V The CAF external feedback

Public sector organisations which implemented the CAF can apply for the label ‘effective CAF user (ECU)’ between 6 and 12 months after the CAF self-assessment has taken place and the selfassessment report has been concluded and delivered.

The CAF External Feedback Procedure aims to achieve the following objectives: ❑ Support the quality of the CAF implementation and its impact on the organisation. ❑ Find out if the organisation is installing TQM values as the result of the CAF application. ❑ Support and renew enthusiasm in the organisation for continuous improvement. ❑ Promote peer review and benchlearning. ❑ Reward organisations that have started the journey towards continuous improvement.

To that end, it is built upon three pillars.

Pillar 1: The process of self-assessment The quality of the self-assessment serves as a basis for the success of future improvements. In the first pillar of the CAF external feedback, the quality of the self-assessment process is analysed.

Pillar 2: The process of improvement actions In the second pillar the CAF External Feedback looks into the planning procedures adopted and the process followed for the implementation of the CAF improvement actions.

Pillar 3: The TQM maturity of the organisation One of the aims of the CAF model is to guide public sector organisations closer towards the eight fundamental Principles of Excellence. Therefor the evaluation concerns the maturity level achieved by the organisation as a result of the self-assessment and the improvement process.

The CAF External Feedback Actors Qualified CAF External Feedback Actors act as evaluators. They analyse the provided documents of the applicant, interview relevant actors and stakeholders of the CAF implementation and carry out an on-site visit. Based on the collected insights the feedback is formulated and the decision for awarding the label ‘effective CAF user’ is prepared. The main tasks of the CAF External Feedback Actors are to: ❑ analyse the implementation of the CAF and the Principles of Excellence in the organisation; ❑ provide feedback and suggestions regarding the CAF implementation; ❑ support and renew enthusiasm in the organisation to work with the CAF.

To become a CAF External Feedback Actor, applicants need to participate in the common training course at national or European level.

Common guidelines for implementing the CAF External Feedback Procedure have been elaborated by the CAF network and are available at https://www.eipa.eu/portfolio/european-caf-resource-centre/. These guidelines guarantee that the evaluation processes are organised in a qualitative way and that the effective CAF user label covers a similar standard across the European Union.