National Savings & Investments’ Business Transformation Programme

Set out clearly the governance structure required to deliver the Programme. As part of this, NS&I should update and communicate its terms of references for all boards to clarify which decisions are made by which board. NS&I should also work to embed its new risk management framework in the operations of its teams and projects.

HM Treasury should: ensure it sets out clearly its expectations of the role of NS&I?s Board and its own role, in providing oversight of a complex programme of this nature.

(NS&I should) Develop a realistic plan for completing the Programme. This should contain: ? a clear statement of the Programme scope, what it is trying to achieve, and how it will become business as usual; ? a detailed end-to-end design that helps NS&I to resolve its solution gaps; ? robust scenario and contingency planning to reflect any further challenges that may arise and potential cost and timetable overruns; and ? revised estimates of the benefits of the Programme and when these will be achieved, including the detailed criteria NS&I will use to judge whether the programme has been successful.

(NS&I should) Enhance and implement its overall approach to contract management of its suppliers. It should clearly link this approach to its management of risks relating to interactions with suppliers, and to skills planning to ensure it has suitable experienced people in place to manage contracts effectively.

(NS&I should) Ensure it has sufficient resource to re-procure the ?new? supplier contracts. It should also prepare for the Atos contract?s expiry in March 2028. This preparation work should form part of the wider commercial strategy. As part of this process, NS&I should undertake a ?lessons learned? exercise drawing experiences from competitions it has run to date.

(NS&I should) Decide on a clear and collaborative approach to engagement with user departments on the future of its business-to-business services. NS&I should play a leading role in co-ordinating a cross-government plan to ensure that an NS&I exit from these services would not disrupt scheme delivery. This can be undertaken as part of a refresh of its wider stakeholder engagement strategy and plans.

(NS&I should) Develop a comprehensive plan for the skills and workforce needed to deliver the Programme and continue to run its existing services in the short, medium and long term. This should include consideration of the balance between in house and external capability. It should also review its longer-term plans for systems integration before its current contract with Capgemini ends.

(NS&I should) Set out clearly the governance structure required to deliver the Programme. As part of this, NS&I should update and communicate its terms of references for all boards to clarify which decisions are made by which board. NS&I should also work to embed its new risk management framework in the operations of its teams and projects.

(NS&I should) Review the information and data it uses to understand, monitor and report progress, costs and risks associated with the Programme. This should include a stronger, more proactive role for NS&I?s Finance function within the Programme governance structure and activities, and actions to strengthen the quality and consistency across NS&I of financial information prepared and reported.

(NS&I should) Introduce a systematic process for collating, categorising and monitoring progress against all recommendations from external reviews. It should use this to help it identify lessons for the rest of the Programme.