What is PMO as a Service (PMOaaS)? A Practical Definition You Need to Know

PMOaaS in the office

PMO as a Service (PMOaaS) is a loosely defined outsourcing model where a vendor provides some or all of the capabilities of a traditional Project Management Office (PMO)—typically via remote teams, standardized tools, and shared delivery frameworks. Depending on the provider, this can range from basic administrative support and reporting templates to full-scale portfolio management and strategic execution.

The term lacks a universally accepted definition and is largely vendor-driven. According to a 2021 Infosys white paper, PMOaaS can include “standardized reporting, governance, dashboards, and tools” provided through a managed services model1. However, as Gartner noted in its Pace-Layered Application Strategy and broader coverage of strategy execution, many so-called PMOaaS offerings focus more on project tracking than on delivering business outcomes2. Organizations considering PMOaaS should evaluate offerings carefully—what’s labeled as “strategic” support often turns out to be staffing, not execution.

Use these 6 question to improve your evaluation of different vendor’s PMOaaS offerings.


  1. Infosys. “PMO as a Service: Transforming Project Governance” 
  2. Gartner – “Pace-Layered Application Strategy”.

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  • Ethan Profile Photo

    Ethan provides in-depth analyses of current industry trends, offering key insights into strategic business growth and innovation through project, program, and portfolio management services.

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