2.21 In January 2013 the Committee expressed concern that taxpayers were bearing the financial risks of delays and cost increases, as all bar one of the major projects at the site involved a cost reimbursement contract between Sellafield Limited and its subcontractors. The Committee recommended that the Authority should determine how and when it will have achieved sufficient certainty to expect Sellafield Limited to transfer risk down the supply chain on individual projects and then to reconsider its contracting approach for the site as a whole. The Authority reports that it is still aiming to complete its intended review of procurement and contracting across the Sellafield programme by December 2015, to identify the scope for transfer of delivery risk to the private sector. It reports that it has taken a first step by identifying where work is sufficiently certain to support transfer of more delivery risk to the supply chain in its assurance of the 2014 performance plan.
2.22 In November 2013 Nuclear Management Partners confirmed to the Committee of Public Accounts that there was scope for improvement within Sellafield Limited in project management, business case preparation and cost estimation, procurement strategy, supply chain management, design capability and engineering. The Authority told the Committee it would monitor the performance of Sellafield Limited and Nuclear Management Partners against the updated 2014 lifetime plan and an 'excellence plan'. These plans set out Nuclear Management Partners' expectations for Sellafield Limited. The Authority also set specific measures and targets for 2014-15 in areas including performance on site, capability improvements and to maintain very good safety performance. Of 27 success criteria that the Authority set Sellafield Limited, the Authority is forecasting that Sellafield Limited's performance will be 'excellent' in 5, 'good' in 8 and 'adequate' in 13. One milestone - the appointment of a director in charge of security - was missed, but this post has now been filled.