General
This section contains a selection of general resources relating to contract design and management.
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Central Government's Management of Service Contracts (PDF) House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, 2009 The Stationery Office An assessment of central government's management of contracts for IT/communications, facilities management and busines process outsourcing services. UK
Central Government's Management of Service Contracts (Web Page) National Audit Office (NAO), 2008
With a focus on information and communications technology, facilities management and business process outsourcing, this report examines UK central government's management of ongoing service contracts. It finds that while there are examples of good practice, management of service contracts is not consistently providing value for money. The authors report that "nearly all the organisations we surveyed thought that value for money could be improved through better contract management, in terms of more or better services, and/or lower costs". They conclude with a series of recommendations to improve contract management and realize greater value for money.
UKBuilding Flexibility: New Delivery Models for Public Infrastructure Projects (Web Page) Deloitte, 2006 This Deloitte report evaluates the PFI and LEP/LIFT models, and describes the conditions in which they are likely to work best. It proposes five new delivery models which Deloitte believes have the potential to offer improved outcomes in situations where neither PFI nor LEP/LIFT is suitable. UK
Public-private Partnerships: Contract Design and Risk Transfer (PDF) Dewatripont, Mathias; Legros, Patrick, 2005 European Investment Bank This paper assesses the implications of contract design and risk transfer on the provision of public services under public-private partnerships (PPPs). EU
Explaining Public Service Performance: Does Management Matter? (PDF) Boyne, George, A, 2005 Cardiff Business School An academic paper that examines the effects of management in the procurement of public services, citing evidence that supports the thesis that management reflects on the quality, effectiveness and consumer satisfaction of the services provided. UK
Effectiveness of Operational Contracts in PFI (PDF)
Stevens, Mike and Rose, Norman, 2007
KPMG LLP
Partnering in Practice: New Approaches to PPP delivery (PDF)
Brewer, P. K; Johnson, L, 2004
Pricewaterhouse Coopers
Managing Risks to Improve Public Services (Volume I) (PDF) National Audit Office, 2004 The Stationery Office A report that states the importance of adequate risk management as a practice that equips public sector organisations to deliver improvements in both public services and their overall efficiency. UK
Managing Risks to Improve Public Services (Volume 2: Case Studies) (PDF)
National Audit Office, 2004
The Stationery Office
Summaries of case studies that show the benefits of risk management and how it can help departments to deliver better public services, improve efficiency, make more reliable decisions and support innovation. The volume contains case studies in five Government departments and descriptions of risk management in four private sector companies with global operations.
How to Write a Statement of Work Peter S. Cole , 2003 Management Concepts This book presents general guidelines for writing and preparing Statements of Work (SOW) in public contracting. Additionally the author suggests further guidance literature for developing SOWs and Performance-Based Service Contracts. USA
Contract Management Guidelines (PDF)
Office of Government Commerce (OGC), 2002
Risk: Improving Government's Capability to Handle Risk and Uncertainty (PDF) Strategy Unit Report, 2002 Cabinet Office A Government report recognizing the importance of early risk identification in policy development, risk management and complex issues of risk transfer to and from the private sector. Contains a general proposal of a risk management strategy for improving risk management across the whole of Government. UK
Contract Issues and Financing in PPP/PFI (PDF)
Palmer, Keith, 2000
Cambridge Economic Policy Associates LTD
The Role of Market Forces in Assuring Contractual Performance (PDF) Klein, Benjamin and Leffler, Keith B., 1997 Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 89, No. 41, pp.615-641 A study which analyses the role of increased price as a way in which transactors can use the market mechanism to guarantee adequate contract enforcement. The study analyses some motivations behind good contract performance and compares some proposed measures on contract designs aimed at guaranteeing the quality of the services supplied. USA
Private Sector Business Contracts: The Text Between the Lines
Lyons, Bruce and Mehta, Judith , 1997
Deakin, Simon and Michie, Jonathan (eds); Contracts, Co-operation and Competition: Studies in Economics, Management and Law; Oxford University Press, pp.43-66