Study on the benefits of using social outcome contracting in the provision of social services and interventions

Social outcome contracts (SOCs) is a relatively new type of mechanism in public service procurement. It focuses on harnessing the resources of the public, private, philanthropy and civil society sectors, with the goal of jointly implementing effective interventions in the public domain.Nevertheless, little empirical research exists that compares SOC models with traditional financing mechanisms such as subsidies, grants, fee-for-service contracts, block contracts and in-house delivery. The study therefore aims to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of outcomes-based contracts in comparison to interventions delivered under traditional financing, as well as evaluating the outcome measurement methods applied to determine their impact. The study focuses exclusively on social services rather than public services more generally.