Recommendation 15

In May 2021, the government established the Government Consulting Hub (GCH) to improve its use of consultants and provide an in-house alternative. It employed around 70 to 100 staff and charged costs to departments using its services. The GCH published the Consultancy Playbook which offers departments relevant guidance on how to procure, manage and learn from consultants. The Cabinet Office closed the GCH on 31 January 2023 as part of efforts to reduce the civil service headcount. Following its closure, in-house consulting services and the knowledge- sharing platform were discontinued. Since GCH’s closure, the Government Commercial Function (GCF) has been responsible for the Consultancy Playbook, as well as the related Sourcing Playbook. The Consultancy Playbook was last updated in 2022.36