The
National Audit Office has launched an online toolkit to help
government departments improve their use of
consultants.
Based on a report by the
National Audit Office, the
Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said last month that
over £500m in procurement efficiency gains are possible across the
public sector.
With the NAO’s toolkit, assessors answer a series of questions
about the use of consultants in an online form.
The interactive toolkit then responds with an analysis of areas
of weakness, provides guidance on how to improve value for money,
and illustrates what good practice can look like through case
studies.
Keith Davis, head of efficiency practice at the NAO, said,
“Consultants can provide valuable expertise to government. But too
often departments rush into using consultants before thinking
properly about whether resources are available in-house.
“This toolkit can help all public bodies improve their use of
consultants and help realise the £500m efficiency gains that are
achievable in central government alone."
The toolkit is aimed at procurement or commercial teams,
customers/buyers of consultancy, or audit staff.
It can be applied to the use of consultants department-wide, or
at a project-level, and is designed to diagnose areas of weakness
and raise awareness of where improvements can be made.
National Audit Office
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