Under the umbrella of Management Consulting, FG Solutions works with clients to address their unique challenges with interrelated engineering, financial, management, and policy decisions.

Oversight/Performance Audit Consulting

Some agencies utilize performance auditing and/or oversight functions. These functions are often housed within an Auditor’s Office or other office reporting to the Legislative branch, separate from the department/utility that is providing the utility service. These independent reviews are an important way to create trust and transparency for utility activities. FG Solutions has experience providing oversight and performance audit consulting services. FGS’s services include:

• Reviewing whether the utility has established procedures and whether existing procedures are being followed
• Reviewing whether there is adequate documentation of key decisions
• Commenting on budget, schedule, management, and risk considerations of utility activities.
• Commenting on whether the utility is following industry standard procedures and/or best practices
• Articulating all of the above considerations to elected officials and/or the public.

Procurement Assistance

Utilities perform many of their functions in-house, but also choose to contract for some services. The reasons can vary and can include transferring performance risk, transferring pension and/or cost risk, limited staff availability, and desiring to capture economies of scale by participating in regional activities. FG Solutions supports these activities by completing feasibility analyses, demonstrating risk transfer and financial tradeoffs, participating in discussions with utility management and elected officials, and supporting the procurement process.

Intergovernmental Agreement Preparation

Contracts and Intergovernmental Agreements are present in nearly every aspect of utility operation. Utilities do not exist in a vacuum and rely on cooperation with other entities to operate. FG Solutions supports the development of these documents in the following ways:

• Preparation of agreements. Typically, these documents are initiated by legal counsel. FG Solutions will author sections of agreements for review by legal counsel, particularly sections related to operation and maintenance, retained responsibilities of the client, decision making processes, scopes of services, and payment provisions.  
• Financial analysis. FG Solutions prepares financial analyses to define the financial implications of contract alternatives. 
• Risk assessment and risk transfer analysis. FG Solutions will comment on the risk transfer assumptions (either explicitly stated or implied) in contract provisions.
• Negotiation support. FG Solutions understands that Intergovernmental Agreements are the product of negotiations among all parties. Support during negotiations is important as contract provisions can change rapidly during the negotiation process.

Project-Level Board of Director Services

As an additional way to provide transparency and reduce risk, utilities can choose to retain outside consulting services to act as an extension of staff on a management and executive level. FG Solutions staff can provide project-level services to act as additional management or executive staff.