Recommendation 23

FCDO told us it had conducted lessons learned exercises for both the Washington and Ottawa projects and does so for all its major projects. However, FCDO does not currently record all its lessons in a single central log. FCDO told us that its portfolio management office had stopped recording lessons centrally to allow it to focus on other work but said it would restart soon.63 In the meantime, FCDO told us it has already introduced two reforms as a result of lessons learned from its Washington and Ottawa projects: • FCDO has brought in a design authority which is responsible for scrutinising the designs of all estate projects and which will authorise and sign them off as part of the project development process. 57 Q 69, C&AG’s report, para 3.5 58 C&AG’s report, paras 3.8-3.9 59 C&AG’s report, para 3.9 60 Q 71 61 C&AG’s report, para 3.9 62 Q 71 63 Qq 71, 73-74 15 • FCDO has established gateway reviews to take place at key points in the project development process, where it will invite external experts from bodies including the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) to independently review project development.64 Workforce