1.15 In October 2013 the Cabinet Office wrote to all central government departments asking them to provide assurance on their contract management capability. The cross-government review subsequently required departments to set out plans by March 2014 for how they would improve their contract management. All departments have submitted their plans except HM Treasury, which was not asked to submit a plan as it has few operational contracts. All accepted the need for improvement. The major spending departments - the Department for Work & Pensions, the Ministry of Defence, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice - are the most advanced in their change programmes. We have published a detailed review of the responses of the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice in our accompanying report.22 Emerging best practice in cross-organisational contract management is shown in Figure 5.
1.16 HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office are undertaking commercial capability reviews of all departments. This will allow central government to check progress on enhancing commercial capability, including on contract management. The first reviews have begun with the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.
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22 Comptroller and Auditor General, Transforming contract management in the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office, Session 2014-15, HC 268, National Audit Office, September 2014.