(a) Evaluation consideration. The department will perform evaluations of the quality and cost of maintenance projects to determine whether to use the private sector for maintenance projects.
(b) Evaluations.
  (1) The department will perform evaluations by maintenance activity, geographic area, or individual project, as appropriate, to determine whether the savings required can be realized. These evaluations will consider:
    (A) the cost-accounting guidelines of the State Auditor's Office, either those published in the Guide to Implement the Competitive Cost Review Program, or other guidelines developed by the State Auditor's Office specifically regarding maintenance projects; and
    (B) the department's financial reports used to perform the evaluations.
  (2) Individualized evaluations based on other documented criteria and data will be accepted for projects for which:
    (A) the specifications are not typical or utilized previously and for which the information in historical financial reports would not be representational;
    (B) the location, working conditions, or environmental considerations are not typical and for which the information in historical financial reports would not be representational; and
    (C) special material or equipment or other needs are not typical and for which the information in historical financial reports would not be representational.
  (3) In order to ensure stability and efficiency in staff planning and in the department's use of equipment, consideration of changing long-term trends and market volatility will be included in the evaluation, and may require decisions either for or against the use of contract or in-house performance of maintenance projects to allow for short-term evaluation of bidding or pricing patterns.

Source Note: The provisions of this §9.73 adopted to be effective December 16, 1996, 21 TexReg 11828.