LINCOLN- Gov. Jim Pillen has signed a $10 million contract with a Utah consultant to find better, less-costly ways to run state government. At the same time, he axed a state office already working on similar goals, saying the Center for Operational Excellence had fulfilled its purpose.

The center had been created by former Gov. Pete Ricketts with a mission of simplifying government by making it more efficient, effective and customer-focused. But Pillen said he wanted to go in a different direction, using a systems approach to reduce costs on a broader, agency-wide scale while improving outcomes and performance.

“I’ve challenged our entire team to drive breakthrough change,” he said. “We are going to accelerate our progress to reduce waste in government, improve services and save taxpayer money.” His office said it was not necessary to keep the 26 employees from the Center for Operational Excellence to make those changes, although five were moved to the State Budget Office.

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