Gov. Bill Haslam is fond of saying government should run more like a business, and during his eighth and final State of the State address he invoked the term “customer-focused” at least twice in a victory lap.

2. Privatization Opposition Renewed as No Bids Come in for Falls Creek Falls Project - Tuesday, May 16, 2017

The lack of bidders for a $20 million inn reconstruction project at Fall Creek Falls could spur legislative hearings this summer on parks funding and privatization amid growing lawmaker concern about the governor’s outsourcing plans.

3. Lawmakers Still Seek Answers as Outsourcing Contract Gets Underway - Tuesday, May 2, 2017

A majority of Tennessee’s legislators, including several Shelby County lawmakers, are asking the state to hold up on a facilities management outsourcing contract with Jones Lang LaSalle.

Seventy-five of the General Assembly’s 132 members, 17 in the Senate and 58 in the House, have signed a letter to Terry Cowles, director of the Office of Customer Focused Government, asking the office to slow down on outsourcing so it can “study and understand the effect” on public services, the economy and state employees.

4. University of Memphis, UTHSC May Soon Face Outsourcing Decisions - Friday, April 21, 2017

Forty-one state lawmakers signed a letter requesting the state put a hold on its outsourcing plans until the General Assembly can scrutinize its effect on state workers and services.

The state is set to sign a contract April 28 with Chicago-based JLL for facilities management work that could be used by universities and departments statewide. Even local government jobs could be doled out to the contractor.

5. Outsourcing: Savings, But No Specifics - Thursday, December 8, 2016

The Haslam administration is forging ahead with plans to nab a statewide facilities services contractor after an outside analysis backed up a study showing estimated cost savings of more than $35 million a year at Tennessee universities.

6. Outsourcing Savings Estimates Strain ‘Credulity’ - Thursday, May 19, 2016

Terry Cowles flashes a photo of ceiling lamp fixtures on the screen and tells state legislators a vendor’s state Capitol team used its electrical training to remove, repair and reinstall fixtures, saving taxpayers $15,500.

7. Bipartisan Skeptics Doubt Haslam’s Outsourcing Plan - Thursday, March 17, 2016

Poor timing and questionable numbers: That’s how legislators are viewing a business justification plan for outsourcing facilities management across Tennessee.

The Office of Customer Focused Government tells state senators, if all departments opt in, the state could save $35.8 million by the second year of a contract under study for building operations and services – without laying off state workers or cutting pay and benefits.

8. Rare Wins for Democrats on Guns, Outsourcing - Thursday, February 25, 2016

Legislative Democrats got a chance to beat their chests a little bit after a proposal to allow guns in the state Capitol and Legislative Plaza failed, and they hope to do the same with outsourcing.

9. Bipartisan Brakes for Governor Haslam’s Privatization Push - Thursday, October 29, 2015

Plans to put Tennessee’s real estate and government operations in the hands of private business are much further along than Gov. Bill Haslam would like people to think.

A master of downplaying big issues, Haslam says he’s simply looking for ways to make government run more efficiently and save money.