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Contracting: A minimal open book approach

• Posted on September 5, 2016 by Joshua Reddaway

  How to apply open book accounting principles without the cost of open-book accounting

  Government uses contracts to deliver many public services and has a duty to get value for money. Two recent NAO investigations illustrate, in two very different situations, how contracts can founder when the procuring organisation lacks understanding about the relationship between the contractors’ cost of providing the service and the price of the contract. That’s why central government is now required to apply open-book contract management. But expertise, time and effort is required to apply it in full. For low-risk, more straight-forward contracts, we set out a low-cost, minimal open-book approach. more… Contracting: A minimal open book approach

  Tagged: Contract management, Cost reduction, Cross-government, Good practice principles, Investigations, Performance management, Project management, Risk management

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SMEs to VCSEs: barriers to benefits

• Posted on July 21, 2016 by Joshua Reddaway

  Innovation, flexibility, value for money, specialist expertise, local knowledge: small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can bring great benefits to the delivery of public sector contracts. Economic growth can be created, competition increased and local investment and social outcomes encouraged. But government needs to think differently if it is to overcome the barriers to contracting between government and SMEs – especially voluntary, community or social enterprises (VCSEs). more… SMEs to VCSEs: barriers to benefits

  Tagged: Contract management, Cross-government, Local government, Public sector reform, SMEs, Third sector, VCSEs

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