It is feasible to privatize additional Department of Environmental Protection laboratory services. The department currently uses contract laboratories to perform some of its regular laboratory work, and anticipates increased privatization to meet the demands of the Total Maximum Daily Load Program.
The department could contract out additional routine laboratory work. Private laboratories could do most of the department laboratory's chemical analytical work, but may lack the capacity to conduct a majority of the department's biological analyses. Further, we believe it is appropriate for the department to retain some in-house capacity to provide quality assurance to ensure the quality of private laboratory analyses.
Given that the department cannot report its full cost of providing laboratory services, it is currently unclear what effect increased privatization would have on the state's cost for laboratory services.

Progress Report: Environmental Laboratory Privatization Expands; Process Enhancements Made
Report 05-29 April 2005
Water Resource Management Program, Department of Environmental Protection
Report 03-12 February 2003
Assessing Privatization in State Agency Programs
Report 98-64 February 1999

Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.