HELENA — Montana state employees got word this week that leaders plan to centralize state agencies’ procurement, human resources and information technology, putting more under the Montana Department of Administration.
(Watch the video for state leaders' explanation of the changes.)
The announcement came in an email from Gov. Greg Gianforte, which said the move was intended to “streamline government.”
“The decision to centralize these efforts will benefit each agency and taxpayers through increased cost efficiency, better resource utilization, and consistency in services,” Gianforte said in the email. “The goal is to standardize policies, procedures, and service across state government, while enhancing data integrity, reporting, and analytics. At the same time, we will reduce duplication and be better equipped to serve the people we represent.”
DOA already provides a wide variety of services for other state agencies, and it currently operates HR, IT and procurement divisions. However, some other agencies have their own staff for those services.
On Friday, a spokesperson for DOA said in a statement to MTN that centralizing services “is a best practice for many industries, including state government, and will help us operate more efficiently as one statewide team, serving the people of Montana.”
“While we are in the early days of implementing this plan, our goal is to collaborate closely with each agency to meet their unique needs and support their employees—without increasing or reducing our workforce,” they said. “In the coming months, DOA plans to host meetings with agencies as we navigate this process and explore ways to provide support.”
The spokesperson said DOA will be working with agencies to identify areas where centralization will be beneficial.
According to a state report, Montana had more than 11,000 state employees in 2020. The Department of Administration had more than 500.
