A new report has indicated the progress made thus far by the Australian Public Service (APS) to bring ‘core work’ back in-house, with an expected reduction in outsourced ICT & Digital Solutions work of around $49 million.

The report serves as the first annual update after the introduction of the Strategic Commissioning Framework in 2023, which required over 100 government agencies to identify the core work that should be completed by in-house APS employees and to implement goals to achieve this by 2024-25.

It indicated that approximately $528 million of outsourced core work has been committed to be brought back in-house over the next financial year, with the ‘ICT & Digital Solutions’ job family accounting for 22 per cent or $49 million. Data and Research also accounted for six per cent or around $13 million.

“Core work includes developing cabinet submissions, drafting legislation and regulation, and leading policy formulation,” Minister for the Public Service, Senator the Hon. Katy Gallagher, said.

“When coming to government we set out with an ambitious agenda to reform the APS, and to strengthen capability, to ensure the APS can deliver the services Australians expect.

“This update shows the public service has set a target for more than $527 million worth of work to be brought back in-house in 2024-25.

“This supports the public service’s work to achieve the $4 billion in savings from reducing spending on consultants, contractors, and labour hire that the Government has delivered since the election.”

Of the 104 agencies that are subject to the framework, 67 of them identified ICT & Digital Solutions as ‘core work’; 82 per cent of these agencies said they currently outsource part or all of this work, noting it was “difficult to bring in-house”.