The U.S. federal government, under the Trump administration, initiated actions aimed at significantly curtailing expenditures on external advisory services. This encompassed a range of activities, from issuing memoranda directing agencies to justify consultant usage to implementing more rigorous oversight processes for contracts with consulting firms. An example would be a directive compelling agencies to demonstrate a clear return on investment for each consulting engagement before approval.
The rationale behind these measures centered on the belief that substantial cost savings could be achieved by reducing reliance on external consultants. Proponents argued that many consulting tasks could be performed by existing government personnel, thereby minimizing redundancies and improving efficiency. Furthermore, concerns were raised about the potential for consultants to inflate costs or provide advice that was not fully aligned with the public interest. This initiative built upon previous efforts by administrations of both parties to control government spending and improve accountability.
