ACEC-SK Presents to Saskatoon City Council

ACEC-SK was granted the opportunity to speak to the City of Saskatoon’s Budget Deliberation Council meeting on November 30, 2016.  Beverly MacLeod, ACEC-SK Executive Director, spoke to the City’s use of External Contracted Services.

This opportunity came about because in March 2017 the Standing Policy Committee on Finance tasked the Administration to review the value of consulting contracts.  It was seeking an analysis of how the City saved money using consultants, and assurance that there would be value for money using consultants in the future.  ACEC-SK was originally poised to present about the value of consultants in late spring, but was advised by the City’s administration that the subject of External Contracted Services would be deferred until after municipal elections were complete.

Beverly MacLeod spoke to the value-add consultants bring to City projects, particularly about the ability they afford to quickly adjust capacity in response to the volume and available funding for projects to be undertaken.  She spoke to consultants’ highly specialized technical skills developed through exposure to opportunities offered by multiple clients that also lends itself to an informed outside perspective. These all translate into cost effective and innovative solutions.

She also reinforced that consultants who work for the City of Saskatoon are often Saskatoon residents who pay City taxes, and therefore they are just as concerned as other citizens that the City obtain good quality work and the best value for money.  

Councilors in attendance acknowledged the expertise consultants bring to these projects. ACEC-SK on behalf of its members committed to continuing to work with the City to share its knowledge and expertise on Informed Infrastructure.

 

December 2016


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