Pilots

A growing number (PDF) of Virginia’s state agencies are developing new ADR approaches to problem-solving, saving them time and money while increasing stakeholder satisfaction.

The first wave of agency ADR pilots:
Seven state agencies – the Board of Accountancy, VITA, and the Departments of General Services, Forestry, Environmental Quality, Charitable Gaming, and Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services -- have shown remarkable initiative and results across a broad range of governmental functions.

In June 2005, each agency’s team presented an overview of their ADR pilot to an audience of Cabinet and agency representatives convened by Secretary of Administration Sandra D. Bowen, chair of Virginia’s Interagency ADR Advisory Council (PDF) . Responses from pilot agency staff and their stakeholders have been positive, with ADR approaches viewed as “opening the door” to increased trust, better communications, and reduced costs in terms of dollars and staff time spent for traditional, more adversarial proceedings.

Below are brief descriptions of each agency’s pilot and links to their presentations:

• Board of Accountancy: mediation used to resolve consumer complaints against certified public accountants

• Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA): facilitation used to resolve bid protests and other procurement-related and contractual disputes

• Department of General Services: interest-based negotiation process established for resolving contractual disputes between agencies and vendors

• Department of Forestry: mediation used to streamline the enforcement of the DOF water quality law, change the behavior of repeat violators, and provide for greater resource protection

• Department of Environmental Quality: facilitation used to improve public participation in agency decision-making on regulatory and permitting issues

• Department of Charitable Gaming: ADR practices incorporated within agency’s educational and enforcement responsibilities

• Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services: facilitation used to improve staff communication, cohesiveness and coordination in direct care facility

The second wave:
Virginia state agencies are asked to consider joining the second wave of agency ADR pilots in one or more functional areas of their operations -- be it regulation, enforcement, procurement, contracting, licensing, permitting, policymaking, intergovernmental relations, or any other area of interest. By consulting with the their internal ADR Coordinator and thinking creatively, an ADR pilot using consensus-building and effective conflict management processes could be developed and lead the way to less costly, more effective outcomes.

For more information, state agencies may email the Interagency Advisory Council at vadra@edr.virginia.gov or call Claudia Farr, lead Council staff, at 804/371-0047. As with the first wave of pilots, the Council is committed to linking all agencies with guidance and information in getting started, including, when requested and available, two-person consulting teams composed of a Council member and a volunteer private sector expert.