Collecting Best Practices
Collecting Best Practices: The following information provides guidance on how the Commonwealth Competition Council is collecting the initial best practice information from state agencies and organizations. After the database is established, users will be provided information on adding best practices to the site.
First, it is necessary to define what is meant by a best practice.
Definition of a Best Practice: A Best Practice is defined as a superior method or innovative practice that contributes to improved performance of the process. This designation of "best" may be based on one or more factors, to include (but not limited to):
(1) Expert review of the practice by either a functional or process expert;
(2) Clearly superior results when compared to like organizations;
(3) Results are "breakthrough" in efficiency/effectiveness--could be a "first";
(4) Multiple sources, usually experts in the process, agree the practice is superior;
(5) The practice employs the latest applicable technology; and/or
(6) A large numbers of customers report their satisfaction with the best practice.
Identifying Best Practices: Agencies and institutions are requested to review their operations and identify one or more actions they consider worthy as a best practice that can be shared with other agencies and institutions of the Commonwealth.
Best practices may be identified by anyone knowledgeable or very familiar with the practice. The individual preparing the best practice (contact person-[CP]) and organization head should base their best practice recommendation(s) on one or more of the six factors discussed above.
You can submit your best practices to the Commonwealth Competition Council. The submit form contains 14 entry fields--the contact person completes 1-11. The contact person will identify what criterion was used to determine the designation of a "best practice," e.g., specifically identify the exercise/competition, comparison method, audit/inspection procedure, etc., in item 11.
Verifying Best Practices. Best Practices must be verified as the final step prior to submission to the Commonwealth Competition Council. The individual completing the verification will be identified in fields 12, 13 and 14. Verification is intended to provide requisite internal controls for an agency submitting a best practice for others' applications.