Outsourcing in the public sector was the topic of the first NERI seminar of the new year. Public sector outsourcing is the process of contracting out a service or a function to another body, such as street cleaning or internal IT services. While outsourcing is frequently understood to mean contracting out to the private sector, services and functions can also be outsourced from one public body to another public body or to a non-profit making organisation.
The presentation examines the evidence on outsourcing through the framework of Value for Money (VFM). This approach allows for the consideration and analysis of evidence through focusing on three main criteria, economy, efficiency and effectiveness. It highlights the complexity of decision-making on outsourcing and argues that the merits and risks of contracting-out should be assessed in a comprehensive way. The presentation draws on a recent NERI working paper, " ‘Outsourcing in the Public Sector: A Value for Money Perspective’ co-authored by Aoife Ní Lochlainn and Micheál L. Collins.
Aoife Ní Lochlainn & Micheál L. Collins (2015), ‘Outsourcing in the Public Sector: A Value for Money Perspective’ NERI Working Paper , 2015/22. Dublin , NERI.
Aoife Ní Lochlainn & Micheál L. Collins (2015) Outsourcing in the Public Sector: A Value for Money Perspective. Presentation given at the NERI Seminar Series, 14 January 2015