Today’s report, which is the National Audit Office’s first on the preparations for London 2012, identifies six main risk areas which may impact on the Games: Delivering the Games against an immovable deadline. The need for strong governance and delivery structures given the multiplicity of organisations and groups involved in the Games. The requirement for […]
IT services are crucial for HM Revenue & Customs’ business. In its procurement of the £3 billion IT outsourcing contract, ASPIRE, the Department secured competition for a contract which meets its IT needs, and completed the transfer to the new supplier Capgemini without loss of service to customers. The Department secured the competition by contributing […]
The Highways Agency successfully transferred to the private sector the risks associated with procuring a digital information system for England’s motorway network. The procurement lasted five years, however, over twice as long as the Agency originally expected, and two well qualified potential bidders dropped out during a 17 month short listing process, leaving just two […]
This paper draws together evidence on the current landscape of charity regulation and the charity sector more generally. It was prepared for the Public Administration Select Committee.
Sure Start Children’s Centres are valued by most of the families who use them, according to the National Audit Office. The families reached by children’s centres are some of the most disadvantaged, though the early signs are that more still needs to be done to reach and support some of the most excluded groups. The […]
This interim report provides an overview of test and trace services for addressing COVID-19 in England.
The Government’s investment in large scientific facilities is starting to deliver a significant programme including such projects as the research ship RRS James Cook and the Diamond Synchrotron light source, according to an NAO report published today. Some project teams, however, have significantly underestimated the likely running costs of facilities and more attention needs to […]
The NAO has concluded in a new report published today that the tendering process for PFI projects needs improvement. During 2004-2006, PFI projects took an average of almost three years (34 months) to tender. Although there was substantial variation between sectors with schools, in particular, taking significantly less time to close deals (25 months), the […]
This study examines the government’s support for bus services and whether enablers to improve bus services are in place.
The Identity and Passport Service has successfully completed its project to introduce electronic passports, or ePassports, on time and to the required international standards. However, longer term risks to value for money remain because of the newness of the technology and unknown performance of border control readers in high-volume situations, a National Audit Office report […]
We investigated the performance of the MoD’s military flying training system
Each year the 384 further education colleges in England spend £1.6 billion on a range of goods and services from books and stationery to examination fees and energy bills. Some colleges recognise the benefits of introducing more efficient and effective processes, but many need to improve their processes substantially, and could contribute to plans to […]
This page is part of our decommissioning toolkit. If decommissioning is to be successful, certain skills and competencies need to be in place, namely: change management skills; stakeholder management skills; and commissioning skills. Change management skills Like effective commissioning, decommissioning is a change process and requires a range of competencies and skills associated with managing […]
This report examines whether DfT
and HS2 Ltd have protected value for money so far in their stewardship of HS2.
Carillion going into liquidation left two new hospitals unfinished. The projects will now be completed with public finance.
The Strategic Rail Authority successfully managed the termination of Connex South Eastern’s franchise after the SRA lost confidence in the company’s financial management, according to the National Audit Office. Taxpayers’ interests were largely protected and passenger services maintained. But this case did highlight lessons for the awarding and managing of franchises. In June 2003, the […]
This report examines the condition and capacity of HM Prison and Probation Service’s prison estate.
This report examines the causes of the cost increases and delays to the Crossrail programme.
This page is part of our successful commissioning toolkit. This section summarises sections on risk management in “Intelligent Monitoring: an Element of Financial Relationships with Third Sector Organisations” published by the National Audit Office in 2009. What is risk management? Any financial agreement carries some risk [Note 1]. Manage risk, do not seek to eliminate it. […]