The trend to outsource the engineering functions in state departments of transportation (DOTs) to private consultants has increased in recent years. However, most DOTs do not have a strategic approach to the outsourcing of engineering functions or projects. This thesis addresses that gap by examining outsourcing decision-making in the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and developing a rationalized procedure. TxDOT, the largest state DOT in terms of annual construction program,expends about 65% of its engineering on consultants. Staff from 18 of TxDOTs 25 districts were interviewed for this research, and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis is used to identify improvements to the current decision-making processes. A framework is presented for systematic assessment of the outsourcing potential of engineering functions, which would enable TxDOT districts to determine what engineering work to contract out cost-effectively without sacrificing core competencies. / text

近年來，經濟發展及週休二日的實行，使國人愈發注重良好休閒品質，為有效因應都市綠地及休閒場所之不足，臺北縣政府用心整頓二重疏洪道及淡水河兩岸河濱公園，規劃自行車道、生態溼地及各項運動設施，並自92年起等引進民間業者設置自行車租借站、親水樂園、漆彈場等遊憩服務，希望提供民眾安全舒適的遊憩環境，並降低政府園區維護修繕經費。 本研究同時進行深度訪談及問卷調查，從多方觀點加以探討，以求研究結果之正確客觀，在訪談部分，以臺北縣政府高灘地工程管理處相關業務成員與實際經營之民間業者為訪談對象，發現經營成效泰半能達成政策規劃目標，惟在經營過程中民間業者往往因法規限制、場地規劃、公私協力、契約彈性不足等困境未能獲得妥善溝通處理而降低投資意願，也使政府無法將服務推廣至較偏遠河濱公園，亟待政府在未來委外時思考改善方針；在問卷調查部份，以實際消費各類遊憩服務項目之遊客為抽樣對象，透過使用及滿意度調查，發現民眾普遍認為各項遊憩服務具有設置需求，且委外經營後確實能提高民眾滿意度，提升公園遊憩品質及增加河濱公園使用率，值得政府持續努力推廣。 最後，綜合研究發現對河濱公園遊憩服務委外經營分別於規劃面及管理面提出改善建議，以供參考。 / In recent years, the economical development and the two-day weekends policy has caused people to pay greater attention to the quality of leisure life, for effectively solving the problem about the insufficiency of urban green space and the leisure place, Taipei county government reorganized Er-Chung Floodway and the riverside park of the Tan-Shui River Basin attentively, and planned the bikeway, the wetland and various sport facilities. Besides, for providing the safe and comfortable environment for citizens and reducing the maintenance budget of the park, Taipei county government has invited the folk business to set up the bicycle renting stations, the water park, and the paintball ground to since 2003. The results are based on the finding of the in-depth interviews and the questionnaire survey. This research discusses overall viewpoint to find the correct and objective result, the interviewees are the performing staff of Taipei County Government Highland Beach Management Office and the folk business that manage actually. Through the interview, it is found that management results almost reach the policy plan goals. However, the investment intention of the folk business is often reduced because of the difficult positions about laws, regulations limits, the area plans, public-private partnerships, insufficient contract elasticity, and so on. They have not been able to obtain communication and solution properly in the management process. Furthermore, the government is unable to promote the service to the remote riverside parks. This situation is worth government pondering the improvement policy in the future. To take the tourists who actually expend money on the recreation service as the sampling objects of the survey, through the questionnaire survey, it is found that the public has the need of the recreation service generally, and the policy can boost people’s satisfaction, the recreation quality, and the utilization rate of the park actually. It is worth the government continuing to promote diligently. Finally, to summarize the discovery of the research, the research proposes the improvement suggestions served as reference in planning and management.