Formal-relational contracting
At the Government Outcomes Lab, we explore how public services can work better together to tackle complex challenges. Our research asks whether more collaborative, relationship-based approaches to contracting and governance can improve coordination, accountability, and outcomes for the people who rely on public services.
For decades, public services have often been commissioned through traditional, one-to-one contracts shaped by market principles. While these approaches can provide clarity and control, they frequently struggle in complex environments where needs evolve, risks emerge over time, and multiple organisations must work together. The result is often fragmented services and limited ability to adapt.
Our work focuses on alternative commissioning and contracting approaches that support collaboration across networks of providers. In particular, we are developing and testing formal-relational contracting: an approach that combines clear contractual structures with governance arrangements, shared principles, and ways of working that encourage trust, learning, and joint problem-solving, without abandoning public accountability.
This research is led by Dr Eleanor Carter through a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship. Her work examines whether the current focus on commissioning individual services is fit for purpose, and how alternative governance and contracting approaches might better support collaboration and collective accountability across networks of providers.
Working with Dr Felix-Anselm van Lier and Michael Gibson, and in collaboration with partners such as Public Digital, the team is building practical frameworks, tools, and evidence to help commissioners and providers adopt more adaptive, test-and-learn approaches to delivering public services.
Using a mixed-methods approach, the research aims to show when and how more relational contracting can support better decision-making, more responsible innovation, and more joined-up public services that deliver greater public value.
Academic papers
van Lier, F. A. (2026). Debate: Beyond the transaction—Procurement as a tool for cross-sector AI governance. Public Money & Management, 46(1), 8–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2025.2532174
Gibson, M. (2023). Debate: In contracts, we trust—managing risk in public contracts through a relational approach. Public Money & Management, 43(2), 83–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2022.2133767
Gibson, M., van Lier, F. and Carter, E. (2023) Tracing 25 years of ‘initiativitis’ in central government attempts to join up local public services in England, Policy & Politics, https://doi.org/10.1332/030557321X16837266852569
FitzGerald, C., Rosenbach, F., Hameed, T., Dixon R., & Blundell J. (2021): New development: Rallying together—The rationale for and structure of collaborative practice in England, Public Money & Management, https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2021.1981628
Carter, E., & Ball, N., 'Social outcomes contracting: Seeding a more relational approach to contracts between government and the social economy?', in Gorgi Krlev, and others (eds), Social Economy Science: Transforming the Economy and Making Society More Resilient, https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192868343.003.0017
Reports
Rosenbach, F., Carter, E., van Lier, F-A., Patouna, M. (2025) The Kirklees Better Outcomes Partnership: The final report of a longitudinal evaluation of a Life Chances Fund outcomes partnership. Government Outcomes Lab, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.
Rosenbach, F., van Lier, F-A., Domingos, F.D. and Carter, E., (2023) The Kirklees Better Outcomes Partnership: The second report of a longitudinal evaluation of a Life Chances Fund Impact Bond. Government Outcomes Lab, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.
Ball, N. and Gibson, M. (2022). Partnerships with principles: putting relationships at the heart of public contracts for better social outcomes. Government Outcomes Lab, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.
Rosenbach, F., Carter, E. (2020). Kirklees Integrated Support Service and Better Outcomes Partnership: The first report from a longitudinal evaluation of a Life Chances Fund impact bond. Government Outcomes Lab, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.
Blundell, J., Rosenbach, F., Hameed, T., and FitzGerald, C. (2019). Are we rallying together? Collaboration and public sector reform, Government Outcomes Lab, University of Oxford, Blavatnik School of Government.
Blogs and articles
van Lier, F-A. (2025). Government AI adoption: formal-relational contracting can unlock responsible progress. Voice, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.
van Lier, F-A., Gibson, M., Sloan, L., van Zanten, C. (2024). Making mission-based government a reality: relational contracting to achieve outcomes across organisational boundaries. Government Outcomes Lab, University of Oxford.
Sloan, L., Gibson, M., van Lier, F-A., Carter, E. (2024). Relational contracting: a fresh perspective. Government Outcomes Lab, University of Oxford.
Gibson, M. (2023). Can contracts facilitate trust? Government Outcomes Lab, University of Oxford.
Gibson, M., van Lier, F-A., Carter, E. (2022). Joining up services to level up social outcomes. Government Outcomes Lab, University of Oxford.