Development Consultants and Contractors in the UK Aid Sector: Reassessing the procurement landscape in preparation for an uncertain future
When: Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - Thursday, July 10, 2025, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Where: GC601, Montague Lecture Theatre, Graduate Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS
An event, organised by IHSS Fellow, Dr Jessie Sklair (School of Business and Management), to explore findings from our research project on consultants and contractors in the delivery of UK aid
Please join the organisers for a morning event at Queen Mary University of London, to explore findings from our research project on consultants and contractors in the delivery of UK aid, and discuss the future of development consulting in the light of recent cuts to the UK’s aid budget and the significant restructuring of USAID.
As the ESRC-funded project Development consultants and contractors: for-profit companies in the changing world of ‘Aidland’ comes to a close, we invite professionals from across the UK aid sector and interdisciplinary academics to explore the findings of our research, and its implications for the future of the UK’s development agenda at this time of turbulent change. The project team from the Universities of Cambridge, Sussex, St Andrews, Nottingham and QMUL will open the event with short presentations on our project findings, including:
- An introduction to our innovative financial visualisation (FinVis) database, which maps trends in development contracting through analysis of 915 contracts awarded to UK-based private sector contractors by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (formerly the Department for International Development) between 2012 and 2022.
- Empirical findings on recent change across the UK’s development procurement landscape, drawn from over 50 interviews with consultants contracting to the UK government across prime supplier firms, bespoke development consultancies and freelance technical experts.
- The role of contractors in local ecosystems of development actors, based on a substantial number of interviews conducted in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and sub-Saharan Africa, in local and international consultancy firms, NGOs, businesses and government field offices, a case study of the UK’s Girls Education Challenge programme and a case study of the consulting and contracting ecosystem in Kenya.
Presentations will be followed by Q&As and a facilitated discussion, on the challenges and opportunities for development contractors in responding to the recent drastic cuts to aid in the UK and USA.
Lunch will be provided following the event.
All are welcome but please sign up by clicking on "Book now" or directly via Eventbrite.
About the Organisers
The event is organised by IHSS Fellow Dr Jessica Sklair (School of Business and Management) on behalf of the project team and supported by IHSS.