CAF-Centre

The CAF Centre of KDZ is the first point of contact for all questions concerning the Common Assessment Framework (CAF). The Austrian Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sports has appointed the KDZ as the Austrian CAF Centre and is thus responsible for the information and support of CAF users and interested parties. Furthermore, the CAF -Centre of KDZ acts as international advisor for the implementation of the CAF in all public sector organisations worldwide.

CAF stands for Common Assessment Framework and provides a system for better Quality and Change in Public Administrations. With the CAF Practitioners Network the CAF Centre of KDZ hosts a format to bring together CAF users from around the world to exchange professional experience and strengthening practical knowledge in implementing CAF projects.

Sign up for the next CAF practitioners network meeting (online).

Find more Information and documents on previous CAF Practitioners Network meetings

Download or order our latest publictions

• Lessons from using the CAF - More resilient public administrations after COVID-19 (2023)
• Transforming Public Administration with CAF - 20 years of the Common Assessment Framework (2021)
• Impact of CAF on Human Resource Management and People (2021)
• Qualitätsmanagement in Gemeinden - Nachhaltige Verbesserungen mit dem CAF-Kommunal erzielen (2020)
• Organization and leadership in crisis - What we can learn from the CAF (2020)
• Better quality in public administration - Achieving excellent governance with CAF (2020)
• CAF-Diversität - Qualitätsmanagement für Vielfalt und Gleichstellung (Basisversion Bund 2017)
• CAF-Wirkungsorientierung - Qualitätsmanagement mit dem CAF (Basisversion Bund 2016)
• CAF works - better service for the citizens by using CAF (2006)

CAF is the European Common Assessment Framework for better Quality in Public Administration. The CAF improves public sector organizations through self-assessment and contributes to Good Governance.

Find the CAF2020 guide in additional languages here:
Bosnian | Bulgarian | Croatian | Dutch | English | Estonian | Finnish | French | German | Greek | Macedonian | Polish | Portuguese | Russian | Serbian | Slovak | Slovenian | Spanish

With the CAF assessment questionnaire, employees and managers review their own organization and jointly define strengths and potentials for improvement. This self-assessment leads to a continuous improvement that permanently develops the quality of the organization. In the meantime, CAF is recognized as tool for Public Administration Reform in Europe. Through the intensive involvement of employees, the CAF enables sustainable change in the organization.

The CAF model has nine criteria that define modern public management and good governance. These include the topics of leadership, personnel, partnerships, budget, knowledge, IT, processes, citizens and customers, social responsibility and key performance. The fifth version of the CAF, CAF2020, was released at the end of 2019. The CAF thrives on bench learning and the exchange of experiences with the European CAF users. This is the responsibility of the European Public Administration Network (EUPAN), which initiated the CAF in 1998.

Video - What is the Common assessment framework (CAF)?

Downloads

• CAF2020 - Guideline
• CAF2020 - Assessment Questionnairie
• Video - CAF Works: The 3 Steps of CAF Implementation
• Video - CAF2020 - The new Quality of Public Administration

"CAF-online" is the online tool for efficiently performing a CAF self-assessment in your organization! - This online questionnaire guides the members of the self-assessment group step by step through the individual assessment process. Finally, the results are automatically summarized and clearly prepared for the further workshops.

In addition to intuitive operation, CAF-online offers high data security and guarantees anonymity for the participants of the individual assessment. CAF-online contains meaningful explanatory texts on the criteria and sub-criteria, as well as an extensive CAF glossary and a detailed user guide. In addition to German and English, CAF-online is also available in many other languages.

Want to know what CAF-online looks like and works? Try the CAF2020 demo version here free of charge.

CAF-online - Free Demo-Version

Downloads

• CAF-online Tool User Guide V 1.2
• CAF-online Tool Offer

certify the high level quality and efficiency of your own organization!

After the implementation of the CAF, public sector organizations can apply for the CAF-Label "Effective CAF-User" from the CAF Centre of KDZ. The CAF-Label is a certification for excellent and innovative public organizations that is recognised at European and international level.

The CAF-Label guarantees high quality and service orientation as well as an efficient administrative organisation torwards your interest groups (citizens, customers, suppliers, etc. )

Two experienced public sector experts analyse the organization, provide comprehensive feedback for further development and award the organization with the CAF-Label.

The formal requirements for the CAF-Label "Effective CAF-User":

•     Implementation of the CAF program according to the standards
•     Applications submitted between 6 and 12 months after the self-assessment
•     Correct implementation of the self-assessment
•     Proof of the start of continuous improvement
•     Proof of maturity of the organisation

downloads

• The CAF-Label - Guide for applicants: CAF - Professional Extern Feedback (PEF) - Brochure
• Application Form: CAF-Label - Application Form 01-2023
• CAF-Label Questionnairies: Self-assessment process / Improvement actions / Maturity of the Organisation

As co-developer of the Common Assessment Framework and with more than 20 years of experience in the implementation of approximately 300 CAF programs in municipalities, state and federal institutions, public enterprises and in the non-profit sector, we have developed special CAF services. With the right project approach, we support you to set up a quality management system with the Common Assessment Framework and anchor a continuous improvement process in your organization.

Our powerful methodology builds on evidence-based facts, creates solutions and a unique drive for improvement and change in your organization:

• CAF Free – all information about CAF as well as an initial free consultation how we can best implement CAF in your organization.
• CAF Starter – Do you want a qualified assessment of the status of your organization, quickly, concisely and with low costs? Then use CAF Starter.
• CAF Compact – Do you want a common view on your organization with your management team and create a common understanding of the necessary further development steps? Use CAF Compact  to lead key strategic objectives into implementation.
• CAF Plus – Do you want to roll out the full CAF program in your organization and introduce the CAF quality management system according to the recognized standards? With CAF Plus, we guide you through the entire CAF program and prepare you for the CAF-Label “Effective CAF User”.

Want to know more? Make an appointment with us.

The CAF Centre of KDZ has carried out the following CAF implementations, among others:

Austria

• Ministry of Interior
• Federal Ministry Republic of Austria – Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport
• ABC Defense Center
• Kommando Streitkräfte - Federal Ministry of Defence
• Government of Styria
• Government of Tirol
• Court of Auditors of Lower Austria
• Court of Auditors of Styria
• Court of Auditors of Carinthia
• City of Vienna
• Municipalities: Lassee, Pressbaum, Zwentendorf, Gratkorn
• Life Aid Associations: Ennstal, Leoben, Bruck-Kapfenberg, Mürztal
• Municipal Association for Waste Management, Schwechat
• Municipal Association for Waste Management and Tax, Baden
• Municipal Association for Waste Management and Tax, Hollabrunn
• Municipal Association for Tax and Environmental Protection, Krems

International

• EU-Agency „eu-LISA“
• Committee of the Regions of the European Union
• Ministry of Public Administration Montenegro
• Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government of Serbia
• Ministry of Agriculture, Bhutan
• Ministry of Energy and Mining of Republic of Srpska, Bosnia Herzegovina
• Ministry of Information Society and Administration, North Macedonia
• Ministry of Agriculture, North Macedonia
• Ministry of Civil Affairs, Bosnia Herzegovina
• Republic Agency for Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes of Serbia
• Public Administration Reform Coordinator's Office, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Accreditation Office, Republic of Serbia
• Republic Authority for Geodetic and Property Affairs of Republic of Srpska, Bosnia Herzegovina
• Agency for Delivery of Integrated Services (ADISA), Albania
• State Commission for Prevention of Corruption, North Macedonia
• Employment Service Agency (ESA), North Macedonia
• Bureau of Metrology, Montenegro
• Statistic Institute of  Republic of Srpska, Bosnia Herzegovina
• Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing
• Civil Service Agency, Bosnia Herzegovina
• ReSPA - Regional School of Public Administration
• Social Insurance Postal Services, Germany
• City of Starnberg, Germany
• City of Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina
• City of Gjorče Petrov, North Macedonia
• Municipality of Bihac, Bosnia Herzegovina
• Municipality of Zivinice, Bosnia Herzegovina