COMPREHENSIVE EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.
Austin City Code § 2-3-9
in effect§ 2-3-9 - COMPREHENSIVE EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.
(A) The city auditor shall initiate and oversee a program of recurring comprehensive efficiency assessments designed to address cost effective performance improvements of all other City departments on a repeating schedule with at least three years between assessment cycles.
(B) The city auditor shall establish an ongoing means for employees to submit suggestions for review or operational improvement.
(C) The city auditor shall contract with an external consultant with expertise in municipal audits and collaborate with the consultant to perform each comprehensive efficiency assessment.
(D) Each comprehensive efficiency assessment shall include:
(1) analysis of the efficiency of City operations, management structure, functions, programs, services, and policies, including a cost-benefit analysis where appropriate;
(2) analysis of City contracting practices and opportunities for increased efficiency;
(3) determination of whether City contractors are meeting uniform standards for performance metrics, documentation of required deliverables, and accounting of expenditures;
(4) identification of and recommendations for cost savings and performance enhancements within City departments;
(5) analysis of efforts toward continuous improvement and managing organizational change; and
(6) efficiency and financial benchmarking with peer cities, where applicable.
(E) The city manager, city clerk or municipal court clerk overseeing the department that has been assessed shall provide a response detailing any objections to recommendations that the council should consider, or a concurrence and timeline for execution of the recommendations.
(F) The city manager and all employees shall cooperate with the city auditor and external consultant on all requirements of this section.
(G) The city auditor shall report on the status, including progress and any results, of each comprehensive efficiency assessment to the audit and finance committee semi-annually or as requested, and to the council annually or as requested and shall conduct follow-up review of any portion of the comprehensive efficiency assessment as requested by the audit and finance committee.
(H) The city auditor shall notify the council if recommendations include significant departmental reorganizations, reductions in force, or outsourcing of City services.
(I) The city auditor shall report on any new efficiencies within the Austin City Auditor's Office during any report made under Subsection (G).
(J) The city auditor shall post the plan and proposed schedule for a comprehensive efficiency assessment as well as related information, results, recommendations, and implementation progress on the City website.
(K) No portion of this section is intended to interfere with the consistent and timely delivery of City services or to limit the authority of the city manager to initiate and implement practices that increase efficiency within City departments.
(L) Amendments to, or repeal of, this section may only be adopted by the favorable vote of at least nine council members.
Source: Ord. No. 20260226-050, Pt. 2, 3-9-26.
Source: City of Austin, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT2AD_CH2-3CIAU_S2-3-9COEFASPRFetched: 10/27/2026