The document summarizes recommendations from a lean process improvement project conducted by Deloitte Consulting LLP for the City of Detroit. Six key themes for improvement were identified across city departments: customer education, data collection and performance tracking, technology use, process transparency, knowledge sharing, and training. Recommendations focused on three areas: streamlining IT services, centralizing purchasing functions, and standardizing maintenance across city vehicles and facilities. Implementing the recommendations could reduce costs, improve response times, increase transparency and data use, and boost productivity across departments.

1. City of Detroit - Lean Process Improvement
Project Summary
July 23rd, 2014
Deloitte Consulting LLP

2. As teams developed their individual project recommendations, six key themes
emerged as common areas for improvement across departments
Theme Observations
Customer Education
Data Collection and
Performance Tracking
Technology
Process Transparency
• Project teams struggled to draw conclusions due to lack of historic data. Better organization and
emphasis on electronic data collection will better position departments for continuous improvement
• Performance metrics are not clearly defined across departments, leading to a lack of accountability
among employees and management
Knowledge Sharing
• A majority of customer complaints and inquiries stem from a lack of understanding of City processes
and the necessary forms/information needed for approval
• Most department websites are not updated on a yearly basis and sometimes contain outdated or
misleading information
• Several project teams identified quick-win opportunities using current technologies to replace manual
processes. Departments should continually assess software capabilities to ensure investments are
being fully utilized, in certain cases software was purchased and not deployed
• Longer-term technology investments need to be compiled across departments and prioritized based
on ROI and ease of implementation
• The creation of current-state value stream maps required multiple discussions with several employees.
Most employees have a deep understanding of certain process steps, but do not have a thorough
understanding of the end-to-end process and interdependencies
• Standard operation procedures are not regularly re-examined to identify outdated forms, unessential
policies and process improvement opportunities
• Departments tend to operate in information silos and do not effectively utilize cross-department
communication or leverage their external environment for improvement opportunities
• Throughout Project Lean, many project teams researched best practices and established relationships
with other municipalities. These relationships need to be monitored on a regular basis to encourage
knowledge sharing across municipalities
Training
• Supervisors frequently noted training gaps as a contributing factor to low employee productivity and
morale, especially among new employees
• Many divisions lack a structured training program that focuses on common development needs
among employees

3. Among the 18 city services analyzed during Project Lean, we identified three areas
for long-term operational improvements going forward
The majority of city services are in some way dependent on Information Technology Services, Purchasing, and the General
Services Department. By focusing on improvement opportunities in these focus areas, the city will be able to realize direct benefits
Current State Focus Area Long-Term Improvement Opportunities
Information
Technology
Services
FY14 budget: $16.9M
 Lack of standard operating procedures and services
catalog documentation has lead to slower ticket resolution
 ITS does not support self-ticketing services; creation and
monitoring of ticket status can be performed only through
the call center
 Coordination between central IT and departmental “Super
Users” is non-existent; responsibilities are not defined
 Current technology cannot support forgotten password
requests, which currently accounts for 30-40% of ticket
requests city-wide
 Improve response time of help desk by redefining ITS
structure, enabling a multi-tier approach to customer service
 Standardize IT help desk documentation and knowledge
management processes across all ITS services
 Develop self-service ticketing and automation capabilities to
reduce the number of calls to IT help desk
 Upgrade incident management tracking tool to track customer
pain points, identify areas for new offerings, and reduce the
amount of effort and time to manage recurring incidents
Purchasing
FY14 projected
spend: $219M
 Process cycle time for Goods & Services is 180 days
 Current process includes unnecessary documentation,
duplicative approval steps, and multiple manual work-a-rounds
within the Oracle procurement system
 Lack of standardization between different purchase orders
(SPO, CPO, and BPO requests)
 GSD struggles to control maintenance costs that stem from
a lack of standardized preventative maintenance schedules
 Information systems do not provide a comprehensive
vehicle history, leading to a lack of parts forecasting for
common repairs of city vehicles
 Lack of communication between NAPA and other
departments on minimum daily fleet requirements leads to
inefficient allocation of mechanics’ time
General Services
Department
FY14 budget: $52.2M
as well as indirect operational efficiencies across other departments.
 Conduct total spend analysis across all categories,
consolidating City vendors where possible
 Perform market test of high dollar vendor contracts to identify
areas for cost savings
 Implement a centralized sourcing process, decreasing
contract costs by an average of 10%
 Align Oracle procure-to-pay capabilities with the current
needs of Detroit, replacing outdated legacy systems and
eliminating manual processes
 Design of cross-department preventative maintenance and
scheduling program to deliver labor and material savings as
well as increased plant throughput
 Perform fleet size assessment across all departments to
identify vehicle savings, future investment areas, and optimize
fleet size to meet the needs of the citizens of Detroit
 Integrate vehicular technologies (GPS) with current
maintenance systems to provide enhanced visibility into
vehicle utilization, maintenance and equipment cost
forecasting

4. Individual Project Recommendations

5. Project Lean – Project Listings (Page 1 of 2)
# Project Name Project Sponsor - Department Lean Lead Business Volunteer
1 Code Enforcement Eric Jones - BSEED Mac Farr Mickie Verderbar & PMC Corp
2 Site Plan Review Eric Jones - BSEED Mac Farr Plante Moran
3 Business Licensing Tom Lewand – BSEED Mary Martin N/A
4
Certificate of
Occupancy
Eric Jones - BSEED Mac Farr JAMA Consulting; CATSS Consulting
5 Snow Removal Ron Brundidge – DPW Amy Sovereign Deloitte
6 Potholes Ron Brundidge – DPW Amy Sovereign Plante Moran
7 Traffic Signs Ron Brundidge – DPW Amy Sovereign
Advanced Manufacturing Group – Bill
Fetterman
8 NAPA Auto Parts Brad Dick – GSD Mary Martin
Western Michigan University – Ken
Jones
9 Vacant Lots Brad Dick – GSD Amy Sovereign Metro West Appraisal – Ben Schomer

6. Project Lean – Project Listings (Page 2 of 2)
# Project Name Project Sponsor - Department Lean Lead Business Volunteer
10
Forestry - Dead
Trees
Brad Dick – GSD Amy Sovereign
University of Michigan – Vendant
Ghang
11 Hiring Michael Hall – HR Mary Martin PWC – John May
12 Onboarding Michael Hall – HR Mary Martin PWC – John May
13 Bus Pull Ins Dan Dirks – DDOT Stephen Paparo MPM Consulting – Marc Voorhees
14 Bus Maintenance Dan Dirks – DDOT Zena' Johnson
Western Michigan University – Ken
Jones
15
Income Tax & Civil
Prosecution
Tanya Stoudemire – Finance Mac Farr Grant Thornton
16 Purchasing Boysie Jackson – Finance Mac Farr Global Productivity Solutions
17 Help Desk Ticketing Charles Dodd – ITS Mary Martin Weblyn Group – Linda Marshall
18
Public Lighting
Department
Beau Taylor – PLD Mac Farr Osirius Group & Patriot Systems

7. Code Enforcement – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Deployment overhaul: send inspectors from the property
maintenance division through the areas targeted by the
DLBA; inspecting multiple properties at one site
simultaneously; inspecting properties owned by the same
entity/individual simultaneously; working on a street by
street basis. Deploying inspectors on a district basis to
respond to resident complaints will also be a part of this
deployment strategy.
This will have the benefit of making inspectors much more
efficient. By inspecting those properties that were passed over
by the DLBA because they were not vacant, we can leverage the
improvements made in those neighborhoods already. By going
through areas such as the Renaissance Center, we can
complete all inspections at one site, instead of sending an
inspector back episodically throughout the course of a year, and,
much the same with owners who have multiple properties, they
can complete their inspections all at once instead of having a
steady stream of them all at once.
30 days
Enhanced throughput of BSEED inspectors will generate
more violations, and with correct handling in DAH,
subsequently, more compliance. These will focus on blight
and life/safety issues.
Last year, DAH received only 600 tickets from BSEED. An
enhanced throughput of inspectors will result in a larger pool of
potential improvements to be effected in the City’s housing and
building stock.
30 days
Standardized interpretations of the property maintenance
code; development of internal operating procedures;
implementation of training and certification programs for
inspectors; creation of metrics and tracking for optimizing
both performance and outcomes.
Removing the variance in interpretations will lead to an
enhanced degree of compliance and overall cooperation with the
owners of blighted properties. Tracking deployment and
outcomes will help optimize throughput.
90 days
Steering committee between DAH, BSEED, DLBA and
DON.
Enhance the efficacy of various efforts currently underway in the
different departments by focusing efforts on certain areas.
30 days
1

8. Site Plan Review – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Consolidate the site plan review function within the auspices
of BSEED from PDD.
This will remove the bottleneck that has historically impeded
project approval.
Done.
Consolidate the remainder of zoning functions within the
auspices of the Office of Project Development Services.
Instead of having to obtain approval from the Department of
Public Works, Planning and Development Department, the
Department of Health and Wellness Promotion, the Police
Department, the Fire Department, City Council and the Detroit
Water and Sewerage Department separately and one at a time,
this function will be done in one location with employees from
the various disciplines feeding directly into one process.
180 days
Standardize the operating procedures and underlying
legislation for each of the various approvals.
By eliminating the variance in interpreting competing codes and
removing ambiguity from the ordinance language, this will have
the benefit of making findings and approvals more consistent
and aligned with customer expectations.
180 days
2

9. Business Licensing – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Correct Materials Online and in Print with updated locations
and contact information
Saves 1 trip for 25% of customers* < 30 Days
Reorganize Website to be clear and simple Saves 2 trips for 50% of customers* < 30 Days
Deploy Tablets to Inspectors and Investigators for Direct Data
Entry into Tidemark
Approx. $60,000 in data entry time saved per year 90+ Days
Create Brochures or Information Sheets for specific business
licenses or customer scenarios
2 trips for 50% of customers* < 30 Days
Create roadmap of process for customers and accompanying
signage to direct process flow at CAYMC (e.g., as a checklist)
Saves 1 trip for 50% of customers* < 30 Days
Create Business Licensing Email Box and FAQ for customer
questions
4 hours for 10% of customers < 30 Days
Cross Train Trade Clerks within BSEED for data entry across
divisions (Mechanical clerks enter plumbing/ electrical data and
vice versa)
Eliminates wasted human resources for clerks, reduces
internal processing time
30-90 Days
Remove antiquated Business Licenses Eliminates entire process for select businesses 90+ Days
Create process step for L&P (BSEED) to notify appropriate
division about fee payment on behalf of the customer
Saves 1 trip and 3 – 4 days for 30% of customers** < 30 Days
Create internal SOP to ensure uniform Inspections Reduces inconsistency to save re-inspections < 30 Days
Train employees on how to use Tidemark correctly Reduces errors and processing time by 1 day 30-90 Days
Notify customers by email once clearances are approved and
processed
Saves 1 trip and 3 – 4 days for 30% of customers** < 30 Days
*Achieve benefits jointly, sharing time saved
3

10. Certificates of Occupancy – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Issue project numbers to each new construction event so
that all permits under each project can easily be accessed.
This will remove the need to manually locate each of the permit
numbers in Tidemark, which in some cases, can amount to
hundreds of permits. The main benefit will be that it cut the
anticipated processing time for large projects by 90%.
30 days
Automate Tidemark so as to automatically issue Certificates
of Occupancy once all of the inspections are completed and
the permits are paid.
Once a building has been inspected and deemed to meet code,
at this point we still require the customer to apply for the
certificate, either by email or in person. Reengineering the
system so as to automatically create the certificate will eliminate
this step in its entirety.
90 days
4

11. Snow Removal – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s) *
Time to
Implement
 Updated Route Maps: Create route maps to reduce driver error and improve
deployment efficiency. Route maps also support route planning and optimization.
 Geographical Route Assignments: Assign drivers to territories to minimize
distance driven between routes. Route assignments will cover an entire shift
~15% reduction in route completion
times (3,600 hours), as well as
commensurate efficiency gains in both
overtime and equipment costs (~$192K
annually)
Late October,
2014
 Improved Materials Management: Install calibration and brine equipment to
increase efficiency of salt use. Note: brine at Russell / Ferry only for first year
~20% reduction in salt usage, leading to
~$154K in efficiency gains from reduced
salt, O/T labor, and equipment costs
Late October,
2014
 Streamlined Snow Response: Minimize steps and time required to contact
drivers and initiate snow response when drivers are not on scheduled shift or call
 Improved Driver Coordination: Install functional radios in all snow removal
vehicles to reduce communication breakdowns caused by reliance on personal
cell phones
Reduce the number of steps required in
snow removal by 19% (7 of 37 steps)
Mid-October,
2014
 Pre-Season Training: Design and schedule training sessions for new drivers and
mechanics to minimize skill gaps and associated inefficiencies
Increased staff performance and
improved equipment maintenance
Late October,
2014
 Performance Tracking and Review: Identify performance metrics and create
templates to collect activity data. Set schedule following snow season to evaluate
DPW’s performance against peers and identify areas of improvement
Establishment and reinforcement of a
culture of continuous improvement
Mid-October,
2014
 Residential Contract Adjustments: DPW is exploring the following near-term
options to improve residential snow removal through contractors:
 Plowing residential streets once snow accumulates to 4” instead of 6”
 Increasing the width of the path cleared through residential streets
 Use of GPS tracking to for improved accountability of contractors
 Use of incentives to improve city-contractor relationships
 In-House Pilot: DPW is assessing the long-term option of using municipal staff
for residential plowing. This is the primary model used by peer cities
Safer residential streets, improved
citizen satisfaction and reduction in
complaints issued as compared to the
2013-2014 snow season
End of
August, 2014
* - Efficiency estimates based on activities for FY 2014, a record-breaking year for snowfall. Typical efficiency gains may be half of estimates reported in table.
5

12. Potholes – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Electronic Work Order Management System: Move from
Excel-based pothole tracking to new database and work
order system
Timeliness: Reduce cycle time by 45 hours
Timeliness: Eliminate 5 process steps between customer
request and crew assignment
30-90 Days
Data Tracking: Improve data collection and establish
weekly performance reviews to track outliers
Timeliness: Reduce average cycle time by enabling
management to proactively identify outliers and trend data for
continuous improvement
30-90 Days
Single Intake Source: Limit citizen intake to one source Timeliness: Cut down lead time by at least 24 hours <30 Days
Intake Script: Implement script during intake
Timeliness: Cut out 2 process steps (transportation and survey)
for requests that come in with erroneous or incomplete
information
<30 Days
Staff Training: Training for potholes crews
Quality: Reduced variation in methodology, increased quality of
pothole repair, improved employee morale
30-90 Days
Improve Citizen Communication: Implement standard
request process for all city services, update website, provide
mechanism for closing the loop with reporting citizen
Timeliness: Eliminate 2 process steps between customer
request and crew assignment, when intake happens outside of
the department
Increased citizen satisfaction
30-90 Days
Process Improvement: Increase frequency of information
flow from intake office to supervisors
Timeliness: Cut down lead time by at 24 hours <30 Days
Invest in superior technology: Purchase Liquid Injection
Machine
Financial Savings: Estimated ROI on $250,000 investment in 6
years. 10-year projected cost savings $193,252. Improved
quality, Reduction in re-work, Increased citizen satisfaction
90+ Days
CUMULATIVE SAVINGS
10-Year Projected Cost Savings: $193,252
Time Savings: Reduce cycle time by 45 hours
6

13. Traffic Signs – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Process Improvements: Eliminate all unnecessary checks
and approvals
Timeliness: Cut out 7 process steps
Reduce cycle time by 69 days
30-90 Days
Data Tracking: Improve data collection and establish
weekly performance reviews to track outliers
Timeliness: Reduce average cycle time by enabling
management to proactively identify outliers and trend data for
continuous improvement
< 30 days
Cross Functional Teams: Explore ways to get work orders
and information directly from investigators to installation
crews, including pairing them together when applicable
Timeliness: Cut out 10 process steps < 30 days
Standardized Input: Standardize input into TFMS system
and increase the use of queries to reduce duplicate entries
Timeliness: Cut out 3 process steps (transportation,
investigation, and work order close out) related to duplicate
requests
< 30 days
Mitigate Duplicate Requests: Write install date on backs
of signs to differentiate outstanding versus repeat sign
repair
Timeliness: Cut out 3 process steps (transportation,
investigation, and work order close out) related to duplicate
requests
< 30 days
New IT System: Replace TFMS system with a work order
system that provides modern data entry and extraction
functionality and is accessible via mobile device
Timeliness: Cut out at least 14 process steps
Financial Savings: related to reduced paper usage
90+ Days
Reduce Waste: Reduce list of 3000+ sign types used by the
city; Conduct city-wide audit to identify and remove obsolete
signs already installed
Financial Savings: Reduce waste (materials and time) related
to repairing approximately 20% of city signs that are obsolete
90+ Days
Networking: Information sharing with neighboring counties
regarding best practices / vendors
Timeliness: Improve crew efficiency
Financial Savings: Improve procurement practices
90+ Days
CUMULATIVE SAVINGS
Time Savings: Reduce cycle time by 69 days
Process Steps Saved: 30 steps
7

14. NAPA Auto Parts – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
8

15. Vacant Lots – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Use pilot project data to estimate survey costs going forward Allocate resources appropriately as project continues <30 days
Utilize “blexting” app to evidence negligence of private lot
owners
Expedite lien process for negligent lot owners
Incentivize lot owners to provide upkeep for lots
90+ days
Provide collected data to Detroit Land Bank, as applicable
for nuisance abatement
Expedite lien process for negligent lot owners
Incentivize lot owners to provide upkeep for lots
90+ days
Process to send citywide map of vacant lot locations to
make selectivity/RFP process for future cuts more efficient
Lot data availability (related to location and condition) will
improve future RFP process for cuts
90+ days
Utilize this project’s recommended 5-phase approach to
ultimately reduce blight related to vacant lots
Use project (phased approach) outline as guidance moving
forward
90+ days
9

16. Forestry / Dead Trees – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Enlist Non-profits: Partner with organizations for donated tree removal services;
identify project areas (i.e. parks, neighborhoods) for those organizations to adopt
$20,000+ saved through donated tree services 30-90 Days
Help from Peer Cities: Coordinate with regional and state forestry divisions through
the Arborists Society of Michigan to enlist volunteer help
$20,000+ saved through donated tree services >90 Days
Add Resources:
- Add crew members and 1 log loader; reorganize current 2 large crews into 3
smaller crews (2 separate options)
- Add full 7-member crew and outfit with 4 new vehicles
- Analysis tool utilized: Cost Benefit Analysis (estimates included in appendix)
Reduce storm call TAT by 2+ days
Reduce incidence private property damage by
5-10%
Remove up to 1000 extra dead trees per year
30-90 Days
Survey Backlog: Reassign staff member currently on restricted duty to focus on
surveying old open requests in order to clean up bad data
Cut out 2 process steps (transportation and survey)
for numerous requests that come in with erroneous
or incomplete information
<30 days
IT Support: Coordinate with ITS to maximize CSR functionality and uptime Reduce downtime by approx. 4 hours per episode <30 days
Data Review: Begin metric collection and data analysis cadence to track progress
Reduce average cycle time by enabling
management to proactively identify outliers and
trend data for continuous improvement
<30 days
New Database: Adopt Davey Tree app for more robust database, mobile access
Reduce cycle time; Reduce unnecessary surveys;
Improve work prioritization
>90 days
Intake Script: Create standard intake script, including asking for photos; direct intake
offices to forward calls to Forestry
Cut out 2 process steps (transportation and survey)
for requests that come in with erroneous or
incomplete; Improve citizen communication
<30 days
Update Website: Update website to provide FAQs, contact numbers, etc. Reduce survey time; Improve citizen communication <30 days
Ongoing Training: Begin series of training modules for staff to use during downtime
(i.e. rain days) to build skills and improve capacity
Improve efficiency, staff morale, and build
organizational capacity
<30 days
Improve Vehicle Uptime: Work with Fleet to improve uptime of necessary vehicles;
Explore options for replacing old log loaders
Improve productivity >90 days
CUMULATIVE SAVINGS
Cost Savings: $40,000 (donated tree services)
Time Savings: Reduce storm call TAT by 2
days
10

17. HR Hiring – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Improve the requisition approval process Process: Increased efficiency through standardization 30 days
Improve the candidate experience through an enhanced
website
Time: Reduce time spent on phone with candidates Process:
Streamline/decrease visits
30 days
Make the examination testing and scoring process
automated through Neo Gov
Financial: Decrease amount of paper
Time/Process: Reduce two steps per episode
30 days
Enhance the offer letter and standardize the process Time: Reduce one step per episode with each letter 30 days
Fully understand functionality of Neo Gov - the City’s
Human Resource Information System
Process: Increased efficiency through full utilization of complete
IT system
30 days
Increase the accuracy of the candidate lists Process: Increase efficiency and decease time 30 days
Improve the candidate experience through enhancements to
their interview day
Process: Attract more talent/better candidates 30 days
Reach a broader applicant pool, improve sourcing and
recruiting processes
Process: Attract more talent/better candidates
Financial: Take advantage of reciprocal relationships
30-90 days
Creation of an HR “Playbook”
Process: More consistency within the department, increase
identity and branding
11

18. HR Onboarding – Proposed Recommendations
Hiring – Proposed Recommendations Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Mandatory new hire orientation
Process : Reduce Employee attrition and increase employee
satisfactory morale
< 30 Days
Make the City website more relevant and useful for new hire
Time/Process: Reduce time spent on phone calls from
prospective employees
< 30 Days
Increase the HRA access level to Criminal Background
Investigation (“CBI”) checks, Pension numbers and Driver’s
License forms
Time: Reduce overall cycle time for CBI’s 30-90 Days
Improve the quality of new hire materials
Time: Time savings in questions related to questionable clarity of
materials
< 30 Days
Improve the process related to the drug testing clinics
Process: Improve efficiency's and reducing trips
<30 Days
Make rejoining the City as an employees easier
Time: Reduce time for new hire from 8 months to 1 month
Process: Improve efficiency reduce number of steps and Trips
<30 days
12

19. Bus Pull-Ins – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
1) Enhanced Radio Communication at DDOT Facilities –
This will save time and fuel, allowing mechanics to be ready
to service buses as soon as they enter each facility.
127 Minutes Saved per Day 7/31/14
2) Bus Idling Reduction at DDOT Facilities - Having
facilities end long periods of idling will save DDOT tens of
thousands of dollars over the next year. Facility Supers will
ensure that Transportation Equipment Operators (TEOs)
and Mechanics shut off buses if not in use – to start
immediately.
3.6 Gallons = $14.35 Saved per Hour per Bus.
One bus not idling for twenty minutes each day for the entire
year would save the City of Detroit $1,730.60 annually – With a
190 busses in the City’s fleet, the savings could reach into the
tens of thousands.
7/25/14
3) Instituting a New Check-In/Check-Out Coach
Condition Card at DDOT Facilities - We anticipate a 50%
reduction in paper cost once the new card is instituted.
Further, the card has an easier format, enabling TEOs and
Mechanics to be better informed about needed
maintenance, leading to increased bus service, while
keeping DDOT employees accountable to their work.
$4,320.00 Saved per Year - Along with increased Bus Pull-Outs
for City Service
10/14
4) Clean Coach Project – A team building exercise
between TEOs, Coach Service Attendants, and Mechanics
which increased morale at DDOT Facilities and lead to a
cleaner fleet for the City’s residents.
Cleaner Buses for the City’s TEOs and Residents 7/14/14
1. Average 10 minutes saved for every 1 out of 15 buses of the 190 fleet per day. 190/15= 12.6 buses x 10minutes ≈ 127 minutes per day.
2. 3.6 Gallons of diesel fuel spent per hour per bus idling. Cost of diesel: $3.985/gal. 3.6gal x $3.985 = $14.35
3. Carbon Copy Paper Cost: $0.21/sheet. Card Stock Costs: $0.11/sheet. $9,000 per year for carbon paper. $4,680 per year for card stock. $9,000-$4,680 = $4320
13

20. Bus Maintenance – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Shoemaker Terminal Pilot: Conduct 'Change the Culture'
sessions with mechanics and supervisors addressing low
productivity, morale and lack of accountability throughout entire
system.
Improve mechanic productivity. Faster bus repair and
maintenance turnaround with higher quality 'fixes'.
30 days
'Bus Cleaning Blitz’: Demonstrate to DDOT bus operators that
mechanics are committed to excellence in terms of bus
preparation and repairs.
Improve relationship between mechanics and bus operators.
Leading to a more productive DDOT 'system' performance.
30 days
Performance Award: Re-establish quarterly mechanic
performance 'Silver Wrench' award. Continue to drive focus on
quality of repairs/maintenance.
Better morale and focus on quality ultimately leads to more time in
service between breakdowns.
30 days
Laptops: Expedite acquisition of (4) additional laptops to
perform on-board diagnostics.
Reduce mechanic 'waiting' for critical shared resource. 30 days
Training: Conduct '5S' training and workshops with mechanics
and supervisors at Shoemaker.
Reduce wasted time searching for tools and equipment during bus
repair/maintenance cycles.
30-90 days
Certification: Run every mechanic through ASE certification
training.
Improve technical capabilities of bus mechanics. 90+ days
2011 Study: Revisit findings of 2011 DDOT Maintenance Study
conducted by UM consultant team. Establish team to focus
efforts for a 6-9 month period. Benchmark 'best practices' from
other cities where needed.
Improve bus repair and maintenance cycle times. Improve bus
availability and service to Detroit citizens.
30 days
14

21. Income Tax – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Develop the public-facing, taxpayer education component
that will illustrate such basic tax concepts as withholding,
residence and payment plans. This will be hosted on the
income tax division’s website.
In addition to actually putting something useful on the website in
lieu of all of the fax numbers in the department, this will help to
cut down on the number of incoming phone calls from taxpayers,
freeing up a substantial portion of the ITD investigator’s work
time for actual investigations.
30 days
Deploy a tax preparation seminar to be given at the state
licensing events for tax preparers in November and
December.
An enhanced understanding of the nuances of the City of Detroit
tax regulations will enable tax preparers to file more accurate
returns.
150 days
Optimize claims referral process from the ITD to the law
department, and enhance throughput in the law department
The backlog of delinquent tax accounts is currently at 300,000
(estimated). Getting more of these high dollar amount cases to
the law department for civil prosecution will increase the number
of judgments that the City will then monetize.
90 days
Retain services of a third party collections agency.
An external collections agency would be able to pursue a greater
variety of delinquent accounts with a wider arsenal of tools than
our law department currently possesses.
90 days
Expand the jurisdiction of DAH to include City of Detroit tax
matters.
36th District Court currently handles the bulk of tax matters from
the City. The judgments are frequently overly lenient to the
taxpayer. Transferring jurisdiction from 36th District to DAH
would ultimately have the effect of doing a better job of
monetizing the judgments.
180 days
15

22. Purchasing – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Overhaul the purchasing department forms library by eliminating,
combining and modifying the various documents into a unified,
current version used by all City employees.
The benefits in the purchasing are all quantified in the
number of days that will be removed from the overall length
of the process completion time. For this aspect, it will
remove 2 days.
30 days
Create checklist of items needed for submission to the
purchasing department.
5 days 30 days
Eliminate finance administration approval on professional and
personal services contracts.
1 day 30 days
Reduce time from City Council approval to EM approval from 10
to 5 days.
5 days 30 days
Designate alternate signers/approvers on a departmental basis to
accommodate absences.
2 days 30 days
Create up front expectations for vendors income/property tax
clearances, submit 60 days in advance of due date.
3 days 30 days
Increase dollar threshold requiring City Council approval 5 days 90 days
Build the waiver of the reconsideration period into the
standardized operating procedure when bringing items before
City Council
7 days 30 days
Eliminate the following affidavits: Human Rights, Slavery Era
records and insurance, and Hiring Policy Compliance.
3 days 90 days
Implement document revision control system on purchasing
forms.
2 days 90 days
Replace transmittal record with electronic routing 3 days 90 days
Automate the Purchase Agreement Request (PAR) in DRMS 7 days 90 days
16

23. ITSD Helpdesk – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Daily Huddle
When implemented we expect no short-term tickets remain open
after 3 Days
Less than 30
Days
Standard Templates Saves Techs approximately 5 minutes per ticket
Less than 30
Days
Self-help Guides
Average reduction of 3 calls per day to Help Desk when
customers now serve themselves
Less than 30
Days
Tech Sign-out Process At least 20 additional offsite tickets serviced per week
Less than 30
Days
Communication / Card to Police and Fire about Services Reduction of 3 calls from Police / Fire every week
Less than 30
Days
Tablets for Techs
1687.5 Hours saved per year (All Techs – value = ~ 50k / year)
6.75 more tickets serviced per day (All Techs)
30-90 Days
Geographic Assignment / Specialty At least 20 additional offsite tickets serviced per week 30-90 Days
Identify and Train Super Users
Average reduction of 5 calls per week to Help Desk when
customers now serve themselves
90+ Days
Sticker for Computers
Average reduction of 3 calls per week to Help Desk when
customers now serve themselves
Less than 30
Days
17

24. Public Lighting – Proposed Recommendations
Proposed Recommendation Expected Benefit(s)
Time to
Implement
Utilizing the DTE public lighting survey to correctly stock the
PLD lamp room crews.
This will have the benefit of making sure that lamp room crews
have what they need in terms of materials and equipment when
responding to resident complaints. This will cut down on both
having to make duplicative runs, gas expenses and the time
required to correct lighting issues. It will also have the benefit of
enabling the lamp room crews to respond to more of the
customer complaints on a weekly basis.
30 days
Training the PLD lamp room crews on how to reset traffic
control signals after voltage issues are corrected.
Currently, the Department of Public Works deploys private
contractors to do other work that’s not related to correcting
voltage at the site. If the PLD crews were to reactivate/reset the
signals themselves, this will lead to reduced deployments (and
subsequently, expenditures on) of the aforementioned
contractors.
30 days
Developing the business case for a copper recovery
operation of underground and aboveground cables,
transformers and substations.
There still remains a massive quantify of copper left in the PLD
grid. Using revenues realized from this recovery effort could be
used to underwrite environmental abatement costs resulting
from the decommissioning of PLD assets.
90 days
Developing the business case for the utilization of vacated
PLD underground conduits for the installation of fiber optic
cables to develop a citywide high speed internet network.
Much as with the recommendation listed previously, leveraging
value from decommissioned PLD assets once the copper
recovery operation is complete can also help mitigate
expenditures to clean up environmental damage from PLD
legacy sites
90 days
18