Outsourcing policy of the VDAB – efficiency and effectiveness

At the beginning of 2020, the Flemish Parliament asked the Court of Audit to investigate the effectiveness of the outsourcing policy of the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB). The Court of Audit concluded that the VDAB lacks a clear outsourcing policy and effective information about its own and partner projects. The VDAB often takes decisions to outsource a service on an ad hoc basis, without a thorough understanding of the factors that may or may not lead to success for customers and without understanding the (cost) effectiveness.