quasi non-governmental organization , quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization , quasi-autonomous national government organization In the United Kingdom the official term is non-departmental public body or NDPB . Quango or qango is an acronym ( variously spelt out as quasi non-governmental organization , quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization , and quasi-autonomous national government organization ) used notably in the United Kingdom , Ireland and elsewhere to label an organization to which government has devolved power . In the United Kingdom the official term is `` non-departmental public body '' or NDPB .