2.3 The OGC's PCRs found general weaknesses in commercial skills across all central government departments, although with some degree of variation. Similarly, the NAO and the PAC have regularly reported that a lack of commercial capability and capacity in project teams has put at risk value for money on complex government projects. We are publishing separately on the NAO website a summary of references by the NAO and the PAC on commercial skills issues (Appendix 2: www.nao.org.uk/commercialskills09_examples). We have used some of these examples to illustrate the way that a shortage of commercial skills can impact on the value for money of a complex project. In many cases, departments have subsequently taken steps to address the weaknesses identified by the NAO, the PAC or in their PCRs.
2.4 We have used a number of methods to gather further evidence on the current extent to which commercial capability and capacity impact on the value for money of complex government projects. These include a survey of all 16 departmental commercial directors (or equivalents) and interviews with advisors and private sector partners (Appendix 1).