Major Projects Authority

The Major Projects Authority (MPA) works with HM Treasury and other government departments to provide independent assurance on major projects. It also supports colleagues across departments to build skills and improve the way we manage and deliver projects. The MPA is part of the Efficiency and Reform Group in the Cabinet Office.

On 1 January 2016 the MPA merged with Infrastructure UK to form a new organisation, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.

Responsibilities

We assure, support and report on the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP), which covers around 200 major projects with a total whole life cost approaching £500 billion.

Major projects are defined as those which:

  • require spending over and above departmental expenditure limits
  • require primary legislation
  • are innovative or contentious

Main components of the MPA’s work

The MPA has a clear and enforceable mandate from the Prime Minister to:

  • draw up the Government Major Projects Portfolio
  • request, review and approve integrated assurance and approval plans for each major project or programme
  • carry out assurance reviews where there is cause for concern
  • intervene directly, where appropriate, in the delivery of major projects that are failing by providing commercial and operational support
  • work with departments to build skills and expertise in projects and programme management
  • publish an annual report on major projects

The mandate also outlines action to be taken be departments.

Priorities

Our priorities are:

  • Capability – build and develop a group of experienced project leaders, who can move across government to deliver to deliver our most important projects
  • Profession – ensure that the civil service is known for its excellence in project delivery
  • Strategic prioritisation and front end loading – work with project teams to actively engage decision makers about starting projects and managing portfolios
  • Challenge, assure and support – provide expert advice and support to departments to help deliver major projects
  • Alignment – give project teams with the space to ’get on and do’ in a project environment within agreed tolerances

MPA publications

MPA annual reports show the progress made on the projects included in the GMPP. Read the MPA’s second annual report, published in May 2014.

Assurance Reviewer guidance explains how to become a reviewer.

The MPA’s Integrated Assurance toolkit for departments outlines the MPA’s project assurance activities.

Contact details

publiccorrespondence@cabinetoffice.gov.uk