NOMS commissions adult offender services in custodial and community settings across England and Wales. An annual strategic commissioning round sets out the high level priorities of the Agency recognising changes in service need and demand, resources, Government policy and the priorities of other commissioners and funders of Offender Services.

Commissioning in NOMS is defined as 'The cycle of assessing the needs of courts, offenders, defendants, victims and communities then designing, securing and monitoring services to meet those needs, while making best use of total available resources.'