The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) at the Department of Contracts
The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is a result of the co-operation
among the EU Ministers responsible for Public Administration. A pilot version was presented in May 2000 and
revised versions were launched in 2002, 2006 and 2013. The CAF is a total quality management (TQM),
easy-to-use, free tool to assist public-sector organisations across Europe in
using quality management techniques to improve their performance, whilst taking
into account their characteristics.
After a meeting, held on the 6th of January 2015, between the
Department of Contracts (DoC) and the Management Efficiency Unit (MEU), it was
decided that the CAF tool would be put in operation at the DoC in order to
support further the implementation of the recommendations emanating from the
DoC Operational Review report as drawn up by same MEU, in April 2013.
The CAF model is made up of nine different criteria as per below
diagram. Through the Self Assessment
Group (5 DoC personnel) these different criteria are individually analysed through
the use of the appropriate Enablers or Results panel, where finally a mark,
which reflects the current status of affairs at the DoC, is given.
The DoC in liaison with the MEU, held an initial CAF information session
for all DoC personnel and subsequently the five members of the Self Assessment
(SA) team were selected through an Expression for Interest call amongst all DoC
staff. The first training session for the
SA team is programmed to be held in the coming weeks.
