Consultancy Knowledge Centre (CKC)

The Consultancy Knowledge Centre (CKC) provides local authorities with the capability to share information and data on completed consultancy assignments. The CKC is a secure database that is accessed via the web.

Each participating organisation uploads and maintains information and data on the database about consultancy services they have commissioned. Users can then search this information.

Benefits and Values

The benefits increase in line with the amount of information uploaded and the number of individuals / organisations using the CKC.

The CKC includes available information and documentation on the scope, approach and final recommendations of assignments. Uploaded information about consultancy assignments has been categorised using PROClass, the local government-owned procurement classification standard.  This enables you to search the information.

The information includes overall costs, project durations and the consultants commissioned. You can also contact the information owner to ask for further details.

The CKC provides access to information on previously commissioned assignments.  You can use the information to help you approach a particular issue more effectively and prevent duplication. It can help organisations to improve commissioning of professional services and achieve better value for money, efficiency gains and cashable savings.

The collective management information and market intelligence provided by the CKC is invaluable.

The key features of the CKC are:

• a searchable central repository for recording and categorising information on the commissioning of consultants;
• easily accessible summary information on assignments with the facility for users to request additional information, where available;
• key documentation such as business cases and final reports that can be shared to help achieve more effective approaches and prevent duplication;
• information on procurement path and time, overall cost and duration of assignments;
• collective market intelligence and management information whose value and quality increase with the number of assignments recorded;
• a process that helps to embed best practice;
• a directory of consultants competing for work; and
• a platform to share information and knowledge that will help achieve better results.

The CKC also provides information that supports:

• demand management and challenges of proposed consultancy assignments;
• future planning and the identification of collaborative opportunities;
• the identification of areas for building capacity and work force planning; and
• the review of commissioning and assignment performance management practice to identify areas of skills deficit that may need addressing.

Used in conjunction with the brokerage model, the CKC can help local authorities gain control over consultancy spend.

Registration and use of the consultancy knowledge centre is free to all local authorities. The centre includes build in instructions and help function for ease of use.

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