The Inspectors observe moreover that common services have acquired an identity of their own and are regulated by distinct legislative and policy directives with hardly any bearing on the organizations ' general procurement and outsourcing policies , excepting cases where a commercial supplier is used to deliver a common service , as discussed below . Additionally , while common services intersect with commercial outsourcing in a number of areas ( e.g . the outsourcing of a common service , such as the travel agency and stationery services at Headquarters or the various common services outsourced by the United Nations Office at Nairobi ( UNON ) to commercial providers ; the same requirement for enhanced efficiency and effectiveness ; or common pursuit of cost savings ) , they diverge from typical outsourcing in other equally important areas .