Leading 'Public' journal quotes just PA's sourcing experts
PA sourcing specialists Jonathan Cooper-Bagnall and Mark Brett are featured in the latest 'Public' - the UK Guardian's monthly magazine for senior public services professionals. Jonathan and Mark are quoted extensively in the article 'If in doubt outsource', which explores the potentially valuable opportunities the UK government has to review the way it runs services when longstanding IT contracts come up for retendering.
Mark is quoted saying that, if the government were a multinational, it would now be asking for a "really accurate" picture of where back-office services could be aligned.
Jonathan goes on to comment on the benefits of a strategic approach to outsourcing. "The government needs to raise the discussion up a level," he says. "It's about setting out guiding principles and a clear direction for outsourcing contracts." Jonathan points out that cheaper labour costs need not mean moving jobs out of the country.
The article warns of the danger of seeing outsourcing as a panacea. It refers to a PA report, published earlier this year, which warns that a sustained focus on reducing costs through outsourcing contracts risks undermining good relationships between suppliers and customers in the private and public sector.
Our experts go on to discuss the importance of managing contracts with outsourcing suppliers effectively, and that these contracts require a certain level of investment from the customer. When weighing up all the costs, major contracts may turn out to be either neutral or only marginally beneficial in cost.
"As the government renews existing contracts, the debate should be about how to ensure it doesn't just get more of the same," comments Jonathan.
"It has to try and find different ways of working and ways of innovating. That has to be a better route to cutting costs. It's all about working with suppliers, rather than simply rushing to get contracts signed."
