The increasing amount of public funds spent on consultancies requires that more attention should be paid to ensuring value for money is obtained.
Select the consultants who can provide the service at the least cost.
There is a clear need for the maintenance of information on public sector consultancies in an easily accessible form.
A formal review of the outcome of the consultancy should be made to determine how the results have been used.
Simple registers of the nature and extent of consultancy activity within each department would facilitate a sharing of lessons learned.
The option of developing in-house capabilities through direct employment or training of existing civil servants should be considered.
The best way to ensure that a consultancy does not overrun on cost is to agree a fixed price contract for the completion of an agreed set of tasks.