Many service companies have direct access across their own business to the expertise and capabilities that help drive cutting-edge solutions, ranging from IT to FM. Access to this kind of expertise informs the design process, and helps to ensure that all aspects of the service are considered up front. But when it comes to delivery, service providers will not blindly use their own people if they do not provide the best value for money or the best capabilities. Service providers bearing the risks of delivering service outcomes have an incentive to provide the best deal for their clients, and the operational experts interviewed said that in the PPP contracts they are involved in they frequently sub-contract some of the soft services, which helps to get the best deal. In practice, however, the best deal is often found amongst their own people:
"We always compete [the soft services] but frequently now our own people offer the best deal because they are experts in this area, in delivering these services."
However, the need to compete ensures there is a continuous incentive to develop new innovations and value for money solutions.