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Risks, resources and government-supplier relationships

• Posted on July 17, 2018 by Amyas Morse

  Hundreds of major change programmes, increasing demands on and expectations of public services, productivity challenges – and the massive task of leaving the EU. In the face of such demands on skills and capacity, Sir Amyas Morse, Comptroller & Auditor General, spoke recently to the Whitehall and Industry Group (WIG) about why the public sector needs private and third sector skills, experience and capacity more than ever. The NAO Blog summarises Sir Amyas’s talk about some of the current key priorities and what is needed to make the relationship mutually successful and in the best interests of people and public services. more… Risks, resources and government-supplier relationships

  Tagged: Amyas Morse, Brexit, Contract management, Cross-government, Digital transformation, Financial sustainability, Major projects, Private sector, Productivity, Project management, Public finances, Risk management, Skills

  7 Comments

Contract management – challenges and consequences

• Posted on November 23, 2017 by Emma Willson

  Establishing solid foundations early in the contract and commercial relationship lifecycle is critical for contracts to work. But this process starts long before contracts are signed. Two recent NAO reports provide insights into the importance of getting both the procurement strategy and process right. Experience has shown that not doing so can result in millions of pounds in legal costs – £100 million in one recent case – or an uncompetitive contract leading to additional costs. This latest blog in our commercial and contract management series shares our recent insights across the market management and sourcing domain of our contracts lifecycle. more… Contract management – challenges and consequences

  Tagged: Contract insights series, Contract management, Cross-government, Forecasting, Good practice principles, International, Public finances

  3 Comments

A systematic look at major programmes

• Posted on October 10, 2017 by Sandy Gordon

  Major programmes are expensive, high profile and carry great uncertainties and risks. For most government bodies, undertaking a major programme will involve doing something new, with relatively little organisational experience. Many fall short of their objectives, in terms of cost and/or outcomes. So it’s not surprising that they are the focus of many NAO reports – about 100 since 2010. Our new Framework to review programmes shows the questions we typically ask, and brings together many of our recent findings. We hope it will show what we are looking for and what we expect to see when we examine major programmes. more… A systematic look at major programmes

  Tagged: Contract management, Cross-government, Forecasting, Good practice principles, International, Leadership, Major projects, Project management, Public finances, Public sector reform, Risk management

  9 Comments

The future of government offices: early lessons

• Posted on September 29, 2017 by Paul Wright-Anderson

  Government is being transformed through changes ranging from digital delivery to downsizing and devolution. To match new delivery approaches, buildings need modernisation, organisations need to be co-located, and appealing locations should help to attract the necessary skills. In response, government property is undergoing a revolution, with regional “Hubs” and an integrated public sector estate. But there are big challenges to be addressed. Can the public sector work together to achieve the expected benefits? more… The future of government offices: early lessons

  Tagged: Business operations, Contract management, Cost reduction, Cross-government, Employee engagement, Property, Public sector reform, Risk management, Shared services, Skills

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Managing conflicts of interest and keeping public trust

• Posted on August 18, 2017 by Jacob Holliday

  High profile incidents remind individuals and organisations just how important it is to manage potential conflicts of interest. In March 2017, the Court of the Bank of England commissioned a review of the institution’s approach to managing conflicts of interest. The review was prompted by the resignation of Charlotte Hogg who had been Deputy Governor for Markets and Banking. A report from the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee published in March 2017 had raised concerns about her compliance with the Bank’s rules governing conflicts of interest. As part of its Review the Bank invited the NAO to contribute a briefing paper on managing conflicts of interest. It’s a timely opportunity for the whole public sector to consider whether it’s managing conflicts of interest effectively. more… Managing conflicts of interest and keeping public trust

  Tagged: Accountability, Business operations, Conflict of interest, Contract management, Cross-government, Employee engagement, Good practice principles, International, Investigations, Local government, Regulation & consumer protection, Reporting, Risk management

  4 Comments

Stretching civil servants’ capability

• Posted on July 20, 2017 by George Crockford

  The civil service is under pressure, as we found in our recent report Capability in the Civil Service. It has lost one in four civil servants since 2006 – with no reduction in workload, there’s a growing number of major projects to implement, greater public demand for services, new technologies – bringing both opportunities and threats, new ways of delivering public services, and action needed to leave the European Union. How can public sector organisations get or develop the people and skills they need? The first thing is: prioritise; it simply must do less. more… Stretching civil servants’ capability

  Tagged: Brexit, Business operations, Civil service capability, Contract management, Digital transformation, Leadership, Major projects, Project management, Risk management, Skills

  6 Comments

NAO Investigates

• Posted on July 7, 2017 by Lee Summerfield

  MPs have queried the way grants are distributed; multiple programme changes have left many questioning aims and effectiveness; growing backlogs have raised issues about public service delivery; and failed contracts losing millions of pounds have implied serious mismanagement. Concerns raised by MPs, members of the public and our own staff as a result of their work often need the facts set out – clearly and quickly. They call for an NAO ‘Investigation’. more… NAO Investigates

  Tagged: Accountability, Business operations, Contract management, International, Investigations, Local government, Performance management, Project management, Public finances

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Intelligent contract competition and risk management

• Posted on April 7, 2017 by Emma Willson

  When it comes to public sector contracts, running proper competitions simply isn’t enough. Government needs to act intelligently to take advantage of competition between potential suppliers, weighing up options and considering who carries the risks, and at what cost. Since launching Commercial and contract management – insights and emerging best practice we’ve reported on two contracts that shed further light on these issues. We explore the new insights from these reports in this blog-post, the latest in our series on key issues for contracts and commercial relationships. more… Intelligent contract competition and risk management

  Tagged: Contract insights series, Contract management, Cross-government, Forecasting, Good practice principles, International, Local government, Performance management, Project management, Public finances, Risk management

  1 Comment

Setting up successful contracts

• Posted on February 10, 2017 by Emma Willson

  Cost savings failing to materialise. Customers hit with poor service and financial losses from public services. Contracts disputed and terminated. Contracts can go badly wrong before they even begin if the set up and management aren’t right. Since launching Commercial and contract management: insights and emerging best practice we’ve reported on three contracts that have enjoyed varying degrees of success. As part of our series to share insights into best practice contracting, in this blog-post we explore lessons from these three contracts. more… Setting up successful contracts

  Tagged: Accountability, Contract insights series, Contract management, Cost reduction, Cross-government, Customer service, Good practice principles, Information management, Performance management, Risk management

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Making public sector markets work

• Posted on November 22, 2016 by Charles Nancarrow

  What do energy suppliers, railways, doctors and rubbish collectors have in common? The answer: they, and many others, deliver essential services that involve, to a greater or lesser extent, a ‘market mechanism’. In a world with a wide range of public service delivery mechanisms, including direct service provision (the military, tax collectors, police, NHS A&E services etc.) our new public service Market Analytic Toolkit is the latest NAO resource designed to help government address a set of new challenges around its use of markets to deliver public services, including oversight, consumer protection, regulation and helping to achieve effective competition and innovative delivery. more… Making public sector markets work

  Tagged: Contract management, Customer service, Devolution, Public sector markets, Public sector reform, Regulation & consumer protection, Risk management, Third sector

  1 Comment