Support Services
The private sector has been involved in the provision of support services to schools, from basic tasks such as cleaning and catering, through to ICT support. In some of these examples (such as school cleaning), the controversy has passed away; in others (such as the provision of school meals in the UK), the controversy continues.
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Smarter Food Procurement in the Public Sector (PDF)
House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, 2007
The Stationery Office
This report examines the organisations responsible for the three largest areas of public food procurement - Department for Education and Skills, the Ministry of Defence and the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency. It argues that improving certain practices such as pricing negotiations and levels of frontline expertise can allow public bodies to improve significantly the efficiency of their food procurement while also sourcing ethically and enhancing sustainability.
More Than The Sum: Mobilising the Whole Council and its Partners to Support School Success (PDF)
Audit Commission, 2006
This report focuses on external factors contributing to school success. It considers the vital links between school performance and the communities schools serve and offers examples of good practice where partnership working has been successful.
Driving More Money into the Classroom: The Promise of Shared Services (PDF) Eggers, William D; Snell, Lisa; Wavra, Robert; and Moore, Adrian T., 2005 Reason Foundation This report argues that education districts in the United States ought to collaborate on support services from transport to human resources to yield efficiency savings through purchasing power while maintaining the devolved autonomy essential to efficient decision-making. USA
How to Exclude Support Services from BSF and PFI/PPP Projects: A Best Practice Report for UNISON, GMB, NUT, and NASUWT in Tyne and Wear using HM Treasury VfM Methodology (PDF) Centre for Public Services, 2004 A report focusing on the criteria and evidence which can be included in Value for Money and Quantitative Assessments to justify the exclusion of soft services from PFI contracts before the procurement process begins. This includes the strategic rationale, improved standards of service delivery, flexibility of public service provision and equity and accountability criteria set by the treasury. The report also suggests ways of neutralising bias in favour of PFI which is believed to be often built in to quantitative assessments. UK
PFI Case Studies Projects for Technical Support Services (Web Page)
Higher Education Funding Council for England, 2002
An overview of three case studies that describe recent PFI projects undertaken by higher education institutions.
Doing More with Less: Competitive Contracting for School-Support Services (Web Page)
Beales, Janet R. , 1994
Reason Public Policy Institute (RPPI)