Advancing the Profession Award

Ali Parish, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)
The project delivery profession was insufficiently recognised within DLUHC when Ali joined, with no GMPPs and a 100% red rating in the Delivery Confidence Assessment. Ali was tasked with urgently addressing the cultural, resourcing, and capability deficits in DLUHC project delivery - to do this, she created the Delivery Improvement Plan, which was the catalyst to start embedding a new culture and ways of working and establishing a central portfolio office. The plan led to the creation of a new PD hub for DLUHC, new governance/assurances frameworks and a targeted learning development offer. Ali's vision has vastly improved the delivery maturity, planning and delivery capabilities in DLUHC - the Delivery Confidence Assessment is now only 9% red and the department now have 11 GMPPs with much improved performance. Ali formed the ‘One DLUHC plan’ which HMT recognised as ‘excellent’ and ‘innovative’.
 

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Defence and Security Project of the Year Award

Multi Role Oceanic Surveillence Team (MROS), Ministry of Defence
Defence, Equipment and Support (DE&S) have worked at pace to successfully deliver two vessels to the Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) in record time outside of wartime. This transforms the future for rapid acquisition of ships and capability for the RN and RFA. These vessels will be crewed by the RFA and will bolster the UKs maritime mine hunting capabilities and security against threats to our critical national infrastructure.
 

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Digital and Transformation Project of the Year Award

Social Security Project Management Team, Social Security Scotland
The project team worked to increase the efficiency of processes for parents and carers looking to receive the Scottish Child Payment (SCP). They worked on automation of processes, such as evidence verification checks and decision making, to avoid lengthy applications and waiting times. To date, 183,000 families have received SCP support with over £248.6 million paid. The delivery of system automation has reduced processing times by 58% with a 95% user satisfaction score for applications whilst also resulting in efficiency savings for Social Security Scotland.
Automatic awards for Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments to eligible clients has ensured clients are awarded the payments as soon as they are eligible, without applying. For the first time since its launch in 2019, all eligible families in receipt of SCP have received the School Age Payment prior to school starting. Estimates show that SCP will reduce child poverty by 5% for 2023-24.
 

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Diversity & Inclusion Award

Programme and Project Partners at Sellafield, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
The Programme and Project Partners (PPP) model was introduced at Sellafield nuclear decomissioning site 4 years ago, bringing partners together for a partnership built on collaborative behaviour and a 'one diverse and inclusive team' approach. Performance relies heavily on inclusive behaviours and leaders are approachable and accessible. The partnership were the first non-organisation to pursue accreditation with National Centre for Diversity, completing a long assessment process measuring against specific criteria. An action plan was implemented focusing on training, growing awareness and understanding. The NCfD found evidence of very good practice with positive feedback.

 

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Infrastructure Project of the Year Award

HMP Fosse Way Project Team, HM Prison & Probation Service
The pandemic and war in Ukraine had an acute impact on construction at HMP Fosse Way, the effect on the labour market and supply chain changed the whole complexion of the delivery programme. Significant pressures on prison population meant it was crucial that the prison opened on time. Collaboration between committed, resilient teams working under pressure from MoJ Property, Commercial, HMPPS Mobilisation, prison operator and constructor meant that the prison was opened on time and on budget, providing additional safe, decent and secure prison capacity at a critical juncture. Fosse Way is a £286m 1700 capacity new prison that is a flagship part of Government’s commitment to delivery of 20k additional prison places.
 

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Project Delivery Innovation Award

National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) IT Team, NHS
Fragmented IT systems with inconsistent data structuring detrimentally impacts cancer patient outcomes, research and staff burden. Nationally, Lynch syndrome required a rapid technological solution to enable care coordination and inequality reduction. Utilising user centred design principles, the team were able to ascertain Lynch clinicians’ user requirements and quickly established a mechanism for the transfer of Lynch data directly from clinicians to end users, automatically inheriting all of NDRS’s security principles and flexible design patterns. This enabled the Lynch clinicians to complete and send validated, real-time trusted data. This new Submission Portal has provided a simple and easy to use system for capturing consistent, structured data on a national scale which previously was not possible. Being able to collect this data nationally is hugely beneficial as evidenced with the recent transformative work on Lynch syndrome to coordinate care on a national scale and reduce the inequalities we have previously seen .
 

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Project Delivery Award

Census and Data Collection Transformation Programme, Office for National Statistics (ONS)
This project will complete in March 2024 and has already delivered the majority of the projected £5bn benefits through delivering the 2021 Census and subsequent analysis. The 2021 Census was delivered agaist the backdrop of the pandemic - whilst the digitisation of the process made things easier for most, it meant that extra support was needed for people that may struggle with the technology. Additional outreach was required to ensure the accuracy of information and that 'hard to reach' areas had been accessed. The team developed accessible online support above and beyond what was expected, along with innovative outreach through social media/TV etc. The 2021 census was the most successful yet, with a response rate of 97% against a target of 94%, as well as 89% online completion against a target of 75%. This was achieved despite unprecedented circumstances.
 

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Project Delivery Team of the Year Award

Calder Valley Collaborative Delivery Team, Environment Agency
This award submission is for the Calder Collaborative Delivery Team (CDT) delivering the £250M programme of flood defence projects in the Calder Valley (18 schemes, spanning 26 miles). The team’s successful public and stakeholder engagement has led to excellent partnerships and the team’s success delivering social value enhancements internationally recognised by Mytholmroyd receiving the Landscape Institute International Awards 2022 - Excellence in Flood and Water Management. The team seeks opportunities to accelerate, and positively challenge process to achieve results fast, demonstrated by the delivery of early works opportunities. The new solution is a true partnership scheme, with the Council, community and EA all leading on different elements. The urban nature along the river results in limited space to deliver river BNG, so an innovative, collaborative research project was undertaken to address this programme risk. The result is confidence that the required river BNG units can be delivered with surplus to support the future pipeline of works & reducing carbon output. The team worked with residents, local volunteer groups and Calderdale Council, demonstrating a truly collaborative approach to finding a solution. A safe psychological environment was created that resulted in a new energy and bolder ideas.
 

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Rising Star Award (G7 and below)

Denise Tang, Home Office
When passenger numbers to the UK were increasing during COVID, visitors needed to complete a Passenger Locator Form. There was a project to digitise this form but all eGates required significant updates to enable it. Denise organised the installation of eGates at London City Airport and other locations, working on site at ports whilst most of the country worked from home, prior to a vaccine being available. She did this in a very short time period, liaising effectively with stakeholders and taking time to support her staff along the way. Over 280 gates were upgraded and many new gates were also installed. The UK was the first country to digitise this process and Denise played a significant part in that success.
 

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