Sourcing playbook

[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:

1. Publication of commercial pipelines.
2. Market health and capability assessments.
3. Project Validation Review (PVR).
4. Delivery model assessments (previously known as ‘make versus buy assessments’).
5. Should Cost Modelling.
6. Requirement for pilots.
7. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
8. Risk allocation.
9. Pricing and payment mechanisms.
10. Assessing the economic and financial standing of suppliers.
11. 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.

[edit] External resources

• Gov.uk, The Consultancy Playbook.
• Gov.uk, The Sourcing Playbook.