At the request of NCDENR, an independent analysis of EEP's outsourcing system was conducted in 2010 under the leadership of the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This analysis, coupled with ongoing outreach efforts with key private-sector partners at the N.C. Environmental Restoration Association and the American Council of Engineering Contractors/North Carolina, led NCDENR to propose streamlined methods to expedite contract processing and increase efficiency in contract administration.