ARMED FORCES RECRUITING PROGRAMME

Rating: Compared to financial year 24/25 Q4, the NISTA/SRO Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA) rating at 25/26 Q4 remained at Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. 1.The level of risk being carried with respect to the novel collaborative delivery of technical solution and data migration. 2. Delivery of some aspects of the service not progressing as initially planned, requiring joint risk mitigation and re-planning to be pursued. 3. Continued challenges in aggregating information to allow for improved tracking of progress against the delivery of this complex programme.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the project's end-date at 25/26-Q4 remained the same at 30/04/2028. This is primarily due to the following factors. 1. Timely approval of the Full Business Case and contract let with Team Serco that includes a phased transition from the contract becoming effective in April 2025 and allowing to progress to Full Solution Implementation in October 2027.

Cost: Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 25/26-Q4 has marginally increased from £194.96M to £195.05M. This is primarily due to the following factors. 1. The WLC figures include the Feasibility, Assessment and Transition phases. The funding for the Assessment phase reflected an earlier approval of funding plus civilian workforce costs which are not included in the original Approved Budgetary Level. 2. The AFRP Full Business Case was approved 31 January 2025 providing endorsement of a revised baseline of £2,258M for a 2-year transition period, 7 year core delivery contract and 3 x potential option years. £135.1M of this approval relates to the programme transition years, which have been included in the reported figures.

Source: NISTA Major Projects Annual Report 2025-26 (data)

Rating: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 remained at AMBER. This is primarily due to the following factors. The most recent Assurance Review (October 24) focused on confirming that the recommended investment decision in the Full Business Case is appropriate. This resulted in an Amber rating, consistent with the previous review (October 23).

Schedule: Section 43 - Commercial interests

Cost: Section 43 - Commercial interests

Source: NISTA Annual Report 2024-25 (data)

Rating: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the Infrastructure and Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 remained at Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. The most recent IPA review (October 2023) resulted in an Amber rating. Progress against required actions related to governance and confirming delivery timescales was achieved in advance of this review and enabled a focus on business readiness to transition to the new service from Contract Award, April 2025. All recommended actions are now being undertaken by the programme team ahead of a provisional Gateway 3 Review in September 2024.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's end-date at 23/24-Q4 remained scheduled to finish on 2028-04-30. This is primarily due to the following factors. AFRP gained approval (June 2023) during the assessment phase through Review Note 2 to extend competitive dialogue, subsequent to this, the programme has established an updated plan that includes a phased contract transition from Contract Award (CA) in April 2025 through to October 2027. The programme is on track against this revised baseline, with key future activities being evaluation and moderation of final bids, leading into Full Business Case Approvals ahead of CA in April 2025.

Cost: Exempt under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Commercial Interests) - Commercial interests.

Source: IPA Annual Report 2023-24 (data)