Title: The Evolution of Highway Maintenance Outsourcing in Alberta
Abstract: In 1995, Alberta Transportation and Utilities took its first steps of many to outsource the highway maintenance work. This work covered all summer and winter maintenance of the provincial highway network. The department overcame many challenges as it changed its role from delivering the service to managing the delivery of the service by private sector. From day one, the industry and the department began to work together on forming a relationship of understanding from each other's point of view. This relationship was referred to as partnering and it would prove to be beneficial for day to day operations and in the future contracts. Following the outsourcing and prior to the next round of tendering, the department along with the industry conducted a major reengineering of the existing maintenance process. The group undertook a thorough review of all the maintenance specifications and contract requirements in an effort to identify the risk and allocate it where it could be best managed. During this period the department also sold its maintenance shops and increased its responsibility by assuming approximately 15,000 km of secondary highways from local municipalities. All of these changes were incorporated into the contracts prior to the second round of retendering. As a result of these changes there were significant savings. The department is now about to embark on its third round of retendering. Maintaining a level playing field for all contractors, creating a competitive bidding atmosphere, dealing with increased public expectation and issues on environment and insurance are just a few of the items that were reviewed in this round.
Publication Year: 2005
Publication Date: 2005-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 1
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