Introduction

How much does the UK public sector really spend on facilities management (FM)? Depending on the data source, the answer might be £13 billion—or it might be £27 billion. This gap is more than just numbers; it reflects fundamentally different ways of measuring one of the government’s most critical, complex, and outsourced functions.

In December 2024, Tussell—a government contract data aggregator—published its FM Market Snapshot. Based on public procurement notices and invoice data, it reflects an implied annual spend of £13–15 billion. In contrast, Baachu, a specialist FM research consultancy, released its 2025 estimate of £27 billion, based on what is actually being delivered across the public estate.

This article examines the sources, methodologies, and relevance of both datasets—clarifying why the numbers differ, what each is good for, and why FM buyers, suppliers, and investors should understand and use both.

What Does Tussell Measure?

Tussell’s platform aggregates publicly available procurement data, focusing on contract awards, supplier invoice values, and framework usage. Its FM analysis is drawn from structured datasets using CPV/SIC codes and invoice lines submitted to government portals.

Tussell is widely used because it provides:

• A view of real-time tender and contract award activity
• Insight into framework utilisation across central and local government
• Rankings of FM suppliers by invoiced revenue
• Forecasts of expiring contracts (e.g. £6.7bn worth over 24 months)

However, this approach has limitations. It captures only what is formally published—and what is labelled correctly. FM contracts embedded in construction, PFI, energy or workplace transformation projects may not be recognised as FM due to misclassification. Invoices from major departments such as MOJ or FCDO were still pending at the time of their latest publication.

In-house FM delivery—common in local authorities and NHS trusts—is also excluded, and contract values are not adjusted for mid-term amendments, scope changes, or performance-related uplift. For those relying on invoice-based data alone, this creates a structurally incomplete picture.

What Does Baachu Measure?

Baachu approaches the FM market differently. As a dedicated FM research consultancy, it focuses on understanding who is delivering what, where, and at what scale—regardless of how services are procured or classified.

Its £27bn estimate incorporates:

• Core outsourced FM contracts: cleaning, maintenance, security, catering
• FM embedded within construction, PFI, net-zero and workplace projects
• In-house delivery models, where these are costed and disclosed
• Adjusted values where contracts have known extensions or scope changes

Here’s how the £27bn is constructed:

Baachu’s methodology is manually validated at the contract level. It goes beyond CPV codes to assess delivery intent, service lines, and buyer structure.

Subcontractor spend is not double-counted, and no artificial inflation is applied.

In short, Baachu’s dataset reflects actual FM delivery across the public sector estate—not just published procurement.

Why the Numbers Differ

The difference between Tussell’s £13–15bn and Baachu’s £27bn is not an error or disagreement—it’s a difference in scope and purpose.

Tussell answers: What has been procured, published, and invoiced? Baachu answers: What is being delivered, by whom, across which service lines?

If your lens is procurement tracking, Tussell offers clean, consistent and fast-moving data. If your goal is strategic insight, pipeline valuation, or total addressable market estimation, Baachu’s contract-level delivery perspective is more complete.

A Complementary Approach

Instead of debating which figure is right, FM professionals should ask: what do I need to know, and when?

• Public sector buyers can use Baachu to benchmark spend and delivery models across peers, especially where in-house FM is under review.
• FM suppliers can use Tussell for near-term tender alerts, and Baachu to understand multi-year opportunity pipelines.
• Private equity investors benefit from Tussell’s invoice data when evaluating supplier performance, and Baachu’s delivery view when assessing market size, risk exposure and scalability.
• Analysts and researchers will find Baachu’s methodology particularly valuable for long-term modelling and service-line segmentation.

Together, these tools offer both visibility and context—procurement records and market intelligence.

Comparative View

Why the Numbers Differ

This is not a case of right vs wrong. It is about scope and purpose:

• Tussell tracks what is visible in procurement notices and invoice data.
• Baachu tracks what is delivered, whether or not it appears in procurement
  feeds.

Tussell’s strength lies in tactical planning and framework visibility. Baachu provides strategic market intelligence based on actual FM activity

Addressing Confusion: Who Gets What from This?

Public Sector Buyers: Know your true FM footprint. Baachu helps benchmark against peer authorities, including in-house spend and hybrid models not captured in standard data.

FM Suppliers: Understand the total addressable market. Don’t overlook opportunities hidden within PFI, workplace, or energy-linked tenders. Use Baachu for strategic targeting.

Private Equity Investors: Assess the real FM market size and delivery landscape. Baachu reveals depth and long-term contract value beyond invoice-based rankings.

Analysts: Bridge the gap between procurement data and actual delivery. Baachu’s methodology provides clarity and confidence in long-term market trends.

Why Use Both?

• Use Tussell to: track contracts, monitor frameworks, plan short-term bids
• Use Baachu to: understand full market opportunity, benchmark delivery, validate strategic decisions

Together, they provide a 360° view: what’s published vs what’s delivered.

Final Word

The UK public sector FM market is complex and multi-layered. Tussell captures the visible procurement layer. Baachu captures the full delivery picture.

If you are serious about understanding FM market opportunity—whether you are shaping policy, building a bid strategy, benchmarking your costs, or making an investment decision—using both sources is essential.

Want to go deeper?

 Contact our team at hello@baachu.com. We’re here to help you with FM delivery breakdowns by region, service line, supplier, or framework—whatever clarity you need to move forward with confidence.