Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

The Mark of Good Public Services

A Uniform Framework for Measuring and Improving Public Services for Businesses in the Netherlands

Dimitri Verhoeven

Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Content

• Regulatory Reform• Reason why• Solution• Development & Involvement• Basic Development Principles• Results• The System of 10 Standards• Measurement method• Measurement results• Improvement plan• Certificate of Good Public Services• Goal and state of play• Questions

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Regulatory Reform Program

Reducing regulatory burden through:

Reducing administrative burdens

Improving quality of legislation and process

Simplifying administrative procedures

Improving public services

But…

Toolbox

Standard Cost Model AB Best Practices for permits Common Commencement

dates. Lex Silencio Positivo (quick

response) Regulatory Navigators

(transparency) Simple forms and procedures

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Reason why

Businesses complain about public services.

Governments respond to these complaints by developing and implementing solutions.

Governments want to show their good initiatives. Businesses often disagree.

Result: a lot of discussion about public services and too little attention for improvements.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Solution

A different angle: Question to businesses:

When do governments achieve good public services?

Result: The Mark of Good Public Services

A uniform framework for measuring and improving the quality of public services for businesses.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Development & InvolvementBusinesses: Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers and SME representatives.

Ministry of Economic Affairs:Regulatory Reform and ICT Policy Department in cooperation with SIRA Consulting.

Local governments:MunicipalitiesProvincesRegional Water Authorities

10 most important government organizations to businesses :For example:

Chambers of CommerceTax and Customs AdministrationCentral Government Inspectorates

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Basic development principlesFrom outside to inside: Good public service delivery from a business perspective.

Measurable standards: quantitative or qualitative.

Fixed standards: sufficient and excellent public service delivery.

Sense and simplicity.

Noticeable improvement of public services.

But also:Businesses’ own responsibility to ensure good public services.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

ResultsThe Mark of Good Public Services implies:

A system of 10 standards of public service delivery for businesses.

A measurement method to assess to what extent these standards are met.

An improvement plan including the targets of governments to improve their public services.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

The System of 10 Standards

I. Time limits and periods1. Waiting times within legal limits

2. Quick response if legal limits are exceeded

3. Requests are formally correct

II. Professionalism4. Government officials have sufficient expertise

5. Inspections are well coordinated & integrated

III. Company orientation6. Response to questions within 3 days

7. Available information is up to date

8. Businesses are satisfied with public services

IV. Reliability9. Few objections and appeals

10. Reduction of Administrative Burdens

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Measurement method

10 most important products to businesses.

Audits:File audits: 70 - 100 recent files (< 6 months)

Client audits: 70 – 100 entrepreneurs with a recent experience (< 6 months)

Issue audits: factual

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Measurement results in a spider diagram

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

1. Waiting times within legal limits (F)

2. Quick response if legal limits areexceeded (F)

3. Requests are formally correct (F)

4. Officials have sufficient expertise (C)

5. Inspections are well coordinated &integrated (C)

6. Response to questions within 3 days(F)

7. Available information is up to date (I)

8. Businesses are satisfied with publicservices (C)

9. Few objections and appeals (I)

10. Reduction of - 25% AdministrativeBurden (I)

Sufficient

Excellent

Score

(F) File audit

(C) Client audit

(I) Issue audit

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Improvement plan

Shows the weaknesses in public services.

Improvements for:Government organization overall.10 most important products (specific).

Not just “another” plan: it structures and incorporates all existing initiatives to improve public services.

Action planning: results within 2 years.

Consensus within management team.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Certificate of Good Public ServicesA realistic declaration of intent of governments to improve their public service delivery to businesses:

measurable

noticeable

accountable

transparent

The Ministry of Economic Affairs issues the certificates after assessing the improvement plans.

Period of validity: 2 years.

Better communication between governments and businesses.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Goal and state of playGoal Cabinet period:

200 Municipalities12 Provinces25 Regional Water Authorities10 most important government organizations to businesses

State of play since 2010:Local governments:» Municipalities: 90 certificates and 60 in implementation phase» Provinces: 1 certificate» Regional Water Authorities: 6 certificates

10 most important government organizations to businesses:» 6 certificates» 4 in implementation phase

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

(Financial) IncentivesFinancial Incentive Program for Municipalities, Provinces and Regional Water Authorities:

Vouchers with a maximum of € 15.000 for external support by consultants.

The voucher is intended for the developing process, the measurement and the development and implementation of the improvement plan.

The Financial Incentive Program is valid up to December 31, 2013.

The Financial Incentive Program for government organizations for the developing process was valid up to January 1, 2011.

From now on: The Mark of Good Public Services has to prove its added value.

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Burning questions?

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

Further information:

www.bewijsvangoededienst.nl

www.agentschapnl.nl/programmas-regelingen/bewijs-van-goede-dienst

www.siraconsulting.nl/dossier_bewijs_van_goede_dienst

Better regulation, better business. Ministry of Economic Affairs | 11 April 2013

The MGPS Step by StepSelectie van producten i.o. bedrijfsleven1

Collecting information for the audits2

Executing the File-, Client- and Issue-audits3

Processing & analysing the results in the MGPS-model4

Draft MGPS Improvement Plan5

Coordinating the Draft MGPS Improvement Plan with - Current initiatives in the organisation- The stakeholders (internal and the organisation)

6

• Insight into the present situation of the public service delivery

• Overview of the possibilities where to improve the quality of the public services

• Anchoring the MGPS in the organisation

Selecting the 10 most important products and getting support from the decision makers1

Selectie van producten i.o. bedrijfsleven1 Final MGPS Improvement Plan7

Defining and preparing the implementation of the Improvement Measures8

• File-audits, Client-audits and Issue-audits

• Overview of the Improvement Measures