Contact Information

  • Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

State agency consolidation official

For Immediate Release: September 30, 2011

OLYMPIA � The most significant transformation of state agencies in 20 years will be made official as five state agencies complete their merger into three agencies. This consolidation will save taxpayers $18.3 million in the 2011-13 biennium.

�This consolidation is a direct response to our state�s fiscal condition,� Gov. Chris Gregoire said. �We developed an innovative solution that will cut costs, maintain high levels of customer service and improve efficiency. It�s a great deal for our citizens and the state.�

The merger consolidated all or portions of five central service agencies, the departments of General Administration, Printing, Information Services, Personnel and Office of Financial Management, into three state agencies: Consolidated Technology Services, the Department of Enterprise Services and the Office of Financial Management. CTS and DES are open on Oct. 3, 2011.

DES will centralize many administrative functions that agencies require, such as facilities and lease management, accounting, human resources, risk management, contracting and printing. Gregoire appointed Joyce Turner to serve as agency director, effective Oct. 1.

�Bringing central-support services for state government under one roof will allow us to find new and less costly ways of doing business. This will enable other agencies to focus on their missions and serve the public better,� Turner said.

Gregoire appointed Mike Ricchio to lead CTS, also effective Oct. 1. The agency will centralize and standardize the state�s basic information technologies services, such as email, telecommunications and desktop support.

�We�re taking a page out of the book followed by private industry,� Ricchio said. �Much like a business does, the state will cut costs and boost productivity by consolidating the tech support and systems every agency�s employees use.�

OFM will continue to oversee the areas of budget, policy, forecasting and labor relations. It adds human resource policy, through the new Office of the State Human Resource Director, as well as state IT policy, planning and oversight through the new Office of the Chief Information Officer, to its portfolio. Marty Brown will continue to lead OFM. Eva Santos, formerly director of the Department of Personnel, will serve as director of human resource policy. Gregoire appointed Rob St John to be acting director of OCIO, effective Oct. 1. He previously served as the Department of Social and Health Services� CIO.

�These are exciting times for us,� Brown said. �While we will continue at OFM to provide the essential services that we have traditionally delivered, we will work in a more coordinated way with experts in human resource and IT policy to be even more effective and cost efficient.�

Gregoire requested the consolidation in the 2011 legislative session, and the Legislature enacted it with bipartisan majorities. Effective Oct. 1, the state will shutter the departments of General Administration, Personnel and Information Services, along with the State Printer.

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