Ensure the contract is reviewed regularly, in terms of both the services being provided and changed legal or processing requirements.
Review contracts if any of the following occur:
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the scope of services has changed
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the contractor's personnel has changed
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it has been more than six months since the last review
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council's consent processing or consent administration procedures have changed.
Experience has shown that outsourcing for one purpose can grow into different levels of service without positive decisions being made, or reviews taking place. An example may be a short-term secondment - initiated while a council staff member is on leave - that continues after the staff member returns, possibly along different lines.
When these situations occur, it is important to take a step back, and complete a review. Ask:
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Has a strategic assessment been completed?
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Is the contract still appropriate?
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Is the council still getting value for money?
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Are internal skills and feedback into the policy/planning equation being lost?
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Would it be better to increase in-house resourcing?
