December 16, 2024

by Michael R. Wickline | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Arkansas officials estimate state executive branch agencies could realize about $300 million “in cost savings and avoidance” over the next six years under strategic plans developed under Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Arkansas Forward initiative.

The cost-savings and efficiency measures include more than 300 initiatives across executive branch departments, the officials said.

“As part of Governor Sanders’ goal of Arkansas Forward to improve efficiency and cut costs, all 15 departments’ strategic plans are focused on efficiencies to current processes that improve productivity, reduce redundancies, save and avoid cost, and improve the citizen experience,” Courtney Traylor, chief of staff for the state Department of Transformation and Shared Services and project director for the Arkansas Forward initiative, said in a written statement.

The plans include integrating information technology systems across state agencies to save money and improve citizen experience, centralizing procurement processes and renegotiating statewide contracts for better pricing, according to the governor’s office.

Under the plans, the state would sell old vehicles to lower maintenance costs and reduce the fleet size, centralize vehicles to create efficiency, reduce state government’s physical footprint and create a database of state-owned real estate to identify areas of cost savings, the governor’s office said.

The state also would implement a pay plan to help recruit and retain employees and centralize training and professional development, according to the governor’s office.

The plans for the 15 departments include options ranging from consolidation of executive branch boards and commissions to creation of a centralized division to process requests under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act for public records.

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