The Procurement Award Shortlist

The Work Programme Team, Department for Work and Pensions

The Work Programme has transformed the way in which the government supports people on out-of-work benefits in Great Britain. It provides contracted employment support, delivered by the best of private, public and voluntary sector to a range of customers who are long-term unemployed.

Rolling out nationally in June this year, the programme has been designed and delivered in just over a year following the General Election in May 2010, which represents a step change in the efficiency with which government is able to deliver national programmes of this scale. This required a real cultural change in challenging the norms of how we develop and implement policy. Staff across DWP worked together, closing down programmes, ensuring staff and providers were aware of the cessations, working on contracts, determining any legal and HR implications, guidance and communications.

Through effective governance the procurment exercise was expertly managed, delivered ahead of time, on-budget; additional savings of £250m, ensuring risks were addressed, experience and lessons from other projects were utilised and clear reporting lines existed.

In designing and delivering the programme, the Department has created an initiative that we expect to deliver a better service to customers, with a reduction in costs to the taxpayer, achieving better for less. At the heart of delivering this programme has been our innovative procurement approach, which is now seen by the Efficiency and Reform Group as an exemplar across government.