Report 2011-504 Recommendation 11 Responses

Report 2011-504: High-Speed Rail Authority Follow-Up: Although the Authority Addressed Some of Our Prior Concerns, Its Funding Situation Has Become Increasingly Risky and the Authority's Weak Oversight Persists (Release Date: January 2012)

Recommendation #11 To: High-Speed Rail Authority, California

To ensure that it has adequate staff to effectively oversee the program, the Authority should conduct a workload analysis to determine the total number of staff it needs as well as the functions those staff should perform.

1-Year Agency Response

Chapter 152, Statutes of 2012 (Senate Bill1029) required the Authority to submit a comprehensive staff management report (report) to the Legislature prior to awarding a contract to commence construction or committing funds for the contract. The Authority submitted this report to

the Legislature on October 1, 2012. The report describes the organizational structure of the High-Speed Rail program as well as its staffing structure. Further, the report provides an overview of the functions performed by the Authority, its external oversight agencies, interagency team members, and private sector service providers. The report also includes descriptions of the roles and responsibilities of the members of the Authority's executive management team and a summary of recent changes in the Authority's staffing allocations over fiscal year 2010-11 through fiscal year 2012-13. Finally, the staff management report describes the phasing of activities and related staffing needs as the first construction segment of the Initial Operating Section moves into final design and construction.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

The Authority stated that it will explore available options for conducting a workload analysis once it has filled its high-level positions. (See 2013-406, p. 245)

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2011-504

Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.