I am currently consulting in a government agency, which is going through outsourcing.
I was brought in to manage the Infrastructure Project/Development, Help Desk, Desktop Support and Operational Security teams through an outsourcing exercise, while improving on existing service agreements.
It’s fair to say that I have reduced problems by 60%, customer service is improved probably 1200%, and things are running leaner whilst I’ve implemented a number of significant improvements and projects, all in the space of 9 months.
We have selected a preferred tenderer for the outsource, but due to my success I am being blatantly undermined by other managers here to exclude me from any technical evaluation meetings with the preferred service provider.
This provider has stopped all projects and initiatives without any reason other than they want to provide their version of a solution, and get a cut of the profits. Needless to say several initiatives totalling about $1 million will now cost significantly more post signature on the 5 year agreement.
I keep being asked my opinion on the outsource, which isn’t positive, because I feel the ‘other’ management have rolled on their backs with their legs in the air getting their tummies tickled and their pockets picked.
Here we are 7 weeks on and still we wait for Due Diligence to commence, and yet they continue to dictate what we can and cannot do, because they want their own solutions in place. This is just a managed services contract, we still own all of the hardware, and will retain good technical skills post-outsource.
I’m confused by this activity. I have been part of approx 11 outsourcing initiatives in the past, and although I was primarily hired to perform this function of protecting them through this key phase, politics and jealousy have taken over, and I genuinely fear for the agency moving forward.
As I’m relatively new to Australia, perhaps things are done differently here. Can anyone who has been through this process offer some guidance?