The APS seeks outcomes for Australians through complex systems of organisations, rules and relationships.  How the APS designs and stewards these systems matters.  Research prepared…

Public policies and programs are intended to improve the lives of citizens. But policy design is often removed from the gritty environments experienced daily by…

There's a big difference between measuring what’s been done and what’s been achieved. Knowing how and when to use an outcomes-based approach cuts to the…

Researcher Janet Stanley questions the competitive tendering processes used to contract public transport operators like Transdev in Melbourne, and whether the cost and performance outcomes…

Federal auditors say there are lessons for all government agencies in how the Commonwealth's contract with Telstra to provide landline and payphone services has been…

Join NSW Treasury and IPAA as they officially launch the commissioning and contestability policy with a panel discussion and Q&A later this month.

Reform discussions have focused on seemingly new ideas concerned with stewardship and commissioning. This is being touted as a fundamental change in what government does, but…

Institute for Government's Tom Gash and Bob Kerslake's lessons for what not to do when contracting. It's fine to tender out the service, but retaining…

When government engages external providers to deliver services, what role should it play in ensuring the markets in which these providers operate are performing at…

What is commissioning? Does it work? And how do you get the most out of it? A new paper examines the evidence from the UK…

Senators looked into the core of the Commonwealth on Tuesday. They heard there is more to contestability than outsourcing, hidden value in cutting back tiny…

What are the major challenges for public sector leaders in 2015? In a still-tightening economic environment, budget management and strategic commissioning, while still investing in…

What does commissioning mean in the public service space? The definition is broader than many think — and the aim shouldn't always be to outsource…