Government seeks industry input on outsourcing

Outsourcing and Shared Services Group looks to learn from past mistakes

A new government unit focused on the role of outsourcing and shared services in the public sector is calling for input from suppliers.

The Outsourcing and Shared Services Group has been tasked with examining how the public sector can save money by becoming a savvier consumer of outsourcing and shared services.

The all-party group said it was keen to learn from a range of industry experts, including buyers, suppliers and officials.

The National Outsourcing Association will provide the group with best practice from projects that have been delivered on time, as well as lessons from duds that have fallen flat.

Bob Blackman, the Conservative MP who is chairing the group, said: "The outsourcing of services represents an opportunity to reduce costs and, at the same time, improve the quality of service provided to the public.

"As more organisations look to benefit from outsourcing and sharing services, it is vital to learn from past experiences: what has worked and what has not."

Martyn Hart, chairman of The National Outsourcing Association, welcomed the establishment of the group.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for our members to contribute meaningfully to the debate," he said. "It gives them a chance to showcase their best-practice examples and success stories, helping the public sector investigate how to outsource smarter."