When it comes to projects in government, there is a view that it's important to get independent advice.
Now, that independent advice doesn't always have to come from outside government. It can come from internal evaluators, as my colleague has highlighted. As part of a regular practice, when you're embarking on something new, you may not have expertise in-house, so it is important to look at outside advice.
We can't speak for how the government is deciding to get that advice, but within the Government of Canada and the public service, we do look to contracts when that expertise cannot be found within.