Major projects authority MPA
Note: As of 1st January 2016 this unit was merged with Infrastructure UK to become the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The Major Projects Authority was part of the Cabinet Office's Efficiency and Reform Group (ERG) and replaced the Office of Government Commerce's (OGC) Major Projects Directorate.
The Major Projects Authority was established by the government to '...bring about the successful delivery of major projects across central Government by working with departments to ensure the fitness and quality of major projects throughout their life' (ref HM Treasury, Major project approval and assurance guidance).
A project is defined as a 'major project' if it meets any of the following criteria:
- It requires HM Treasury approval.
- It could lead to a breach in departmental expenditure limits.
- It involves significant levels of unplanned spending.
- It could set an expensive precedent.
At the end of 2015, when it merged with Infrastructure UK to become the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, there were approximately 200 major projects running.
[edit] Major projects procedures
Procedures set out by the Major Projects Authority are mandatory for all major projects. They focus on a series of reviews and approvals at key stages in the development of a project.
An Integrated Assurance and Approval Plan (IAAP) is prepared for a major project, setting out the review and approval process that will be adopted.
Projects will generally be reviewed at the following stages:
- Starting gate review. A starting gate review is commissioned by submitting a Risk Potential Assessment (RPA) to the Major Projects Authority.
- Strategic outline case, before any public commitments are made (this may be preceded by OGC gateway review 1 or some other project assessment review (PAR)).
- Outline business case, before OJEU notices are placed (this may be preceded by OGC gateway review 2 or some other project assessment review (PAR)).
- Full business case, before contracts are finalised (this may be preceded by OGC gateway review 3 or some other project assessment review).
- Further project assessment reviews depending on the nature of the specific project. These may follow OGC gateway reviews.
- Consequential reviews for projects that are in difficulty.
The forum for approving major projects at agreed milestones may be either a:
- Major Projects Review Group (MPRG).
- Treasury Approval Point with panel meeting.
- Treasury Approval Point without panel meeting.
The Major Projects Review Group consists of government and private sector experts, from which a panel of three or four individuals are selected to review projects that meets any of the following criteria:
- The whole life costs are over £1bn.
- They are high risk and complex.
- They set a precedent.
- They are highly innovative.
- They are 'of concern'.
Panel meetings are informed by an 'assessment team report' and a 'project and department briefing paper' produced by an assessment team as a result of a project assessment review.
The panel chair will make a recommendation to either:
Generally, the Treasury Approval Point process reviews projects outside the departmental delegated authority but below the level required for Major Projects Review Group scrutiny (usually £1bn).
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- BIM Task Group.
- Common Minimum Standards.
- Departmental Expenditure Limits DELs.
- Efficiency and Reform Group.
- Government Construction Strategy.
- Infrastructure and Projects Authority.
- Infrastructure UK.
- Infrastructure Exports: UK (IE:UK).
- International Infrastructure Support System (IISS).
- Major development.
- Major project construction contract.
- Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project initiatives reach milestone.
- Nationally significant infrastructure projects.
- OGC.
- OGC Gateway Review process.
- OJEU.
- Public procurement.
- The Green Book.
- Whole life costs.
[edit] External references.
- Major Projects Authority, Assurance Toolkit.
- HM Treasury, Major project approval and assurance guidance.
- Cabinet Office,Integrated Assurance and approvals, Lifespan of a Major Project on the Government Major Projects Portfolio.
- Cabinet Office, MPA Integrated Assurance Toolkit for Major Projects.
- Cabinet Office,Starting Gate Guidance
- Cabinet Office, Risk Potential Assessment Form
- Cabinet Office, A Guide to Planning Integrated Assurance and Approvals
- HM Treasury, Green Book. A framework for the appraisal and evaluation of all policies, programmes and projects.
Featured articles and news
Not buildings. Happy holiday from DB.
Improving government projects with data and AI
Enabling better outcomes, efficient modern delivery and influential leadership on government projects.
BSRIA Living Laboratory Innovation Challenge
Final days for submission, closing March 29.
Windows, their frames, forms, factors and functions.
The hidden subtleties of U-Value calculations
Different contexts and what to include as variables.
A brief run down with related articles.
Electrical sector calls for safer public EV charge points
Serious concerns about electrical safety in the public domain.
Building Blocks manifesto presented to parliament
Architects Declare call in for support of five critical policies.
The four elements of project management with APM
Analysis, expectations, collaborative communication and partnerships.
City of London launches Heritage Building Retrofit Toolkit
Empowering owners to initiate necessary adaptations.
Guidance on RAAC in listed buildings
Published by Purcell, endorsed by IHBC, SPAB and C20.
Learning from the past.
Reluctance to hire people with criminal convictions revealed
Employing People with Criminal Convictions Report.
Tackling unconscious bias; Women's History Month
Personal reflections, as the last week of March approaches.