About this Presentation
To contract or not to contract remains a fundamental conflict in the public sector. This analytical paper and presentation uses empirical research to explore the benefits of using Theory of Constraints (TOC) tools and methods in the world of public sector procurement to make better “make or buy” decisions, manage contractors to success, and ultimately produce more quality public value per tax dollar.
What Will You Learn
To help you get the most value from this session, we’ve highlighted a few key points. These takeaways capture the main ideas and practical insights from the presentation, making it easier for you to review, reflect, and apply what you’ve learned.
The session challenges deeply held assumptions about outsourcing by showing that better make-or-buy decisions begin with understanding public value—not ideology, cost slogans, or market bias.
It reveals how system constraints, hidden transaction costs, and risk often matter more than unit price, and why ignoring them leads organizations to repeat the same outsourcing failures.
The presentation introduces a TOC-based way of thinking about when work can be contracted—and when it must remain inherently governmental—without oversimplifying complex tradeoffs.
It hints at how objective measures and disciplined execution can transform make-or-buy decisions from political debates into evidence-based choices that build long-term trust and performance.
Instructor(s)
Alfredo Mycue
Alfredo Mycue is the Co-Founder of ReEngine Consulting, LLC. His firm enables educational institutions and public sector organizations to attain operational excellence through continuous improvement.
Alfredo is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and Airborne Ranger. The major positions he has held include:
• Stryker Infantry Battalion Commander in Baghdad, Iraq
• US Embassy’s Advisor to Korean Army
• Assistant Professor at United States Military Academy at West Point
• Manager of Community Affairs for Texas
• Director of Business Transformation at Texas Workforce Commission for 7 years, functioning as senior Texas government improvement expert
• Director of Strategy, ReEngine Consulting
Alfredo is a graduate of West Point, the Command and General Staff College, holds a Master in Diplomatic History from Tulane University, and has a Master in Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, where he now teaches a Government Quality and Improvement course at the Governor’s Center for Management Development. He is a Ph.D. student at the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University. He has the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential, is certified as a Theory of Constraint’s Jonah, and is a Master Six Sigma Black-Belt (MSSBB) in efficiency and quality.