government downward.

“Delaware’s economy is growing, and more Delawareans are working today than at any time in our history,” said Governor John Carney. “However, there is more work to do.  That is why GEAR continues to be a valuable program for us in saving money and promoting continuous improvement.  It ensures an efficient and effective State government that always puts Delaware taxpayers first.”

The report highlights key accomplishments and ongoing efforts across State government in 2023, that include:

  • Expanding development of continuous improvement professionals throughout State government. Eighty-three practitioners from 16 State organizations are executing projects within a portfolio of 140 initiatives. Savings to the State are estimated to total $76-80 million over the life of projects underway.
  • Achieving savings and improvements for taxpayers through restructuring leases, improving data analysis of school district enrollment projections, minimizing the debt burden for ex-offenders, modernizing the client experience at state service centers, growing the Delaware Communities of Excellence to produce a statewide literacy ecosystem, revamping unemployment insurance processes and systems, enhancing financing options for farmers, optimizing long-term care delivery, along with streamlining financial, human resource, and information technology systems.
  • Continuing the GEAR P3 Innovation and Efficiency and Trailblazer Award programs that reward State employees who demonstrate successful implementations of innovative, cost saving, and service enhancing continuous improvement projects.
  • Reviewing capital project processes within public school systems through the EdGEAR (Education-GEAR) team with a comprehensive review of the minor capital improvement funding process currently underway.
  • Recognizing GEAR’s accomplishments through inclusion in Results for America’s – 2023 Invest in What Works State Standard of Excellence, a nationally recognized state benchmarking program, that the GEAR program will leverage to coordinate with other state governments that are pursuing data driven best practices.

The Board’s report, released each December, also provides policy and budgetary recommendations for possible inclusion in the Governor’s agenda and recommended budgets.  Several of the recommendations included in the 2023 report are highlighted below.  Governor Carney’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal will be released on January 25, 2024.

Recommendations in the 2023 report include:

  • Sustaining participation in the Continuous Improvement Practitioner (CIP) Training program and creating project and process leadership training paths using the First State Quality Improvement Fund.
  • Establishing job classifications within the State personnel system for project managers, Lean business process analysts, and other continuous improvement specialists.
  • Supporting the Ready in Six permitting improvement initiative by investing in specific process improvements being developed with State agency partners.
  • Investing in the development of digital government services to allow citizens to transact business with the State anytime, from anywhere, and on any device through the Go DE initiative launching in 2024 beginning with a centralized payment interface.
  • Modernizing the State’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems (financial, human resource, and pension administration).
  • Building upon GEAR’s foundation of business process management and project management tools by staying engaged with emerging industry trends in artificial intelligence, business process mining, and robotic process automation.

“GEAR was never meant to be a one-time study on government efficiency to gain a few quick wins and then rest easy.  The intent is to drive an ongoing culture change – integral to how the State does business while guiding the services of government,” said Charles Clark and Daniel Madrid, Executive Director and Deputy Director of GEAR respectively, and Bryan Sullivan, Director of Management Efficiency at the Delaware Office of Management and Budget. “This is why GEAR will continue to be necessary in the future – supporting an adaptive, highly effective, and efficient Delaware State government for generations to come.”


Governor Carney Releases Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board Report

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Friday released the sixth annual report of the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board. Governor Carney established GEAR by Executive Order #4 in February 2017 to identify ways for state government to operate more efficiently, improve the delivery of state services, and provide cost savings.

 

The report highlights key accomplishments and ongoing efforts across state government in 2022, including:

  • Development of continuous improvement professionals within state government is expanding.  Fifty-two practitioners from fifteen state organizations are executing projects within a portfolio of one hundred twenty-five initiatives. Savings to the state are estimated to total $61-65 million over the life of projects underway.
  • Savings and improvements for taxpayers are being achieved through lease restructurings, refined state vehicle (FLEET) utilization, long-term care delivery optimization, scanning/self-check equipment in Delaware’s libraries, the development of trauma informed care practices for children and families, automated state park fee collection, along with streamlined financial, human resource and information technology systems.
  • Reviewing capital project processes within public school systems remains a priority through the EdGEAR (Education-GEAR) team with a comprehensive review of all parts of this process currently underway.
  • Driving improvements to digital government services allowing citizens to access and transact with the state anytime, from anywhere, and on any device.
  • Continuing the GEAR P3 Innovation and Efficiency and Trailblazer Award programs that rewards state employees who demonstrate successful implementations of innovative, cost saving, and service enhancing continuous improvement projects.
  • Reimagining State Service Center delivery in Delaware which will improve how citizens apply for benefits such as food assistance, cash benefits, healthcare, and housing.
  • Expanding high-speed, broadband internet service in Delaware’s underserved areas through public-private partnerships.

 

“As the GEAR Board performs its valuable role and we continue to train employees across the State, our state government is finding ways to save taxpayer money and foster a culture of continuous improvement.” said Governor Carney. “GEAR’s efforts to improve data-driven decision making are exactly what we need to generate service improvements and communicate the value of savings that are being achieved for Delawareans.”

 

The Board’s report, released each December, also provides policy and budgetary recommendations for possible inclusion in the Governor’s agenda and budget for Fiscal Year 2024.  Governor Carney’s budget proposal will be released on January 26, 2023.

 

Recommendations in the 2022 report include:

  • Support the Ready in Six permitting improvement initiative by investing in recommendations for specific process improvements being gathered through a survey distributed to over 1,500 industry focused partners.
  • Expand participation in the Continuous Improvement Practitioner (CIP) Training program and a new project and process leadership training path by increasing funding for the First State Quality Improvement Fund (FSQIF).  Support recommended amendments to the FSQIF modernizing language to reflect current best practices and GEAR’s role.
  • Identify and implement changes in the state personnel system by establishing job classifications for “project managers” and “Lean business process analysts” in partnership with the Department of Human Resources.
  • Support investments to procure and use best practice project portfolio management and business process management tools.  The use of common tools facilitates collaboration across the enterprise, avoids duplication of effort, increases the precision of estimating quantifiable outcomes, and improves the efficiency of the state’s business processes.

 

“The ability to quantify outcomes is as important as the development of the skills applied to delivering efficiencies,” said Charles Clark and Daniel Madrid, Executive Director and Deputy Director of GEAR respectively, and Bryan Sullivan, Director of Management Efficiency at the Delaware Office of Management and Budget. “The Enterprise Services Delivery and GEAR Field teams represent fifteen state organizations that are delivering value through the execution of numerous projects aimed at achieving cost savings, estimated to total $61-65 million over the life of projects underway.”

###


Governor Carney Releases Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board Report

Fifth annual report highlights State’s continuous improvement accomplishments

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney released the fifth annual report of the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board. Governor Carney established GEAR by Executive Order in February 2017 in order to identify ways for state government to operate more efficiently, improve the delivery of state services, and provide cost savings over the long term.

The report highlights key accomplishments across State government in 2021, including:

  • Saving millions of dollars for taxpayers through lease restructurings, long-term care delivery optimization, employee health care benefit initiatives, energy efficiency projects, and streamlining the State’s financial, human resource and information technology systems and procedures.
  • Adopting COVID-safe practices saving millions in travel costs and thousands of person-hours by leveraging video conferencing, virtual hearings and public meetings, and virtual employee training and on-boarding. 
  • Continuing the GEAR P3 Innovation and Efficiency Award program that rewards state employees who demonstrate successful implementation of innovative, cost saving, continuous improvement projects.
  • Expanding high-speed, broadband Internet service in Delaware’s underserved areas through public-private partnerships.

“Even while facing the challenges of a global pandemic, under the umbrella of GEAR, agencies throughout State government have worked to improve quality and efficiency in the delivery of state services,” said Governor Carney. “These continuous improvement efforts have yielded cost savings and service enhancements that are enabling the State to emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever.”  

The Board report, released each December, also provides policy and budgetary recommendations for possible inclusion in the Governor’s agenda and budget for Fiscal Year 2023. Governor Carney’s budget proposal will be released in January virtually and at the Delaware Public Archives in Dover.  

Recommendations in the 2021 Report include:

  • Support the “Ready in Six Initiative” to streamline and reduce permit approval process timelines and improve the State’s competitive position when businesses consider relocating to Delaware.
  • Continue to expand participation in the Continuous Improvement Practitioner (CIP) Training Program focused on developing project management, program management and leadership skills of the State government’s workforce. To date, 21 employees have graduated and 15 are in training.
  • Ensure transparency in the use of the more than $2 billion of federal COVID funds allocated to Delaware by broadly soliciting proposals to address the health, safety and economic impacts of the pandemic and providing access for the public to search payments to grant recipients.
  • Drive improvements to digital government services enabling citizens to access state services anytime, from anywhere and on any device.
  • Support projects led by members of the GEAR Field Team and CIP training program graduates that including boosting literacy, improving utilization of funds for youth and family needs, optimizing use of fleet vehicles, creating dashboards to facilitate data driven decision making, and implementing person-centered care models in the delivery of long-term care.  

“GEAR continues to drive efforts in as many agencies as possible to deliver efficiencies and cost savings statewide,” said James Myran and Charles Clark, Executive Director and Deputy Director of GEAR, and Bryan Sullivan, Director of Management Efficiency at the Delaware Office of Management and Budget. “The GEAR Field Team of continuous improvement practitioners now includes 40 members representing 9 state agencies and the judicial branch, delivering value through the execution of more than 55 agency projects to make state operations more efficient and cost-effective and position the State to deliver higher quality services to citizens and businesses.”

Read the 2021 annual report  for full details.

###


Governor Carney Announces Public Service Recognition Week, May 2-8

State Employees Recognized for Outstanding Achievements

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Monday signed a proclamation recognizing May 2–8, 2021, as Public Service Recognition Week. Governor Carney, cabinet members, and the business community will celebrate Delaware’s public servants throughout the week in videos highlighting the extraordinary work of state employees. 

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to work with our dedicated and hard-working state employees,” said Governor Carney. “Our public servants persevered through the challenges of this past year, and they continue to go above and beyond to serve the citizens of Delaware.”

The Department of Human Resources traditionally hosts an in-person annual recognition event during Public Service Recognition Week. This year, in a series of videos, the State will honor individuals and teams of state employees across our workforce who exemplified excellence and commitment to public service in the last year – including employees who identified innovative new ways to deliver state services, and those who demonstrated acts of heroism and courage.  Awards will be presented in the following categories:

  • Tuesday, May 4 – Delaware Award for Excellence and Commitment in State Service 
  • Wednesday, May 5 – Governor’s Team Excellence Award (Champions Award, Commitment Award)
  • Thursday, May 6 – GEAR P3 Trailblazer Award, GEAR P3 Innovation & Efficiency Award
  • Friday, May 7 – Delaware Award for Heroism

Recognition videos will premiere each day at 11:00 a.m. on youtube.com/johncarneyde.

Delaware Award for Excellence and Commitment in State Service Award

The Delaware Award for Excellence and Commitment in State Service Award is presented to five State of Delaware employees, or groups of up to five employees, who exemplify the highest standards of excellence and commitment in state service. In addition, the GEAR P3 Trailblazer Award provides special recognition for those individuals and small groups whose accomplishments demonstrate leadership in application of continuous improvement best practices. Recipients of the 2020 award are:

  • Charles Harris, Department of Health and Social Services
  • Anne Hiller Clark, Division of Libraries
  • Stacey Purnell, Department of Health and Social Services
  • Wayne Smiley, Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families
  • Dawn Stevens, Department of Correction

GEAR P3 Trailblazer Award 

  • Brent Johnson, Department of Finance
  • Kalee Nelson, Department of Technology and Information
  • Michael O’Malley & Jonathan Rutledge, Department of Homeland Security

Governor’s Team Excellence Awards

This award category includes the GEAR P3 Innovation & Efficiency Award; Champions Award; and Commitment Award. The Governor’s Team Excellence Awards, presented annually to a team of six to 20 state employees, encourages teamwork by recognizing groups of state employees for their efforts to use continuous quality improvement tools to excel in leadership, team dynamics and communication to produce superior customer service and tangible results. 

GEAR P3 Innovation & Efficiency Award

This top award is a cooperative initiative between the State of Delaware and the business community. This public private partnership honors teams that not only use continuous quality tools to achieve outstanding outcomes but also develop innovative designs and process, establish best practices, and produce verifiable results that are sustainable, scalable, and adaptable to other areas of government. These teams serve as clear role models for other organizations. The recipients of this year’s award are:

  • Judicial Information Center COVID Response Team,Administrative Office of the Courts
  • Government Support Services Central Contracting Team, Office of Management and Budget

Champions Award 

This award recognizes teams that demonstrated a superior knowledge of continuous quality improvement techniques, produced tangible results, and increased efficiencies, customer satisfaction, or cost savings. Recipients of this year’s award are:

  • Special Events Team, Department of Transportation
  • Technology Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Team, Department of Technology and Information
  • Telework Support Team, Department of Health and Social Services

Commitment Award

This award recognizes teams that demonstrate a commitment to developing and applying quality improvement tools and techniques and achieving results that lead to continuous improvement in their organization. The recipients of this year’s award are:

  • Bridge Maintenance Team, Department of Transportation
  • DMV Online Appointment Scheduler Team,Department of Transportation and Department of Technology and Information
  • DSAAPD Neuro-Behavioral Health Team,Department of Health and Social Services

The GEAR P3 Trailblazer Award and the GEAR P3 Innovation and Efficiency Award were made possible through the support of the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board and a Public-Private Partnership (P3) between the State of Delaware and the Delaware business community. Private Sector contributors of the awards include Bank of America, Capital One, Corporation Service Company (CSC), Delmarva Power, Highmark BCBS, JP Morgan Chase Bank, M&T Bank, The Precisionists Inc. (TPI), and WSFS Bank.

 

Delaware Award for Heroism

The Delaware Award for Heroism, established in 2013, recognizes state employees for acts of heroism and courage. The 2020 recipients are:

  • Keytwan Brooks, Department of Transportation
  • Justin Sauble, Department of Transportation
  • Robert Stevens,Department of Transportation
  • Stewart Megee, Department of Transportation
  • Fred Beach,Steven Beck, Walter Bruhl, William Fintak, Jennifer Gabriele, and 
    Ronald “Skip” LeMieux, with volunteer “Chief” Larry Keller
    , Department of State.

 

Detailed information about the award recipients can be found on the State of Delaware’s Employee Recognition webpage de.gov/govawards

 

###


Governor Carney Releases Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board Report

Fourth annual report highlights State accomplishments

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Thursday released the fourth annual report of the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board. Governor Carney established GEAR by Executive Order in February of 2017 in order to identify ways for state government to operate more efficiently, improve the delivery of state services, and provide cost savings over the long term.

Read the 2020 annual report for full details.

“Over the last four years under the GEAR umbrella, all three branches of government have worked on initiatives to improve the quality and efficiency of how we deliver state services,” said Governor Carney.  “As a result, state government was much better positioned to address the financial, human resource, customer service, and technology challenges presented by the pandemic – and we will emerge even stronger.”

The report highlights key accomplishments across State government in 2020, including:

  • Saving millions of dollars for taxpayers through lease restructurings, banking services consolidation, employee health care benefit initiatives, and energy efficiency projects.
  • Adopting COVID-safe practices in the State workplace that have also saved millions in travel costs and thousands of person-hours through telework, video conferencing, virtual hearings and public meetings, and virtual employee training and on-boarding.
  • Doubling the GEAR P3 Innovation and Efficiency Award program that rewards state employees who demonstrate successful implementation of innovative, cost saving, continuous improvement projects.
  • Unveiling a Strategic Plan for the State’s largest agency, the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), that promotes continuous improvement and increased efficiencies with a focus on a person-centered approach to service delivery.
  • Expanding high-speed, broadband Internet service in Delaware’s underserved areas through public-private partnerships.

The Board report, released each December, also provides policy and budgetary recommendations for possible inclusion in the Governor’s agenda and budget for Fiscal Year 2022. Governor Carney’s budget proposal will be released on January 28, 2021. Additional viewing information will be announced closer to the event.

Recommendations in the 2020 Report include:

  • Supporting legislation and policies that enable agencies to make permanent certain efficiencies achieved during the COVID 19 emergency.
  • Driving the evolution of Digital Government to improve the digital experience of customers that transact business with the State.
  • Supporting EdGEAR, a collaboration of leaders from DOE, K12 schools and GEAR, focused on generating efficiencies across public education.
  • Implementing the GEAR training curriculum focused on LEAN Government, project management, program management, and the development of leadership skills.
  • Growing the GEAR Field Team to support continuous improvement initiatives in more state agencies.
  • Continuing to drive efficiencies through HR and IT centralization efforts.

“GEAR continues to expand its efforts to engage as many agencies as possible in initiatives that will deliver efficiencies and cost savings statewide,” said James Myran, Executive Director of GEAR, and Bryan Sullivan, Director of Management Efficiency at the Delaware Office of Management and Budget. “We are growing the GEAR Field Team by implementing advanced training to expand the number of state employees skilled and dedicated to leading process improvement initiatives.  The State’s business processes are becoming more efficient, generating savings of time and money, and improving the quality of interactions with citizens.”

###