Using the playbook for optimal service delivery

Public service sourcing and contracting arrangements have been in sharp focus since the collapse of Carillion in 2018

The government decided action was needed to improve the situation and developed the Sourcing Playbook to capture best practice in large-scale sourcing projects. This includes where there is a choice to outsource, establish a public-private partnership, insource or use in-house resources, or a mix of these options.

The principles described in the playbook apply to all sourcing projects, irrespective of size, from a major levelling-up regeneration project to a small local project. They provide consistency that aids the decision-making process and gives clarity over the type of service that will best serve the purpose. Councils will make their own judgements about the extent to which they exercise proportionality in adopting aspects of the playbook based on the scale, scope, complexity, novelty and risk attached to their procurements.

The playbook benefits local government by addressing familiar sourcing issues such as the importance of engaging effectively with suppliers about their commercial pipelines, robust assessment of options, and understanding the costs associated with different service delivery models.

The playbook itself is succinct, accessible and easy to read, and more detail is provided in a series of associated guidance notes

It also looks at appropriate risk allocation alongside poorly specified contracts and the importance of all parties fully understanding the required outcomes.

Commercial and procurement staff in local government will be familiar with many aspects of the playbook, and large parts of it will already be embedded in processes. It adds to this knowledge and provides a very useful tool for local government use in ensuring policies and processes reflect best practice.

It brings scrutiny to the role of each set of stakeholders: those responsible for the project, for procuring a contract, governance, and decision-making roles, as well as the contractors and suppliers that need to deliver the project. The playbook itself is succinct, accessible and easy to read, and more detail is provided in a series of associated guidance notes.

Working in conjunction with the Local Government Association, Cabinet Office and Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, Local Partnerships has developed a range of training modules and guidance and has been providing support to local and combined authorities. We work with councils to consider how and where they can maximise the benefit of implementing the playbook’s principles and help optimise the delivery of their sourcing activity.