4.1 Having sufficient staff with the right skills is crucial for managing contracts and programmes effectively but is a long-standing problem for the Ministry of Defence (the Department), even though the cost of such personnel is small compared to the programmes they deliver. This part looks at:
• how shortages in suitably qualified and experienced personnel (SQEP) hinder delivery of contracts;
• why these problems persist, and what the Department is doing to address them; and
• the challenges faced by senior responsible owners (SROs) and senior team members.