4.19 We set out to compare the cost of the Agency's new arrangements for procuring IT services with the cost of other public sector outsourcing deals. CCTA told us that there is a dearth of readily available, reliable data on which an IT services benchmarking exercise can be founded. Outsourcing agreements are not standard in terms of the services provided and the pricing structures that exist. The terms of contracts are also subject to frequent amendment. CCTA were unable to provide us with data to make any cost comparisons.
4.20 CCTA told us that they would like to carry out research into the costs of IT services that Government departments have purchased from the private sector to get consistent data but that they had been unable to obtain funding for this research.