Better Administrative and Support Services
Page updated 13 Apr 2011
The objective of the BASS Programme is to lower the cost and strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of State Sector administration and support services across the State Sector.
Benchmarking Report Released - 13 April 2011
The Better Administrative and Support Services Programme's Administrative & Support Services Benchmarking Report for FY 2008/09 and FY 2009/10 was published today.
The report shows that the 33 agencies measured spent about $1.8 billion on administrative and support services in the 2009/10 financial year and that there is a significant variation in service cost, efficiency, and effectiveness across agencies.
Treasury Deputy Chief Executive Andrew Kibblewhite said: "Spending levels across agencies are quite variable, ranging from between 3 percent to 36 percent of total organisation running costs. Some variation is attributable to agency size as smaller agencies are more affected by fixed costs, and some variation is due to the nature of agency operations. For example, some agencies are in the midst of some significant ICT investments to transform public services and make them more efficient. If we are to use this information constructively, we must consider it in light of each agency’s operational context."
The report concludes that making these services more efficient can save more than $236 million a year and that service quality can also improve. Key opportunities include leveraging knowledge and scale across agencies; streamlining, automating, and standardising processes, and having more common systems.
Benchmarking of administrative and support services will be done annually, with the results providing valuable trend information and demonstrating the impact of State sector efficiency efforts over time. Mr Kibblewhite said "the quality and transparency of information from the benchmarking exercise will enable robust, evidence-based decisions about how we do business and help identify opportunities for improvement."
Links to material:
- Administrative & Support Services Benchmarking Report for FY 2008/09 and FY 2009/10 (13 April 2011)
- Frequently Asked Questions Relating to the Report
- Media statement by Andrew Kibblewhite, Deputy Chief Executive of the Treasury: Treasury releases benchmarking report (13 April 2011)
Better Administrative & Support Services (BASS) Programme Update - 30 March 2011
Two benchmarking exercises have now been completed. The first exercise measured the Administrative and Support (A&S) service performance of 14 agencies for FY 2008/09 and the second exercise expanded to measure A&S service performance of 33 agencies for FY 2009/10.
The agencies that provided A&S service performance information for the FY 2008/09 measurement exercise were:
- Counties Manukau District Health Board
- Department of Internal Affairs
- Housing New Zealand Corporation
- Inland Revenue Department
- Ministry for Economic Development
- Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Social Development
- Nelson-Marlborough District Health Board
- New Zealand Defence Force
- New Zealand Police
- New Zealand Transport Agency
- Treasury
- Whanganui District Health Board
The agencies that provided A&S service performance information for the FY 2009/10 measurement exercise were:
- Accident Compensation Corporation
- Department of Building and Housing
- Department of Conservation
- Department of Corrections
- Department of Internal Affairs
- Department of Labour
- Housing New Zealand Corporation
- Inland Revenue Department
- Land Information New Zealand
- Ministry for Economic Development
- Ministry for the Environment
- Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
- Ministry of Culture and Heritage
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Fisheries
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry of Social Development
- Ministry of Transport
- New Zealand Customs Service
- New Zealand Defence Force
- New Zealand Fire Service Commission
- New Zealand Police
- New Zealand Qualifications Authority
- New Zealand Tourism Board
- New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
- New Zealand Transport Agency
- State Services Commission
- Statistics New Zealand
- Te Puni Kokiri
- Tertiary Education Commission
- Treasury
The measurement activity was generally well received and agencies have found it to be a valuable exercise giving insights into their operations.
The results have been consolidated into a single 'Administrative & Support Services Benchmarking Report for FY 2008/09 and FY 2009/10'. The report aims to provide managers with management information that improves transparency and scrutiny and helps identify opportunities for improvement and savings.
The report is going through Cabinet approval and is due for publication in April 2011.
A further website update will be provided when the report is published.
For more information, please email BASS@treasury.govt.nz or call 04 917 6192.
