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About GO Lab

The basics

New to outcomes-based contracting? Here are some jargon-free introductions to the various types of approaches

Outcomes-based contracting

This guide offers an introduction to outcomes-based contracting, including its place among other methods of contracting out public services, the theoretical pros and cons, and the evidence to date.

New to impact bonds? This user-friendly guide will explore what impact bonds are, the evidence to date and how they work in practice in different countries around the world.

Relational contracting

This guide provides an introduction to relational contracting in the public sector, explaining what it is, the potential benefits and challenges, and how to adopt a relational approach.

This guide introduces outcomes funds. It aims to document and describe outcomes funds around the world and identify lessons for future fund design.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Knowledge bank

Explore our datasets, case studies and publications to learn more about the latest research on outcomes-based contracting

We are the International Network for Data on Impact and Government Outcomes (INDIGO). Here you can explore our datasets, read our latest news, join our events and find out more about data sharing in the field of social outcomes.

A collection of in-depth case studies of impact bonds around the world

Resource library

View the latest reports, evaluations and more on outcomes-based contracting

A glossary of key terms and working definitions around impact bonds and outcomes-based contracting

Toolkit

Interested in designing and managing outcomes-based projects? We have prepared some tools and guidance to help

Impact bond lifecycle

Developed in consultation with a wide range of practitioners to support projects being established under the UK Government’s Life Chances Fund.

Technical guidance

We have a range of guidance to support you develop impact bonds, from setting and measuring outcomes, to awarding the contract and pricing outcomes.

GO Lab-CIPFA Value for Money (VfM) Toolkit

We've partnered with Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy(CIPFA) to develop a toolkit for public managers planning to assess VfM of outcomes-based contracting programmes, or any public programme with an outcome-focus.

Impact Wayfinder [Prototype]

Are you thinking of running an impact evaluation for your project? Check out our new Impact Wayfinder! We'll help you find the right evaluation for you according to the focus of your organisation and the scale of your project.

Mission-led Growth Dashboard

This innovative dashboard benchmarks performance data for each council in England with its Nearest Neighbour, the median of all local authorities in England and the average of the selected authority’s ten Nearest Neighbours.

Community

Connect with others through our global directory, read the latest blogs, join our events and more.

Oxford Government Outcomes Blog

Read the latest opinion and insights from the GO Lab network

Find out the latest news from the GO Lab and across the sector

Join our events, from webinars, regional events to international conferences

Peer Learning Groups

At the GO Lab, we host a selection of peer learning groups that aim to support learning and knowledge on outcome-based approaches. Read more on our different groups and upcoming sessions here.

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Resource library

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Research paper | 24 Jul 2023

Contracting ‘Person-centred’ Working by Results: Street-level Managers and Frontline Experiences

This longitudinal study evaluates the contractual shift of a British support service for adults with multiple, complex needs from bilateral fee-for-service arrangements to an outcomes contract in the form of a ‘social impact bond’.

Organisation: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab)

Webinar | 21 Jul 2023

| Engaging with Evidence | Insights from the implementation of the Living Goods results-based financing programme

For this engaging with evidence webinar session, we explored the main findings, lessons learned and recommendations from the evaluation of the scaling up of Results Based Financing for Community Health Programme, implemented in Uganda by Living Goods.

Organisation: The Government Outcomes Lab

Report | 23 Jun 2023

Exploring blockchain technologies for collaboration and partnerships

Explore the Government Outcomes Lab and CIPFA's report on blockchain technology, offering practical guidance for leveraging collaboration in the public sector and improving social, economic, and environmental outcomes.

Organisations: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab), Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)

Research paper | 16 Jun 2023

Tracing 25 years of ‘initiativitis’ in central government attempts to join up local public services in England

This article makes a significant contribution to our understanding of coordination programmes at a central–local government level.

Organisation: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab)

Explore our in-depth collection of case studies on impact bonds and other outcomes-based approaches around the world.

Case studies

Explore

Report | 18 May 2023

Efficiency and resilience: How can we adjust the dial?

In January 2023, Nigel Ball and Loic Menzie convened a roundtable to explore how a better balance can be struck between efficiency and resilience. This report sets out a number of ideas emerged from the discussion.

Organisations: The Government Outcomes Lab, Cambridge Assessment Network

Webinar | 17 May 2023

| Engaging with Evidence | Insights and Lessons from MHEP LCF Evaluation's First Interim Report

For this engaging with evidence webinar session, we explored the latest findings from the first interim report of the Mental Health and Employment Partnership (MHEP) evaluation for the Life Chances Fund (LCF).

Organisation: The Government Outcomes Lab

Case Study | 16 May 2023

Wisbech Case Study

The Wisbech Partnership was a voluntary place-based partnership of cross-sector organisations working to improve the social outcomes in the Cambridgeshire town. This case study examines the phenomena.

Organisation: The Government Outcomes Lab

Webinar | 10 May 2023

| Engaging with Evidence | Preventative Spending in Children’s Social Care – Lessons from Norfolk’s 100,000 Care Days Avoided

For this engaging with evidence webinar session, we explored preventative spending in children's social care..

Organisation: The Government Outcomes Lab

We coordinate a range of geographical and thematically focused peer learning groups which enable people to learn from each other.

Peer learning groups

Join us

Evaluation Report | 24 Mar 2023

Mental Health and Employment Partnership evaluation for the Life Chances Fund: First interim report

This is the first of three planned reports within a longitudinal evaluation of the Mental Health and Employment Partnership (MHEP).

Organisation: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab)

Case Study | 28 Feb 2023

Turnaround Cities: Western Europe Case Studies - Insights from Lille, France, and The Basque Country & Bilbao, Spain

The Western European cities of Lille in France and Bilbao in Spain are marked examples of economic resilience. This case study looks at cluster development, skills formation, funding and governance among the attributable factors for success.

Organisation: The Government Outcomes Lab

Case Study | 28 Feb 2023

Turnaround Cities: Anglo-Saxon Case Studies - Insights from Pittsburgh (PA), Newcastle (NSW) and Windsor (Ont.)

The Anglo-Saxon case studies of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Windsor, Ontario, and Newcastle, New South Wales show how cities can use innovative instruments, such as tax increment financing, asset recycling and municipal bonusing, to galvanise collaboration

Organisation: The Government Outcomes Lab

Resource | 24 Feb 2023

INDIGO Impact Bond Insights Report - February 2023

INDIGO Impact Bond Insights Report - Feb 2023, co-authored by Outes Velarde, J. Bregazzi, H., Nagarajan, S., Paul, O., Anastasiu, A. & Carter, E., has been published.

Organisation: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab)

We have a range of guidance to support you develop impact bonds, from setting and measuring outcomes, to awarding the contract and pricing outcomes.

Technical guidance

Read more

Case Study | 23 Feb 2023

Turnaround Cities: German Case Studies - Insights from Dortmund, Duisburg and Leipzig

The German cities of Duisburg, Dortmund and Leipzig are examined in detail by German researchers Dr Suzanne Frick, based at the University of Oxford, and Dr Paula Prenzel based at the University of Greifswald.

Organisations: The Government Outcomes Lab, Institut für Geographie und Geologie, Universität Greifswald

Research paper | 6 Feb 2023

Debate: In contracts, we trust - managing risk in public contracts through a relational approach

This article delves into the exploration of risk management in public contracts through a relational approach.

Organisation: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab)

Webinar | 25 Jan 2023

| Engaging with Evidence | Final results of the Quality Education India Development Impact Bond and its relevance to the education sector

For this engaging with evidence webinar session, we explored the final results of the Quality Education India Development Impact Bond (DIB).

Organisation: The Government Outcomes Lab

Policy brief | 5 Dec 2022

Tackling Spatial Inequalities Roundtable Communiqué

This communiqué summarises the conversation that took place at the University of Oxford’s Tackling Spatial Inequalities Roundtable featuring senior cross-sector representatives to reinvigorate the agenda to level up the social outcomes across the UK.

Organisation: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab)

Want to know more about the state of play of impact bonds? Explore our global interactive map to find out data on impact bonds in their various stages of development and policy areas.

Discover our dataset on impact bonds around the world

Explore

Practical guide | 6 Oct 2022

Social Outcomes Contracting in Europe: A Procurement Guide

This report focuses on practical issues related to the interplay of public contracting rules and social outcomes contracts in Europe

Organisations: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab), European Investment Bank

Video | 9 Sep 2022

How to get the most of the Impact Bond Dataset

Curious to know more about our Impact Bond Dataset? Here's a video explainer

Organisation: Government Outcomes Lab (GO Lab)

Resource | 8 Sep 2022

Partnerships with principles: Putting relationships at the heart of public contracts for better social outcomes

This guide has been developed to explain concretely what relational working between organisations is and how to do it, to support people to experiment more boldly with such approaches – and importantly, to help manage some of the risks inherent in them.

Organisation: The Government Outcomes Lab

Resource | 5 Sep 2022

Using outcomes-based contracting to tackle the climate crisis: A review of the evidence

This report offers an overview of the existing empirical literature on environmental OBC, and a summary of key findings from across the evidence, including the challenges and successes of project implementation and some indications of the environmental ou

Organisations: The Government Outcomes Lab, Ecorys

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