Sourcing playbook
|
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The Sourcing playbook, Government guidance on service delivery, including outsourcing, insourcing, mixed economy sourcing and contracting, published in May 2021 is the third annual update of the Outsourcing Playbook.
The original Outsourcing playbook was published in February 2019 to improve the way the Government works with private companies and the third sector following the collapse of Carillion in 2018. A second update was published in June 2020.
[edit] Objectives
The Sourcing playbook emphasises that the delivery of public services is a collaborative endeavour involving colleagues from commercial, finance, project delivery, policy and other professions. It captures best practices from across the Government within 11 key policy areas that all central departments are expected to follow:
- Publication of commercial pipelines.
- Market health and capability assessments.
- Project Validation Review (PVR).
- Delivery model assessments (previously known as ‘make versus buy assessments’).
- Should Cost Modelling.
- Requirement for pilots.
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
- Risk allocation.
- Pricing and payment mechanisms.
- Assessing the economic and financial standing of suppliers.
- Resolution planning.
[edit] Related resources
The Consultancy playbook, Government guidance on how to commission and engage with consultants more effectively, achieving better outcomes, better value for money and improved civil service capability through the transfer of knowledge and skills, was published at the same time as the Sourcing playbook. It provides guidance on how central departments can maximise value for money when sourcing consultancy services.
Additional updated documents published in conjunction with the Sourcing playbook and Consultancy playbook include:
- Should Cost Modelling guidance note.
- Delivery model assessment guidance note.
- Bid evaluation guidance note.
- Assessing and monitoring the economic and financial standing of suppliers guidance note.
- Benefits measurement guidance note.
- Market management guidance note.
- Approvals process guidance note.
- Testing and piloting services guidance note.
- Risk allocation and pricing approaches guidance note.
- Competitive dialogue and competitive procedure with negotiation guidance note.
- Resolution planning guidance note.
- Financial viability risk assessment tool.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Business process outsourcing (BPO).
- Complex outsourcing.
- Consultancy playbook.
- Critical service contracts.
- Expected market cost.
- Funding options.
- Government procurement post-Carillion.
- Government Skills and Curriculum Unit GSCU.
- Insourcing.
- Management Consultancy Framework MCF.
- Mixed economy.
- Model Services Contract MSC.
- Onerous contract.
- Outsourcing playbook.
- Public procurement.
- Public sector dependent suppliers.
- Sourcing in the construction industry.
- Spark framework RM6094.
- The Construction Playbook.
Featured articles and news
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.
Construction Products Reform Green Paper and Consultation
Still time to respond as consultation closes on 21 May 2025.
Resilient façade systems for smog reduction in Shanghai
A technical approach using computer simulation and analysis of solar radiation, wind patterns, and ventilation.
Digital technology, transformation and cybersecurity
Supporting SMEs through Digitalisation in Construction.
Villa Wolf in Gubin, history and reconstruction. Book review.
Construction contract awards down one billion pounds
Decline over the past two months compared to the same period last year, follows the positive start to the year.
Editor's broadbrush view on forms of electrical heating in context.
The pace of heating change; BSRIA market intelligence
Electric Dreams, Boiler Realities.
New President of ECA announced
Ruth Devine MBE becomes the 112th President of the Electrical Contractors Association.
New CIAT Professional Standards Competency Framework
Supercedes the 2019 Professional Standards Framework from 1 May 2025.
Difficult Sites: Architecture Against the Odds
Free exhibition at the RIBA Architecture Gallery until 31 May.
PPN 021: Payment Spot Checks in Public Sub-Contracts
Published following consultation and influence from ECA.
Designing Buildings reaches 20,000 articles
We take a look back at some of the stranger contributions.
Lessons learned from other industries.