Suchergebnisse

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING WITH PRIVATE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS HAS GROWN RAPIDLY IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE PAST 25 YEARS. ADVOCATES OF CONTRACTING ARGUE THAT IT SPURS COMPETITION AMONG SERVICE AGENCIES, LOWERING COSTS AND IMPROVING SERVICE QUALITY. IN PRACTICE, HOWEVER, CONTRACTING DEPARTS SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THIS COMPETITIVE MODEL. GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE AGENCIES DEVELOP LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS, OR REGIMES, GOVERNED BY SPECIFIC NORMS AND EXPECTATIONS. THESE REGIMES PROFOUNDLY INFLUENCE THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES AND THE POLITICS OF CONTRACTING. THIS PAPER ANALYZES THESE REGIMES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CONTESTED NATURE OF PUBLIC AUTHORITY. IT CONCLUDES WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR REFORMING PUBLIC POLICY TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF CONTRACTED SERVICES.