This document discusses challenges with major projects in the UK and Northern Ireland public sectors. It notes that major projects are high-risk and failure is highly visible. It then outlines Northern Ireland's experience, including an increased infrastructure budget, gateway reviews for high-risk projects, and achievement of construction excellence. Several major projects delivered are listed. Key themes discussed include prioritizing infrastructure, appointing a finance minister, establishing a centralized procurement agency, increasing future project visibility, speeding up approvals, reporting on performance, and improving procurement effectiveness.

1. Programmes & Projects
Challenges within the NI
Public Sector
Des Armstrong
Director, CPD

2. GB Experience
• Major Projects
– Large scale
– Innovative
– Reliant on complex relationships
• Range of stakeholders
• Suppliers & contractors
– High risk
– Failure is high profile

3. GB Experience
• Major Projects Authority
– Portfolio of major projects
– Integrated assurance plan
• Good project management in place?
• Skills capability & capacity of the delivery team
– Improve the success rate of major projects
• Highlight issues before they are out of control
• Success rate moved from 30% to 70%

4. NI Experience
• ISNI
– Stepped increase in infrastructure spend
– Capital budget 2014/15 - > £1 billion
• Gateway Review Process
– High risk projects
– Projects > £20 millions
• Project governance
• Achieving Excellence in Construction NI

5. Projects Delivered
• Belfast Sewers Project
• M1/ Westlink upgrade
• PRONI
• South West Acute Hospital
• Giants Causeway Visitor Centre
• Belfast Streets Ahead

6. Delivery Environment
• Executive in coalition
• ‘Demand’ v ‘Supply’ budget
– Infrastructure deficit
• Economy
– Balance between public & private sectors
• Wide range of stakeholders
• Zero tolerance of failure

7. Delivery Environment
• ‘The Intelligent Client’
– Government Clients with ongoing
programmes
– Government Clients with one-offs
– Non-government Clients – public funding
• Ongoing programmes
• One-offs
• Multiple funding arrangements

8. Project Leadership
• Senior Responsible Owner (SRO)
– Delivery focus
– Constructive challenge
– ‘The bigger picture’
– Values project management
– Provides governance & control
– Engages & manages stakeholders
– Builds the delivery team

9. Project Management
• Investment Decision Maker (IDM)
• Senior Responsible Owner (SRO)
• Programme Directors (external)
• Project Managers/Client Advisors
• Technical/ Commercial Advisors
• Integrated project teams
• No PPM profession!

10. Partnership Working
• Government & Industry to work in
partnership
• Committed to continuous improvement for
mutual benefit
• A world class industry – very capable
• Drive out poor practice
– Payments to supply chain
– Sub-economic tendering
– Health & safety

11. Partnership Working
• Actions for Recovery – CIGNI
• Infrastructure – investing in our future –
CBI
• Strategic Review of the Commissioning
and Delivery System for Major
Infrastructure Projects – CPD/SIB

12. Key Themes
• Priority projects – key to the economy
• Finance Minister for infrastructure
• Centralised procurement & delivery
agency
• Visibility of future projects & workload
• Speeding up decision-making & approvals
• Reporting on progress and performance
• Make procurement effective

13. Key Considerations
• Industry information requirements
– ISNI portal/ project pipeline
• Transparency of performance
• Skills and capability
– Project management skills
• Centralise or drive improvement through
existing structures
• Improve the business case process
• Improve the procurement process