Recommendation 127

In our Report on DE&S we recommended that: • The MOD should engage with industry at an earlier stage, particularly on future requirements and their feasibility; • The MOD should consider the implications of the shortage of skilled and experienced workers and draw up a plan to help develop and foster the defence workforce over the next 10 years; • The MOD and the Treasury should provide a clearer definition of social value in defence contracting, specifying how the criteria will be applied in procurement competitions; • The Front Line Commands and DE&S should aim for a ‘spiral development’ model as default rather than over-specifying requirements; • The procurement system should place more emphasis on the value of time in relation to the delivery of capabilities; • The MOD should explore with HM Treasury whether there could be greater flexibility around budgetary cycles, moving from fixed one-year funding to multi-year funding of procurement programmes.260