Recommendation 9

We asked the Department why there is no uniform definition for consultancy used across government. The Chief Commercial Officer explained there is a standard definition for consultants across government, which is published in the Consultancy Playbook, and that the differences stem from inconsistent application across departments.18 Some of the confusion around definitions and spend arises from large contracts that combine consultancy and professional services, making it difficult for departments to isolate the spend on consultancy services only.19 The Cabinet Office stated that it expects departments to comply with the set definitions and confirmed that ALBs are subject to the same definitions.20 The Chief Commercial Officer said that the Cabinet Office is bringing Departments together to achieve greater consistency.21