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Managing major projects

Major public projects in the Government's current major projects portfolio are expected to cost over £450bn. There are also many other projects across government. This huge investment of taxpayers' money needs to be spent well. Managing these projects also brings major challenges because they are so long, complex, technically difficult, and are often part of high profile and high-risk transformation of public services.

These projects can also compete with each other for resources, equipment and skills. This means government needs to make sure that the timing of different projects is coordinated - especially as competition for resources can increase costs. One project can depend on the outcomes of another, making coordination and management still harder.

To make sure that these projects are affordable and successful, government needs much stronger project management skills and it needs to make more accurate cost and time estimates. It also needs to improve its ability to identify and manage both risks and the impact of external events.

Key NAO publications:

Framework to review programmes (Sep 2017)
Delivering major projects in government: PAC briefing (Jan 2016)
Welfare reform - lessons learned (May 2015)
The DECA: Understanding challenges in delivering project objectives (Oct 2013)
Assurance for major projects (May 2012)
NAO Guide: Initiating successful projects (Dec 2011)

Learning for government from EU Exit preparations

This report sets out insights for government from its preparations for EU Exit.

Sector(s): Europe

Performance Improvement area(s): European Union, Exiting the EU, International issues, Managing major projects, Operational and programme delivery, Strategic centre of government

Department(s): Cabinet Office

Published:
4 Sep 2020

Autumn 2020

Improving Broadband

The government has made broadband internet provision a policy priority, citing significant benefits to the UK economy. In 2010 the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport launched its Superfast Broadband programme to support the roll out of high speed internet (download speeds of at least 24Mbps) to the hardest to reach areas in the … Read more

Posted 15 July 2020 in: Arts, media and sport, Digital Government, Infrastructure

Performance Improvement area(s): Managing major projects

Contact:

NAO Press Office
+44 (0)20 7798 7400 or email pressoffice@nao.org.uk

Carrier Strike – Preparing for deployment

This report examines the MoD’s management of the programme since 2017 and the risks towards achieving Carrier Strike’s full capabilities.

Sector(s): National security

Performance Improvement area(s): Commercial capability and contract management, Cost reduction and affordability, Managing major projects

Department(s): Ministry of Defence

Published:
26 Jun 2020

Managing PFI assets and services as contracts end

This report provides information on managing PFI contracts when they end and considers whether government is preparing for expiry appropriately.

Sector(s): Central Finance and Treasury, Local services, Regulation, consumers and competition

Performance Improvement area(s): Commercial capability and contract management, Financial and service sustainability, Infrastructure finance, Local service delivery, Managing assets and liabilities, Managing major projects, Oversight of service delivery, Performance measurement

Department(s): Cabinet Office, HM Treasury

Published:
5 Jun 2020

Overview of the UK government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

This report provides a summary of the UK government’s response to COVID-19 to date.

Sector(s): Central Finance and Treasury, Health and social care

Performance Improvement area(s): COVID-19, Financial and service sustainability, Financial management, Managing major projects

Department(s): Cabinet Office, HM Treasury

Published:
21 May 2020

Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme

This report looks at the Restoration and Renewal Programme to identify potential risks and recommend how these may be addressed.

Sector(s): Infrastructure, Parliament

Performance Improvement area(s): Managing major projects, Operational and programme delivery

Published:
24 Apr 2020

High Speed Two: A progress update

This report examines whether DfT
and HS2 Ltd have protected value for money so far in their stewardship of HS2.

Sector(s): Infrastructure, Transport

Performance Improvement area(s): Commercial capability and contract management, Managing major projects, Operational and programme delivery

Department(s): Department for Transport

Published:
24 Jan 2020

Managing infrastructure projects on nuclear-regulated sites

This report examines the Ministry of Defence’s management of its large and complex infrastructure projects at nuclear-regulated sites.

Sector(s): Infrastructure, National security

Performance Improvement area(s): Commercial capability and contract management, Managing major projects

Department(s): Ministry of Defence

Published:
10 Jan 2020

Framework to review programmes

Setting out questions we ask when reviewing programmes, this updated framework gives new examples of good practice and lessons learnt.

Sector(s): Government, efficiency and transparency

Performance Improvement area(s): Managing major projects

Published:
23 Apr 2019

A memorandum on the Crossrail programme

This memorandum sets out background information about the Crossrail programme and the current position

Sector(s): Infrastructure, Transport

Performance Improvement area(s): Financial management, Managing major projects

Department(s): Department for Transport

Published:
28 Feb 2019