CAF External Feedback

The application of the CAF model provides organisations with an effective system for initiating a process of continuous improvement of their performance. As this process requires considerable effort, public sector organisations wanted to see the results of their hard work and therefore sought meaningful feedback. Based on this demand, the idea emerged to create the External Feedback on CAF Implementation — a mechanism supporting the introduction of Total Quality Management (TQM) through the CAF model, designed for CAF users and for all organisations striving to achieve long-term excellence.

The creation of the CAF External Feedback Model and the CAF Effective User Label was the result of close collaboration between the Member States involved in the implementation of the CAF model at national level and within the European CAF Resource Centre at EIPA. The main contribution to their development came from the Working Group on Public Administration Innovation, composed of representatives from Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Slovenia and the European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA), supported by the European Foundation for Quality Management.

The CAF External Feedback Procedure is based on six general principles:

1. The CAF External Feedback Procedure is a common European framework implemented within national contexts on a voluntary basis.
2. It promotes feedback on the implementation of the CAF model and its impact on the organisation.
3. The feedback is provided by peers and/or external assessors.
4. The CAF External Feedback Procedure leads to the Effective CAF User (ECU) label, which is valid for two years.
5. It is built upon three pillars: the self-assessment process, the improvement process, and the organisation’s TQM maturity (a broader understanding of excellence).
6. The decision and responsibility for implementing the CAF External Feedback Procedure at national level lies with each Member State.

Objectives of the CAF External Feedback Procedure

In response to the needs and types of requirements expressed by CAF users across different EU Member States, the CAF External Feedback Procedure aims to achieve the following objectives:

1. To support the quality of CAF implementation and its impact on the organisation.
2. To determine whether the organisation is integrating TQM values as a result of implementing the CAF model.
3. To encourage and revitalise enthusiasm for continuous improvement within the organisation.
4. To promote peer assessment and bench learning.
5. To recognise organisations that have embarked on their journey of continuous improvement and to encourage them to achieve excellence effectively, without evaluating the level of excellence already attained.
6. To support the involvement of CAF users in the European Foundation for Quality Management’s (EFQM®) Levels of Excellence.

Eligibility for the CAF External Feedback Procedure

A public organisation may apply for the CAF External Feedback Procedure if it meets the following conditions:

• The organisation has implemented the CAF model and submitted its self-assessment report for approval by the management.
• The organisation is registered as a CAF user in the European Database of CAF Users, hosted by EIPA.
• The organisation is registered as a CAF user in the Slovak CAF Users Database.

The National Organiser of the CAF External Feedback Procedure in the Slovak Republic is the Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing (ÚNMS SR).

Note: The application for the CAF External Feedback Procedure should be submitted no earlier than six months and no later than twelve months after the CAF self-assessment has been carried out (based on the date when the self-assessment report was approved by the organisation’s management).

The fee for participating in the CAF External Feedback Procedure is as follows:

• € 1,900 – for organisations applying for the CAF External Feedback for the first time, or for those whose previous CAF External Feedback assessment took place more than three years ago.
• € 950 – for organisations that have been continuously implementing the CAF model and are applying for a repeated CAF External Feedback assessment within three years from the last awarding of the Effective CAF User label.

For download:

CAF External Feedback brochure

Number of currently valid Effective CAF User titles in the Slovak Republic
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Number of awarded Effective CAF User label in the years 2011 – 2025
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An overview of organisations that have been awarded the Effective CAF User label in the Slovak Republic can be found in the Slovak Database of CAF Users (available in Slovak only).