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  • Innovation and Consultancy Services (ICS)

    Topics:
    • Innovation and Consultancy Services (ICS)
    ICS is a multi-disciplinary team of consultants, bringing together expertise in business improvement, economics, facilitation, service designers and behavioural science, that support the public sector to deliver better outcomes for our people through independent advice, insights and service improvement.

    ICS services help support colleagues across the public sector to deal with common challenges they face. Our services cover four broad areas:

    • Strategy & Stakeholder Alignment: we help to set collective strategic direction with stakeholders through support such as Innovation Labs, Strategic Planning, Corporate Planning and running a wide range of facilitated events and workshops.
    • Policy & Service Improvement: we help to ensure better public service outcomes through support such as Policy Research & Reviews, Programme & Project Evaluations, User Research & Service Design and Behavioural Insights.
    • Organisational Design & Performance: we help organisations to achieve their objectives through support including Operating Model Design, Structural Reviews, Workforce Capacity & Job Loading and Process Improvement.
    • Governance & Assurance: we help to strengthen oversight and decision-making through support such as Arms-Length Body (ALB) Reviews, Board Effectiveness Reviews, Business Cases and Business Continuity Testing.

    Research (both qualitative and quantitative), facilitation and co-design are key methods we use that run throughout the services we offer.

    Further details on the services we offer can be found in our services brochure:

    • ICS Services Brochure 2026-27

    Contact us to talk about how we can work together by emailing ics@finance-ni.gov.uk.

    ICS operates on a full cost recovery basis. Our daily rates can be found in the services brochure.

    Procurement guidance stipulates that departments and public bodies should contact BCS (now part of ICS) to establish whether it has the capability and capacity to undertake assignments prior to engaging external consultants.

    Previous case studies, publications and resources by the Innovation Lab, which now forms part of ICS, can be found using the link below.

    • The Innovation Lab - Case studies, publications and external resources

    Related to Innovation and Consultancy Services (ICS)

    Most recent publications

    • Long Term Sustainable Future for the Mourne Mountains

      Published 2 July 2026
    See all publications in this topic

    Access to information

    How to request information from the Department of Finance including Freedom of Information (FOI) and the use of our Publication Scheme.

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