Recommendations relating to the operational phase:

•  the public sector should consult with users about their level of satisfaction with services;

•  projects should be approached in the spirit of partnership, which requires an understanding of each other's business and a common vision of how the two sides can best work together;

•  authorities should consider contract management at an early stage in the procurement;

•  appropriate contractual procedures for dealing with change should be built into the contract;

•  a contract management staffing plan should be developed during the procurement stage;

•  authorities and contractors should consider how their relationships will be managed before contracts are let;

•  authorities should regularly reassess their relationship with the contractor and the value for money from the contract; and

•  Office of Government Commerce should publish further guidance on contract
management and facilitate workshops.