Enhancing transparency in public service contracts: Recommendations for a new contract default

In August 2014, the Institute for Government convened a taskforce to looks at ways to increase the transparency of outsourced service provision.

This publication presents the work of the taskforce and recommends a set of standardised provisions to enhance transparency in government contracts. The provisions commit the contracting parties to publish pre-agreed information on contract performance to the public. As a package, they set out the terms for deciding what information would be published as well as how, when, in what format, and by whom it should be published. They also set out the terms for how and when the contracting authority is obliged to consult with the supplier on publication and vice versa.

These provisions were drafted with independent legal guidance and input from legal teams representing both government departments and providers as well as guidance and input from the taskforce.