Seeks Participants in Request for Proposals Seeking Common Provider of Security, Buildings & Grounds, Transportation and Health Care Functions

Suffolk Executive Steve Levy today announced that the county will issue a Requests For Proposals (RFPs) to the private sector, seeking companies to provide common school educational services – such as security, maintenance, buildings and grounds, transportation or health care for employees – to a consortium of school districts.

“By combining purchasing power, and through economies of scale, a number of school districts joined together in contract for these non-educational services can save taxpayers real dollars,” said Levy.

The county executive has promoted the concept to school superintendents and is inviting all 69 Suffolk districts to participate in the RFP, which will be issued in September 2009 for the 2010-11 school year.

Levy detailed the shared services initiative this morning speaking before a seminar, “Opportunities for Local Municipalities and School Districts in the Current Economic Climate,” which was sponsored by the law firm Jaspan Schlesinger LLP.

“The concept of consolidating districts themselves has become politically burdensome in that most of these districts do not wish to cede local control, nor do parents wish to abdicate a sense of school identity,” said Levy. “On the other hand, we believe that great savings can be effectuated by consolidating functions that are germane to each of our districts, without losing local control or impacting educational services.”

The county executive noted that private sector firms often provide a discounted rate when there is a larger pool of districts served.

“This concept can only be successful with a large number of districts participating, which is why we are reaching out to every district in the county to test the waters,” said Levy.

“This RFP will be the first step in moving us toward a consolidation of functions throughout the county. This is a clear way to provide savings without sacrificing the outstanding quality of education that our students receive here in Suffolk County.”

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