Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 35
35
Accepted
Government Commercial Function actively improves departmental performance through workshops and learning.
Conclusion
We asked how government is going to improve performance of all departments. The GCF told us that it is considering how to monitor capability through standards, and then benchmarking and workshops. The GCF said that central government has a very active learning and development programme, which is where it gets the best people from the public sector to come and talk to colleagues about the things that they are doing well. The 54 Q 70 55 C&AG’s Report, para 2 56 C&AG’s Report, para 17 57 Q 79 58 Q 81 59 Committee of Public Accounts, Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme, Twenty-Seventh Report of Session 2021– 22, HC 635, 1 December 2021, recommendation 5 Competition in public procurement 17 GCF commented that it has around 35,000 people signed up for its learning modules. The GCF told us it used to run four or five workshops a year before covid-19 with 50 people attending. The GCF said it has now learned how to work online and get about 500 people attending every week for workshops that are driving up adherence to standards.60
Government Response Summary
The government confirms the recommendation is implemented, detailing its four-part learning and development programme for the new Procurement Act, which includes knowledge drops, e-learning, interactive webinars, and communities of practice, to improve capabilities and adherence to standards.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation Recommendation implemented It is currently anticipated that the new regime in the Procurement Act 2023 will go-live in October 2024 following an implementation period of 6 months post the laying of secondary legislation. The Cabinet Office has set out its plan for transition between the regimes and is already rolling out a series of learning interventions to train contracting authority buyers on what the new legislative framework is and how to use it. More information on transforming public procurement is available on Gov.UK. The learning and development is intended to be free at the point of access and has been centrally funded by the government to end FY 23/24.There are four interventions planned: a) a series of recorded ‘knowledge drops’ watchable videos approximately 45 minutes in length, providing an overview of all of the changes in legislation are aimed at non-commercial leaders, professions and others (incl. suppliers) needing a general level of awareness of the new legislation. They launched in December 2023 targeted at an expected audience of up to 60,000 individuals. As of 5 January 2024, over 8,000 knowledge drop views had been recorded b) a self-guided e-learning programme comprising 10 one-hour modules with a separate certification module is the core learning product available to all procurement and commercial staff, estimated to be 20,000 individuals at skilled and advanced buyer level. The course provides a comprehensive grounding on the new legislation and will be launched in March 2024 c) an instructor-led three day course of interactive ‘deep dive’ webinars allows learners to engage with subject matter experts and gain deeper insight across the full spectrum of the legislative change and supports “hearts and minds” change. The course is aimed at advanced buyers, expected to be 7,500 to 9,000 individuals, and is planned to be launched in May 2024, running for 58 weeks to allow up to 9,000 individuals to attend. d) communities of practice which provide a system of collective critical inquiry and reflection into the legislative changes. The communities will support individuals helping them to embed what they have learned. Aimed at a mixture of skilled and advanced buyers, circa 11,000, the product is planned to be launched in May 2024 and will run for 18 months. We will enlist the support of the Civil Service Board underlined at Civil Service Learning sessions to ensure full participation by non-commercial colleagues. In addition to the comprehensive Learning and Development offer, workstreams under the programme are developing the central digital platform which will be essential to issuing new notices under the Act and creating Review Unit which will be established to monitor compliance with the act and investigate suppliers to the public sector.