HOW WE HELP
Partnerships are Paramount
Over the decades, TNCSA has been privileged to serve this great state through partnerships. Given our relationship to state government and our purpose written into Tennessee Code, it's not only a privilege, it's why the legislature created us. We exist for the ultimate purpose of making Tennessee better, and the way we do that is through partnering with departments of state and local government to offer quality programs and services at costs lower than keeping the programs in house.
Not only do we offer our services at lower price points, we also are able to offer them expediently. When Hurricane Katrina hit and evacuees were looking to Tennessee for help, TNCSA received a call from Finance and Administration on a Thursday, and on the following Monday we were signing leases and placing evacuees in their new homes. How's that for a turnaround?
What gives the Tennessee Community Services Agency the ability to act quickly is our unique relationship to state government. As a political subdivision and instrumentality of the state, we are allowed to contract directly with Departments of State government. When you need a service or program implemented quickly, direct contracting allows for a quick, efficient implementation, and we stand ready to serve when those times come. TNCSA also participates in the Request For Proposal and Announcement of Funds processes when state government deems a proposal needs to be made available through the bid process. For TNCSA to exist, we must contract with state government for services as we receive no direct appropriations from the State of Tennessee. This means that when the legislators pass the budget, TNCSA doesn't have a line item in that budget.
We are also held to the same standards as any department of the state. We are regularly audited by the comptroller's office and participate in sunset hearings. TNCSA is held accountable for the programs and services we provide.
So, we serve, we partner, and we change lives for a better Tennessee through contracts. Why don't you get in touch and let us show you how effective TNCSA can be, not only for your department's bottom line, but also for the citizens we serve?
Don Patterson
Executive Director