Minnesota Department of Administration


The Minnesota Department of Administration oversees state governance of the central management of the executive branch of state government. It provides direct oversight over certain programs and projects including some financial controls. It is responsible for managing the state procurement process. An authority over which led to the court case State ex rel. University of Minnesota v. Chase which provided for broad autonomy of the University of Minnesota in 1928.
The Department of Administration also manages and maintains the state capital complex including the buildings and parking within the designated area within the City of Saint Paul. It runs the Capital Area Planning Board which provides direct oversight over planning, land-use and zoning of the area around the capital.
The agency also promotes efficiencies and use of processes that decrease costs by providing consulting services and training to other agencies along with the Minnesota Management and Budget.

History

The agency is the successor to the Commission of Administration and Finance which was split into the Department of Administration and the Minnesota Management and Finance Bureau by an act of the state legislature in 1939.

Other special functions

The Department of Administration is designated in law to have several special functions including running the Governor's Council on Development Disabilities, operating the State Demographic Center, the Office of the State Archaeologist and disabilities technology access group called STAR. It also provides real estate oversight of other state building projects through its procurement requires including the Minnesota State Veteran's Home and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

State Capitol Renovation

The agency was the project manager and owner for the $310 million Minnesota State Capitol building renovation and provided the oversight of the project.