Outsourcing Contracts

Guide book to analysing the major issues that arise in outsourcing agreements. Helps one deal with the basic question of when outsourcing is an appropriate solution to a situation, and what issues must be addressed when contracting with a supplier.

The dramatic growth of government over the course of the twentieth century since the New Deal prompts concern among libertarians and conservatives and also among those who worry about government’s costs, efficiency, and quality of service. These concerns, combined with rising confidence in private markets, motivate the widespread shift of federal and state government work to private organizations. This shift typically alters only who performs the work, not who pays or is ultimately responsible for it. “Government by contract” now includes military intelligence, environmental monitoring, prison management, and interrogation of terrorism suspects. Outsourcing government work raises questions of accountability. What role should costs, quality, and democratic oversight play in contracting out government work? What tools do citizens and consumers need to evaluate the effectiveness of government contracts? How can the work be structured for optimal performance as well as compliance with public values? Government by Contract explains the phenomenon and scope of government outsourcing and sets an agenda for future research attentive to workforce capacities as well as legal, economic, and political concerns.

This book provides an overview of IT outsourcing, including advantages and disadvantages and details what needs to be considered when choosing whether or not to outsource IT. It offers typical scenarios that can arise when outsourcing IT and information on typical solutions that have been adopted by other organizations.

This text provides information on the changes in the laws affecting outsourcing, including the replacement of Transfer of Undertakings Directive and Regulations, the introduction of the Pensions Act 2004, and the replacement of the Utilities Directive and Regulations.

Many corporations are currently restructuring their business processes in order to become more competitive and cost effective. Once the decision has been made to outsource, a corporation must structure the deal. This book will show them how to request proposals and negotiate and close the agreement--creating the outsourcing strategy.

One of the most significant techniques to which companies and organizations have turned to improve service delivery and reduce costs has been outsourcing. Over the last 10 years, almost any process has been successfully outsourced. But during that period there have been failures too; projects that never realised their objectives or that had unforeseen impact on business. Global Outsourcing Strategies is a state-of-the-art guide to the best lessons to be learned for successfully implementing and outsourcing projects, or for revisiting existing operations. The 22 chapters explore some of the new areas for outsourcing, after traditional targets such as IT and finance. Information is provided on the different facets of the outsourcing process, such as contract negotiation, the risks involved in outsourcing, the need for service level agreements, the critical requirements needed to build and sustain outsourcing relationships, and ethical supply chain issues. There are also sections exploring the impact of outsourcing on organizational structures; the long term effects; legal issues; management control and inter-firm relationships; as well as case studies from both the public and private sector on the practical side of outsourcing. The book will appeal to practitioners and researchers alike. This is a must-have guide for any organization approaching outsourcing as a global (or local) strategy and for those organizations now reviewing or developing their outsourcing partnerships.

Adoption and use of a contract scorecard demonstrates a maturing ability to manage commercial outsourcing arrangements. The process of designing the scorecard helps you nail down the key outcomes and avoid lack of focus, inconsistent objectives, hidden costs, indifferent service and deteriorating relationships with your contract partners. Sara Cullen's The Contract Scorecard will help you design and drive successful contracts. It offers a systematic guide based on practical advice and examples; one that explains the Contract Scorecard concept and demonstrates crucial implementation activities such as: ¢ The development of performance measures that work ¢ Sound Service Level Agreements that make obligations clear ¢ A Governance Charter that ensures both parties will adopt successful management techniques An upfront investment in your contracts, from a commercial rather than legal perspective is probably the single most influential activity you can undertake; one that will ensure your outsourcing relationships have clear business goals as the focus of the deal. Reading a copy of Sara Cullen's The Contract Scorecard should be the first step in that investment.