Recommendation 34

The NAO found that government will need to adopt wide–ranging changes to how it approaches digital commercial activity, which reflect the changing reality of technology markets. For example, it will need to understand its negotiation levers more fully, understand more clearly how the centre of government and departments can work together, and focus more on developing requirements in advance of contract awards.59 The Cabinet Office told us that government “underestimate[s] quite often” the pace at which technology moves on, and as a result comes up with quite static requirements. It accepted that it had not built agility into the way in which contracts move with the technology.60 57 Qq 28–29 58 Qq 28–29 59 C&AG’s Report, paras 10, 12, 14, 17 60 Q 27 21