Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Accepted
Centre of Excellence to be fully staffed with 24 digital experts by March 2025
Recommendation
The Cabinet Office said that the next step will be to fully staff up resource for the Centre of Excellence in DSIT and ensure that it has the capacity across digital and commercial teams to operate, which would be taking place in March 2025. It explained that the Centre of Excellence will have 24 digital experts, jointly working to both DSIT and the Cabinet Office to undertake all of the combined activities needed to fulfil the expectations for it that we were told about. The Cabinet Office told us that its expectation was the Centre of Excellence would be the “powerhouse” of a partnership between the two Departments, and that it would rely heavily on the input and expertise of GDS to develop the tools needed for the commercial function.23 21 Qq 28, 38 22 Letter from the Cabinet Office, 13 March 2025 23 Qq 5, 7, 15, 20, 23, 27–29, 38, 41 13 2 Actions to build and make use of digital commercial skills Addressing the skills challenge
Government Response Summary
The government states the recommendation has been implemented, with the Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence (DCCoE) already launched as a joint team between the Cabinet Office and DSIT. The DCCoE is now working to formalise roles and responsibilities and leverage existing skills across government.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
1.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 1.2 The Cabinet Office and DSIT have launched the Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence (DCCoE) as a joint co-funded team, housed in DSIT and reporting to the Government Chief Technology Officer. The team is now working at pace to address and deliver the recommendations contained within this report as set out below. 1.3 The DCCoE is working to formalise the roles and responsibilities between digital teams and commercial teams when managing supplier relationships, ensuring that we leverage the functional model, and existing skills and capabilities across government.