World class services for a world class city Capital Ambition Consultancy and Professional Services Procurement Project March 2010

World class services for a world class city The picture in London London local authorities spent an estimated £320m on consultancy and professional services in 2007/08.

World class services for a world class city Common challenges in managing consultancy spend purchase and use are fragmented across local authorities; often hidden under outsourcing / project costs; often booked as agency staff and vice versa; often booked under professional fees and audit; organisations do not categorise it.

World class services for a world class city Help to manage consultancy spend The Consultancy and Professional Services Procurement Project provides five free products / services to help local authorities: –improve results from the purchase and use of consultants; –target a 10% reduction in expenditure; –tighten the commissioning process; –support rates negotiations; –allow comparison and transparency; –allow for sharing of reports and knowledge.

World class services for a world class city Five free consultancy products / services 1.The Consultancy Commissioning Toolkit 2.A Guide to Buying Consultancy 3.The Buying Consultancy Services Workshop 4.The Consultancy Brokerage Model 5.The Consultancy Knowledge Centre

World class services for a world class city 1. The Consultancy Commissioning Toolkit practical guidance and resources to review: –the approach and procurement process; –the management and evaluation of commissioning consultants. the toolkit provides: –best practice guidance; –example documents e.g, project initiation document.

World class services for a world class city 2. A Guide to Buying Consultancy supplements the Consultancy Commissioning Toolkit; pragmatic guidance to focus on and identify the results needed; recognises that many purchases are relatively small e.g, up to £75K; helps to develop an audit trail for each purchase.

World class services for a world class city 3. Buying Consultancy Services Workshop one day interactive workshop focusing on: –skills to commission & manage consultancy assignments; –how consultancy services are specified, tendered and commissioned; –commercial benefits and service enhancements. in-house workshop (£800+VAT to train 15 officers).

World class services for a world class city 4. The Consultancy Brokerage Model a central point internally for commissioning consultants; determines and challenges the need for consultants; helps to: –minimise the effects of fragmented practices; –control purchases and save cash; –improve results and solve problems; –develop and use collective capability.

World class services for a world class city 5. The Consultancy Knowledge Centre (CKC) a secure web-based database; capability to share information on completed assignments; each organisation uploads and maintains its information; information includes: –project durations and overall costs; –project scope and approach; –consultants commissioned and final recommendations.

World class services for a world class city Summary The Consultancy and Professional Services Procurement project offers five free products/services to help reduce spend and improve results from the purchase and use of consultants.

World class services for a world class city Further information… For more information on the Consultancy and Professional Services Procurement Project, visit the London Councils website: Other useful links –Local Government Professional Services Group - –ProClass - the local government-owned procurement classification standard