Since the launch of the Common Evaluation Framework (CAF) in 2000, almost 2,000 organisations have implemented this model. Over the past 10 years, the CAF model has been established among the many existing quality management tools. The CAF external feedback procedure – which provides external feedback on the evaluation that has been carried out with the CAF – aims to give greater support to CAF users in their search for quality.

In order to enable public organisations implementing the CAF to see the results of their efforts and receive feedback, the CAF external feedback procedure provides a diagnosis of the introduction of total quality management with the help of the CAF. This feedback has not only to do with the self-assessment process, but also with the way in which organisations choose to achieve long-term excellence, and is based on the principles of excellence.