Subcontracting in the

changing landscape of child

welfare

Dale Bell, CEO | Nonprofit Solutions, Inc.

Jennifer Sannan, VP | Nonprofit Solutions, Inc.

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Background & experience

Providing full range of administrative

support for foster care and other

social service programs

Intensive privatization

experience with both lead and

subcontractors

Operating in

multiple states

Responsible for

contract management

Operational assessment

and consultation

Changing landscapeThe future ain’t what it used to be.

-Yogi Berra

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Changing landscape

“Having a single vendor oversee the

delivery of care for services, instead of

disjointed care by numerous vendors,

has required a paradigm shift for

DFPS staff, providers and other

stakeholders who must build new skills

around the SSCC model.”

DFPS Foster Care Redesign

Implementation Plan April 2015

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Private agencies will reduce

services and/or cut corners by

hiring inexperienced and transient

personnel.

The increase in private vendors has

made it difficult to impossible for

private sector to monitor compliance

with areas such as minimum staffing

levels, caseloads and quality.

Myths

People with less experience will

make harmful decisions for kids.

Administrative costs will build, due

to the additional layer of

bureaucracy created to oversee

the bidding process, administer

contracts and monitor results.

Contractors will “low ball” or

underbid to receive a new contract

in anticipation of raising its rates

once it becomes established.

Fair competition for contracts is the

exception. Once a private agency obtains a

contract, the expertise, training,

infrastructure and equipment required to do

the job, the private agency is retained even

if it performs poorly because it is very costly

for the state to switch from another

contractor and start from ground zero.

Preparing for changeIt is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.

-Charles Darwin

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Employee management

Agency management needs two plans: one to make the

actual change and one to manage the human side.

Anticipate the “neutral zone”.

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Key plan elements

S H

D U

Sell the “why” Help them close the

past

Define what change

will mean for

individuals as soon

as possible

Understand where

people are in the

process and implement

specific tasks to help

them along

S

D

H

U

Communicate

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Getting buy-in

Ask employees for

commitment

Expand communication

channels

Be firm and committed,

yet flexible

Keep a positive attitude

Involve employees in the

change process

Interview employees on

their feelings

Concentrate on effective

delegation

Raise levels of expectations

Selling the whyLeadership is the ability to get men to do

what they don’t like to do and like it.-Harry Truman

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Use data to

demonstrate how the

work will be enhanced

Demonstrate trust

and care for those

doing the work

The selling never

stops

Selling the why

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Gather data and build your

case

Develop a 30-

second “elevator

speech” and a more

lengthy presentation

Practice both of these before

peers who will be tough and force

you to refine your message

How to get started selling

Note any

questions/concerns

you can’t answer, get

the answers and then

communicate back to

the group

Never stop selling

Data collection – what’s valuable?

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1 2 3 4 5 6

Data collection

Evaluate

your current

capabilities

Differentiate

yourself

Seek ways to

seamlessly

communicate

data

Value data

and what it

can offer

Willingly

make the leapGet feedback

Customer serviceDefine success? It’s solving the clients

problem even when it’s not yours.

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Friendliness01

02

03

04

05

06

Empathy

Fairness

Control

Alternatives

Information

Six basic needs of

customer service

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What employees need

for customer service

Learn your organization’s services, policies and

procedures

Adequate training on administering excellent

customer service

Maintain high performance standards

Hold yourself accountable for your level of

performance

Develop good interpersonal communication and

people skills

Monitor your quality of service and be willing to

make adjustments as needed

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Partnership

Know your capacityConsider the extras

Know the cost of your

service, including

components if possible

Differentiating

yourself

Maintain

communication

How can you meet

their needs?

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Factors for success

Preparation!

Preparation!

Preparation!

Service delivery

management and

contract

administration

Relationship

management

Continuous

improvement

People, skills

and continuity

Proactive

change

management

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Potential roadblocks

Inadequate resources assigned to contract

management

1

Be wary of personality

clashes

3

Unclear dispute resolution process

4

Cookie cutter contracts

5

The context, complexities and dependencies of contract are not well understood

6

Failure to ensure understanding of

assumptions/ objectives

7

Lack of performance

measurement or benchmarking

8

Failure to monitor and manage retained risk

9

Ensure the right person is in the

right seat

2

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Financial considerations

If possible, diversify your revenue sources

Understand the relationships internally and externally

Know balance between delivering great services and

meeting financial goals

Conduct a critical internal assessment of your business

process management

Do not forget the business side

Create innovative strategies but know the risks

Know the real cost of your service delivery and plan for

operating margins and reserve creation

SummaryFace reality as it is, not as it was

or as you wish it to be.-Jack Welch

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Summary

Inspiration is often times the result

of external forces that compel us

to see things differently

Essential traits – embrace change, be

motivated to act, use data to drive

strategy, focus on finances, competent

staff and communication skills

Develop your business process

management to promote effectiveness

and efficiencies in processes that you

can rely on to succeed

Great communication is essential to

achieve great change.

Questions? I wish I had an answer to that, becauseI’m tired of answering that question.

- Yogi Berra

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info@np-solutions.org 877-984-5300 www.np-solutions.org

Nonprofit Solutions, Inc.

618 Commercial St,

PO Box 2224

Emporia, KS 66801

Contact us