Procurement
We look at government procurement and how it can be improved.
Procurement and outsourcing
See allImproving accountability in government procurement
The PPE and Horizon scandals show the need for better procurement practices in government.
How to approach insourcing and outsourcing
Key questions you should ask when making decisions on government outsourcing and insourcing.
Managing consultants
Advice from current and former consultants and civil servants for officials on managing consultants in government.
What can be done to improve government procurement?
This special Inside Briefing tells you everything you need to know about the scale of public procurement, where billions of pounds are spent, why failures happen, how accountability in procurement currently works (or doesn’t) and how it could be improved.
Listen to the podcastCarillion: two years on
The Johnson government risks another Carillion if it doesn’t get behind the reforms put forward after the firm’s liquidation.
Government procurement
One third of government’s spending is with contractors: last year, four departments spent more than half their budgets with external suppliers.
Insourcing
Reunification of probation services
MoJ's preparations for the reunification of services and their transition back into the department.
Government outsourcing: when and how to bring public services back into government hands
Bringing back services from the private sector to government hands can improve quality, increase reliability, and save money.
Recent events
IfG at the Labour Party Conference 2024
A series of fringe events on industrial strategy, devolution, public services, net zero and more.
What does the Procurement Act mean for public bodies and suppliers?
How to meet the challenges and opportunities of implementing the government’s new procurement approach.
IfG at the Conservative Party Conference 2023
The IfG was in Manchester for a series of fringe events on the constitution, levelling up, public services, AI and more.
How can NHS procurement be improved?
The event explored how the NHS can minimise waste and learn lessons from the pandemic about improving procurement processes.
Outsourcing and privatisation
What is the difference between outsourcing and privatisation?
Read our explainerRecent comments
The new government should take a new approach to procurement
The Procurement Act, effective from February, is a chance for a reset.
Six lessons government should learn from the Post Office scandal
The handling of the Post Office scandal has wider lessons for government.
Randstad episode shows government has still not learnt lessons from past procurement failures
It is right that schools will now take on the tutoring programme – but government must explain, and finally learn from, its latest contract stumble.
Our procurement team
Nick Davies
Programme Director
Improving accountability in government procurement
Ben Paxton
Researcher