Advancing the Profession Award

Project Delivery Professional Excellence Team, HMRC
HMRC's Project Delivery Professional Excellence Team has made a real difference to the way HMRC delivers projects – for the better. They've exceeded their accreditation target, reaching 860 accredited project delivery professionals and aiming for 900 by 2024/25, while a new process for capturing project role data has reduced costs and contractor reliance. The team has centralised recruitment, creating consistent job specifications and assessment strategies, cutting hiring time by over 20 days. They've also developed an efficient reassignment process, reducing average assignment time from 55 to 15 days. Through various learning events, the team has promoted accreditation and professional development, fostering a culture of continuous improvement among HMRC's 2,700 PD professionals. These achievements have established HMRC's project delivery function as a leader in Government Project Delivery.

 

Digital and Transformation Project of the Year Award

National Underground Asset Register, Geospatial Commission, DSIT 
The Geospatial Commission, in collaboration with AtkinsRéalis and partners, has developed the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) to address the significant challenges associated with underground infrastructure management in the UK. This digital map provides instant, secure access to asset location data across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, reducing data retrieval time from 6.1 days to 6 seconds.
NUAR aims to streamline data-sharing, reduce risks of asset strikes, and promote efficient management of underground assets. The project overcame substantial challenges, including engaging with over 600 asset owners, standardising diverse data formats, and ensuring data security. The team developed tools and APIs to manage and automate the data transformation process, adhering to government security standards.
The NUAR MVP is now live, providing access to data from over 230 organisations. Once fully operational by 2025, it is expected to deliver at least £400 million per annum in economic growth. The project has garnered international attention and contributes to global standards for underground data management.

 

Project Delivery Inclusion Award

Alexandra Needham, FCDO
Alex's project to deepen co-operation on diversity and equality in the Czech Republic has made significant strides in addressing inequalities and promoting inclusivity in Czech society. By integrating various initiatives focused on LGBT rights, gender equality, Roma issues, and female representation into a cohesive campaign, Alex has successfully championed diversity and inclusion within the diplomatic community in Prague.
Key achievements include publishing high-impact op-eds and interviews, conducting a baseline study on women in Czech media, supporting Prague Pride, and engaging with Czech MPs on equal marriage legislation. These efforts have led to tangible results, including the introduction of stronger legislation for same-sex partners' rights and a perceptible shift in media approaches to gender balance.
Alex's innovative approach, which involved collaborating with stakeholders from government, business, and civil society, has established the Embassy as a leader in promoting diversity and inclusion among the diplomatic community in Prague. Her work has gone beyond her job description, securing positive change that aligns with core Civil Service values and contributing to significant legislative progress.

 

Project Delivery Innovation Award

RAAC Asset Assessment Programme, Environment Agency, Defra 
The Environment Agency's Operational Assets Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) Assessment Programme team has developed an innovative, data-driven approach to assess the risk of RAAC in over 500,000 operational assets. Using available data and a qualitative scoring system, the team created a robust screening process to identify assets requiring inspection. This method significantly reduced the number of necessary inspections from over 500,000 to just 246. The programme utilised collaborative working methods and a web-based platform for real-time data interaction and clear dashboard reporting. Development of filtering criteria, assessment and validation procedures and survey assessments were needed – integrating all of this into one platform created a single source of truth. This efficient approach allowed for rapid, consistent assessment while minimising impact on regular operations. The success of this "National Once" delivery model has led to considerations for its use in future asset management programmes, such as bridge inspections and asbestos management, demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing risk in a targeted, proportional, and cost-effective manner.

 

Project Delivery Award

Building Peace and Stability in the Philippines' Bangsamoro, UK ISF, British Embassy, Manila 
The UK has played a crucial role in mediating peace between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, supporting the implementation of the Bangsamoro peace agreement, which serves as a model for international peace efforts. This programme has successfully transformed rebels into parliamentarians, empowered Muslim women in politics and peacebuilding, and given communities a voice in post-conflict policy-making. The project sought to ensure the success of the peace process went beyond the agreement that was signed in 2019. To do this, it focused on training former rebels to run the new government, ensuring women's participation in peace processes, and enabling community influence on policies for lasting peace. Working in conflict zones and rebel camps, the team collaborated with various partners to deliver these objectives. Key achievements include establishing an 80-member parliament led by former combatants, drafting a Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, and certifying 127 former women combatants as peace builders. The programme has also supported the amnesty process and identity recognition for former rebels, distributing birth certificates to 6,500 individuals, thus empowering them to participate in politics and access vital services.

 

Project Delivery Rising Star Award (G7 and below)

Rebecca Rice, MHCLG
Rebecca, after transitioning from primary-school teaching to project delivery, has made exceptional contributions to the Electoral Integrity Programme's implementation of the Elections Act 2022 changes for the 2024 General Election. She quickly adapted to her new role in a technically complex GMPP programme, developing it into a robust elections service-delivery model under cross-Whitehall scrutiny.
Rebecca exemplifies civil service values, delivering at pace and fostering collaboration across her Directorate, wider MHCLG, other government departments, and stakeholder organisations. She has successfully managed PMO services, including secretariat duties, reporting, RAID management, and GMPP product completion. Her work on Gateway Reviews has been praised by Review Teams, and she has received recognition for her contributions to finance, risk management, and team events.
Despite being new to the field, Rebecca has already achieved Foundation-level accreditation in Project Delivery. Her commitment to collective team resilience, ability to learn quickly, and willingness to take on tasks beyond her core responsibilities have made her an invaluable team member. 

 

Project Delivery Team of the Year Award 

Fraud Reform Programme Team, Home Office 
The Home Office's Fraud Reform Programme has successfully implemented a comprehensive strategy to combat fraud, which accounts for nearly 40% of all crime in the UK. Launched in May 2023, the programme aimed to cut fraud by 10% from pre-Covid levels by the end of FY24/25. Through collaborative efforts across government departments, law enforcement, regulators, and the private sector, the programme has exceeded its target, achieving a 14% reduction in fraud as of July 2024, a year ahead of schedule.
Key achievements include the Stop! Think Fraud communications campaign, reaching 96% of the adult population, and organising the first global Fraud summit. The programme also secured commitments from technology companies to implement counter-fraud measures. Innovative approaches have led to blocking one billion scam texts and increasing law enforcement disruptions of fraudsters by 54% in the last year.
The programme's success is attributed to cross-system collaboration, exemplary leadership, and effective project management.

 

Infrastructure Project of the Year Award

Copley Flood Alleviation Scheme, Environment Agency, Defra 
The Copley Flood Alleviation Scheme (FAS) is a comprehensive project designed to protect 229 properties in Copley, West Yorkshire, from flooding. The scheme integrates engineering solutions with sustainable practices and extensive stakeholder engagement to enhance long-term community resilience against climate change. Its success is rooted in a collaborative approach involving the Environment Agency, Calderdale Council, ARUP, and BAM Nuttall. Key features include installing sheet piles along the riverbank, constructing a canal overflow structure, and improving drainage at Copley Cricket Club. The project employs innovative techniques to reduce carbon emissions, such as using EcoSheetPile+ made from recycled steel and renewable energy. The team began construction earlier than first planned in order to provide faster protection for the community, fostering strong relationships with local residents. The team's commitment to sustainability and community engagement is evident through their use of local workers, battery-powered site cabins, and a robust communications strategy. Their efforts have resulted in positive feedback from residents, who appreciate the team's approachability and efforts to minimise disruption.