Assessing departmental capabilities

3.3  PCRs were designed by the OGC to independently assess departments' procurement leadership; skills development and deployment; and systems and processes of a department commercial unit. The assessments were performed by independent teams, based on interviews with commercial staff and senior civil servants within a department. On completion, the department must produce an improvement plan setting out how it intends to address any weaknesses identified. The result of the PCR and the department's proposed response are then published. All government departments were assessed between January 2007 and April 2009.

3.4  Commercial directors have told us that PCRs have successfully assessed skills levels within their departments and raised awareness of commercial issues at board level within departments. The OGC proposes that the second wave of PCRs will be conducted by departments themselves. Some commercial directors, however, are concerned that the absence of objective rigour would reduce the PCR's impact on departments' senior management.