The Responsible Contract Manager

Cohen and Eimicke provide a practical, comprehensive process overview of public agency contract management through networks of organizations and address important concerns of transparency and accountability. It is an important look at this process. -- Robert Agranoff, Indiana University-Bloomington, Instituto Universitario Ortega y Gasset-Madrid Steve Cohen and Bill Eimicke further their reputations as astute observers of government reform and innovation with this volume that tackles one of the most important-and least appreciated-areas of public management. Headlined outsourced failures clearly illustrate the importance of this book. -- Stephen Goldsmith, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University In today's age of permanent fiscal crisis, public agencies are under constant pressure to reduce costs and improve quality. Competitive contracting is often the fastest way to do that-if it is managed well. This book provides a useful roadmap to success and an intelligent discussion of the pitfalls to be avoided. -- David Osborne, senior partner, Public Strategies Group and coauthor of Reinventing Government

Delves into the issues of how to ensure that the work done by private sector contractors serves the public interest and argues for the necessity of making these organizations act as extensions of the public sector while maintaining their private character.Contract management is a critical skill for all contemporary public managers. As more government duties are contracted out, managers must learn to coordinate and measure the performance of private contractors, and to write contract requirements and elicit bids that obtain important services and products at the best possible price and quality. They must also learn to work in teams that include both public and private sector partners. "The Responsible Contract Manager" delves into the issues of how to ensure that the work done by private sector contractors serves the public interest and argues for the necessity of making these organizations act as extensions of the public sector while maintaining their private character. Government contract managers have a unique burden because they must develop practices that ensure the production advantages of networked organizations and the transparency and accountability required of the public sector. "The Responsible Contract Manager" fills a major gap in public management literature by providing a clear and practical introduction to the best practices of contract management and also includes a discussion of public ethics, governance and representation theory. It is an essential guide for all public management scholars and is especially useful for students in MPA graduate programs and related fields.