Further to the issues raised with the Departmental Planning Round process, there were a number of further concerns raised around the level of complexity and ultimate value of the equipment procurement planning process as it is currently carried out:
• information is compiled at a very detailed level of disaggregation (cf., c.1,500 Resource Account Codes) which is too granular for sensible scrutiny beyond the first year;
• it is very difficult to generate "what if" scenarios over the medium and longer term, other than via the detailed Options process incorporated in the annual Planning Rounds;
• the process for prioritisation of expenditure, and principles by which expenditure will be prioritised, is not clear (especially beyond the largest projects); and
• the base information is not coded or linked in most useful ways to allow easier analysis of the plan, e.g.,
- "committed" vs. "uncommitted" expenditure; and
- support and capital for capabilities not clearly linked.
There was also a general feeling, consistent with that regarding the Planning Round process, that the process was so cumbersome and time consuming and the affordability issues so critical, that the EPP had become a year round activity (rather than the originally proposed biennial process) consuming significant departmental resources both in the MoD Capability Sponsor and DE&S.