This policy is the result of attempts to reform public administration. The reform policy, which is usually called New Public Management, was popularized in Iceland in the final decade of the last century but the aformentioned service contracts were made at the turn of the century.
Þessi stefnubreyting er afleiðing umbótatilrauna í opinberri stjórnsýslu sem kenndar hafa verið við Nýskipan í ríkisrekstri og náðu útbreiðslu hérlendis á tíunda áratug síðustu aldar en umræddir þjónustusamningar voru gerðir um aldamótin.