Identifying emerging best practice for individual contracts throughout the commercial lifecycle
Over the last 15 years we have assessed more than 140 contracts or portfolios of contracts in detail. Through this work, and broader discussions with government, we have identified a number of recurring issues.
This publication Commercial and contract management: insights and emerging best practice, identifies what we have seen work well and less well across contracts. It builds on our previous reports and discussions with government to provide our thoughts on emerging best practice on 20 issues across seven areas that we believe need to be improved. We illustrate emerging best practice where we have seen something work, or have identified suggestions on how to make things work better. Each of our 20 insights section shows:
• what we have seen and heard through illustrative case studies based on our previous work;
• some emerging best practice and our insights on the way forward;
• some of the audit questions for assessing the value for money of commercial relationships; and
• links to some of the wider guidance that may support government.
Fit of Commercial and contract management: insights and emerging best practice with our wider work
Contract level
| What do we look at? NAO contract relationship audit framework Through a set of audit questions, helps evaluate management of commercial relations on a consistent basis to decide whether they lead to value for money. | What should government do? For example: NAO Good practice contract management framework Outlines contract management activities. Includes how to evaluate risk and opportunities and develop contract management plans. | What have we found? Commercial and contract management - insights and emerging best practice Draws on our work across government to identify what we have found and the emerging best practice for individual contracts. |
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In early 2016, we published an overview of commercial and contracting in government outlining our focus for the next few years: government's commercial capability; managing contracted-out service delivery; accountability and transparency; managing markets for public services; government as one customer; and new commercial models. This overview focused on overarching government and organisational level issues rather than the contract focus we take with our insight and emerging best practice.