The Project Description and Consultant

The Saint Paul City Council Audit Committee selected and awarded Wilder Research a professional services agreement to conduct up to two (2) research and evaluation projects beyond those that Council or City staff can provide to examine program and financial evaluations designed to improve the timing of delivery of services with the goal of building greater public trust and satisfaction with city services and to provide reports with recommendations to the city for improvements to city services and processes.

Wilder Research is a nationally respected nonprofit research and evaluation group. The organization work with nonprofits, community leaders, government agencies, foundations and policymakers throughout Minnesota and the country to gather and interpret facts and trends, help them uncover and understand issues affecting their communities and how best to address them, and inform action that improves lives and communities. 

The Project Scope

The first of two research and evaluation projects has been identified.  Wilder will examine opportunities for collaboration, cost-sharing, and process improvement between the Saint Paul Public Library and the Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department and to assess current operations and make recommendations aimed at improving service delivery and ensuring efficient use of City resources.

Objective

The objective of this efficiency study is to identify areas of improvement and potential cost-saving measures in operations within the Saint Paul Public Library Agency and the Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department. The study aims to optimize resource allocation, streamline operations, and enhance overall efficiency.

The study is intended to explore specific operational functions of each department and determine areas which could lead to greater efficiencies and cost-savings for the departments and city. The scope of work outlined below will apply only to the key focus areas identified here:

Facilities and Maintenance

  • Outdoor space maintenance to include landscaping, snow removal, building exterior maintenance.
  • Indoor space management to include assessment of design standards and lifecycle management for furniture and fixtures, lighting, building controls, and HVAC systems in co-located and separate facilities.

Financial Management

  • Assessment of procurement of supplies, operational goods, professional and technical service providers, and recommendations for cost-sharing or purchasing that maximizes economies of scale.
  • Assessment of contracting processes and mechanisms with external service providers.

Technology Management 

  • Assessment of software and hardware uses between the two department for systems such as staff scheduling, security cameras, customer/client databases.

Scope of Work

To apply only to the specific focus areas identified above.

Wilder will provide:

A. Data Collection:

  • Gather information on the current processes, workflows, and resource allocation for the key focus areas in the Library Agency and the Parks and Recreation Department.
  • Collect data on the number of staff members, their roles, and responsibilities in each department within the key focus areas.
  • Identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) for both departments and collect relevant data for analysis within the key focus areas.

B. Process Analysis:

  • Analyze the existing processes and workflows within each department to identify bottlenecks, redundancies, and areas of improvement in the key focus areas. 
  • Evaluate the utilization of resources, such as staff, facilities, equipment, and technology, in both departments specifically in the key focus areas. 
  • Identify any possible overlapping or duplicated efforts between the Library and Parks and Recreation in the key focus areas. 

C. Cost Analysis:

  • Assess the current budget allocation for each department and evaluate the effectiveness of resource utilization in the key focus areas. 
  • Identify potential cost-saving opportunities, such as shared joint purchasing or consolidation of certain functions in the key focus areas. 
  • Analyze the return on investment (ROI) for various initiatives and recommend cost-effective strategies.

D. Stakeholder Engagement:

  • Conduct interviews or surveys with staff members, managers, and stakeholders from both departments to gather their perspectives on current challenges and potential areas for changes and collaboration.
  • Facilitate discussions and workshops to encourage collaboration and idea-sharing between the SPPL and SPPR and their key focus areas.

E. Recommendations

  • Based on the findings from the data analysis and stakeholder engagement, provide actionable recommendations to enhance efficiency, streamline operations, and optimize resource allocation in the key focus areas. 
  • Prioritize recommendations based on their potential impact, feasibility, and alignment with the goals of both departments.

F. Deliverables

  • A comprehensive report summarizing the findings, analysis, and recommendations from the efficiency study.
  • Presentation of the report to Library Director and Parks and Recreation Director.
  • Any additional supporting documentation, data analysis, or visualizations as necessary.
Saint Paul Public Library Agency and the Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department will provide:

A. Access

  • Provide the consultant with access to staff and information necessary for a full understanding of the operations and services of each department within the identified focus areas. 
  • Provide all requested documentation such as policies, procedures, guidelines, budgets, spending reports, etc. 
  • Provide consultant with opportunities to view/tour facilities from each department, particularly co-located facilities, which will inform the study.  

B. Designated Contacts

  • Identify departmental leads to act as the first point of contact for consultant.
  • Designated contacts will report to the Audit Committee as requested during the course of the study.
  • Designated contacts will ensure all access as outlined in the above section.

C. Reporting

  • Departments will report an overview of the study and plans for implementation upon delivery of the report by the Consultant. 
  • At such a time or intervals as requested by the Audit Committee, Department will report on progress of implementation and outcomes achieved. 

Project Phases

There are three (3) activity phases to this project with clearly identified tasks and deliverables.  You can learn more about the work for each phase by selecting the specific activity below:

Team Background

Wilder Research Team

Last Edited: May 6, 2024