Download or read book Update on PFI Debt Refinancing and the PFI Equity Market written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-04-21 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Findings from this NAO report include that the government has secured gains of £137 million from Private Finance Initiative (PFI) debt refinancings under new arrangements introduced by the Treasury in 2002 (including £102 million from four large refinancings (one of the London Underground contracts and three hospital projects: Norfolk and Norwich, Darent Valley and Bromley). The NAO found that the new sharing arrangements through a voluntary Code appear to be generally working well but there have been exceptions, for example in three road projects the public sector missed out on at least £1.7 million because gains were not shared in accordance with the voluntary code. The report also describes the emergence of the PFI secondary market which is enabling equity investors in PFI projects to sell their shares on to new investors.
Download or read book Constructor s Key Guide to PFI written by Construction Industry Council and published by Thomas Telford. This book was released on 1998 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: - What is the Private Finance Initiative? - What will PFI mean for me? - Is this project me? - How to bid for a PFI project - Negotiating the contract - Delivering the service and generating the revenue - Long-term issues - Lessons learned - Bibliography - Appendix
Download or read book Financing PFI projects in the credit crisis and the Treasury s response written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2010-12-09 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 2008 credit crisis had an enormous impact on the Government's public infrastructure programme. Severe restrictions on bank lending at that time meant no sizeable Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts could be let. This affected the viability of a large number of infrastructure projects, including school and road building schemes, with a total investment value of over £13 billion. The Treasury's response was to make project finance available by lending public money on the same terms as the banks. However the Treasury did not put pressure on government-supported banks to either make lending available or reduce the extent of increased financing costs. Overall, bank financing costs increased by 20-33 per cent compared to bank charges before the credit crisis. This added £1 billion to the contract price, payable over 30 years, for the 35 projects financed in 2009. Other alternatives to the high cost bank finance were not properly explored during the credit crisis. Greater use of Treasury loans, or direct grant funding, could have put pressure on banks to lower their charges. Neither did the Treasury adequately explore how lower cost finance sources such as life insurance and pension funds could be encouraged to invest more in PFI projects. The Treasury also could have made more use of funding from the European Investment Bank. The appropriate mix of financing sources for future project contracts, including public and private finance, is an issue that needs serious reconsideration.
Download or read book Managing the Waste PFI Programme written by Great Britain. National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2009 with total page 62 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The European Union introduced a Directive in 1999 requiring all Member States to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste disposed in landfill, with targets set for the years 2010, 2013 and 2020. Failure to achieve the targets will result in fines being levied by the European Commission. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for ensuring that these landfill targets are met at a national level. As part of this, Defra is overseeing a programme of new locaI authority PFI contracts for the construction of waste treatment facilities. The review focuses on Defra's role in seeking to promote the achievement of value for money from the waste PFI programme, the progress being made in delivering new local authority waste projects and good practice in the development of these programmes.
Download or read book PFI in housing written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2010-06-25 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report, from the National Audit Office (HCP 71, session 2010-11, ISBN 9780102965285), looks at PFI in Housing. The use of PFI by local authorities to improve housing, usually in areas with a high need for housing and where the stock condition is particularly poor, has had a measure of success, but risks to value for money of the programme have not been managed. In the context of this programme, PFI has been a flexible and useful funding route for local authorities to improve existing housing and build new stock. However, the majority of projects required significant increases in central funding prior to contract signature and all have suffered delays. Twenty one of the 25 projects which have been signed to date have experienced cost increases, with 12 of these over 100 per cent. All signed projects, for which the NAO was able to obtain data, were delayed, on average by 2 years and 6 months. For early projects this was partly because PFI was new to the housing sector and the Department for Communities and Local Government had to develop its understanding of stock condition issues. Also, the Department's management for early projects was also weak and under-resourced. While the capital cost of PFI housing projects is similar to other developments, the Department's evaluation to date has not taken account of the full costs. Procurement also tends to take more time, which can increase procurement and tender costs for local authorities and bidders.
Download or read book The Role of Cost Saving and Innovation in PFI Projects written by Construction Industry Council and published by Thomas Telford. This book was released on 2000-06-02 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Private Finance Initiative has been seen ... as a way of achieving the Egan Report's objective of better client value for money fron construction-based projects. [...] This report presents the findings of a study set up to test the proposition that PFI will yield VFM [Value for money] by stimulating innovation"--Back cover.
Download or read book Benchmarking and market testing the ongoing services component of PFI projects written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-06-06 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of the 500 PFI contracts, that are in the operational stage, over half have a provision for periodically testing the value of certain services such as catering and cleaning. In most contracts the exercise will be undertaken every 5-7 years and the value testing could be done either by benchmarking or market testing. This report is based on an examination of the contractual provision of 34 PFI contracts to assess their expected effectiveness. In addition 11 projects that had already undertaken value testing were also examined. It was found that some of the initial cases of value testing showed value for money was being achieved but in other cases the outcome was uncertain.
Download or read book Lessons from PFI and other projects written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2011-09 with total page 70 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are legitimate concerns being expressed about the continuing financial cost of PFI for public organisations such as NHS Trusts. The Committee believes that some of the Government's case for using PFI has not been based on robust analysis, but on ill-founded comparisons and invalid assumptions. The costs and benefits identified in business cases need to be revisited after contracts are signed and periodically thereafter, to inform future procurement decisions. In particular, the Committee's view is that the Government should revisit the tax assumptions it builds into the cost and benefit case for PFI. Taxpayers could get a much better deal from PFI, and the taxpayer's position is also made worse by poor transparency of investor and contract information alongside patchy public sector commercial skills. The Treasury and departments should make full use of existing contractual rights of access and further investor information to increase transparency and find ways for taxpayers to get a share of the profits made by PFI contractors. At present, PFI deals look better value for the private sector than for the taxpayer. Private sector funds have built up portfolios of PFI projects from the large market that government has created, benefiting from potential economies of scale without any obligation to share such volume gains. Government, in contrast, has a fragmented approach and is not making use of its bulk buying power. The Treasury is seeking further efficiency savings, but achieving any savings on existing contracts will depend on voluntary agreements with investors and suppliers.
Download or read book PFI in housing and hospitals written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2011-01-18 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Department of Health and the Department for Communities and Local Government (the Departments) are responsible for sizeable portfolios of PFI projects covering hospitals and social housing. By April 2009 there were 76 operational PFI hospitals in England and over 13,000 homes had been built or refurbished through PFI. The letting of contracts and the responsibility for managing them is devolved to NHS Trusts and local authorities. The Departments are responsible for overseeing their PFI programmes and reporting to the public and Parliament on value for money. The Committee can find no clear and explicit justification and evaluation for the use of PFI in terms of its value for money. In many cases local authorities and Trusts chose the PFI route because the Departments offered no realistic funding alternative. Other concerns are central government's failure to use the market leverage that comes from overseeing multiple contracts, and the lack of robust central data to support effective programme management. It is clear that the implementation of PFI projects could be improved. Many PFI housing procurements have taken very much longer, and cost a great deal more, than originally planned. On hospitals, most are receiving the services expected at the point contracts were signed and are generally being well managed. There are, however, wide and unexplained variations in the cost of hospital support services, such as cleaning, catering and portering. Departments are not using their own buying power to leverage gains for the taxpayer.
Download or read book Allocation and Management of Risk in Ministry of Defence PFI Projects written by Great Britain. National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2008 with total page 70 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most Ministry of Defence projects funded by PFI deals are delivered satisfactorily, on time and on budget. In six of the eight projects examined by the NAO, the Department has generally achieved value for money through effective allocation and management of risks. Failures to identify and manage risks reduced the value for money achieved from the other two projects reviewed by the NAO. Most MOD PFI projects are now providing important support to military and civilian staff. They cover a portfolio of more than 50 projects delivering a broad range of services such as equipment, buildings, training and communications. The Department has developed commercial disciplines for scrutinising the value for money of its PFI procurements and has extended these into other projects. While the MOD allocates and manages many of the project risks effectively, it does not always have the robust data necessary to understand the risks it is asking the private sector to bear. In at least seven projects, the decision to use PFI has been reversed. Overall, the PFI projects surveyed took an average of 37 months to procure compared with the PFI average across government of 34 months. And larger PFI projects with a capital value over £50 million took the MOD an average of 45 months to procure. This longer procurement time reflects the complexity and special requirements of the Department's projects, but there is scope for the Department to improve the speed at which it closes larger deals. It is seeking to do so through improvements to the oversight of its capital procurements. The NAO also highlight the risk that contractors may incorrectly report performance which would otherwise lead to payment deductions.
Download or read book Making changes in operational PFI projects written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2008-01-17 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This NAO report forms part of a number of NAO reports looking at PFI (Private Finance Initiative) projects undertaken across the public sector. PFIs are contractual arrangements with private sector companies to design, build, finance and operate institutions such as schools and hospitals. At present there are over 500 operational projects throughout the UK, with a combined capital of £44 billion. It is also estimated that including future payments, with many projects running up until 2031-32, capital will rise to £91 billion. Given the length of many of the contracts, it is inevitable that operational changes to services will be required, so it is important that PFI contracts have flexibility, with built in value for money. The report is divided into three parts, with appendices. The NAO has set out a number of finding including: that PFI deals are offering sufficient flexibility to the public sector; that some projects achieve better value than others, but that (i) higher value changes were not always competitively tendered; (ii) for minor works, there was little consistency in the methods used by the public sector; (iii) that the cost of replacing items throughout the life of the contract was also inconsistently applied; (iv) that contractors had often charged additional fees, which were not specified in the original contract. The NAO recommendations, include: where there is a relevant contract clause, competitive tendering should be undertaken; for existing contract deals, authorities employing contractors need to put in place consistent and robust means to validate the costs of small changes; public authorities should explore with their private sector partners the feasibility of clarifying current contracts, so they follow current best practice; contract management should be properly resourced in order to manage the change process. Public sector authorities could improve value for money of operational changes by: adopting a strategic approach to changes; keeping a good permanent record of changes and payments made; fostering open lines of communication with front-line users and other stakeholders as well as the PFI contractor.
Download or read book Cost Planning of PFI and PPP Building Projects written by Abdelhalim Boussabaine and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-04-03 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This topical and timely book presents and innovative approach to dealing with the complexities of cost planning in PFI. PFI/PPP projects have a significantly different costing environment from conventionally procured projects, requiring cost analysts to use their expertise and innovative thinking to develop whole-life cost solutions that deliver value for money to the client, thus improving public building assets performance. Abdelhalim Boussabaine provides a thorough grounding in the theory of PFI, from its early evolution through to examples of current projects. In particular, the rationale for private financing of public services, arguments for and against PFI and 'value for money' mechanisms are discussed. The book presents an innovative framework for whole-life value and calls for changes in the way whole life cycle value is perceived, created and exchanged. Cost Planning of PFI and PPP Building Projects provides the reader with existing knowledge as well as present innovative thinking for future development and management of PFI/PPP cost planning processes. Given the importance and novelty of this book, academics, professionals, undergraduate and postgraduate students will find this book valuable.
Download or read book The Refinancing of the Norfolk and Norwich PFI Hospital written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2005-06-10 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust currently pays £38.7 million a year to a private sector consortium, Octagon, for the building and maintaining of a new hospital. This pathfinder PFI contract was entered into in 1998 but in 2003 Octagon was able to refinance their deal and gain £81 million (some of which was shared with the Trust). This report examines whether the large private sector gains indicates some inadequacy in the initial PFI deal and how the price the Trust is paying compares to current PFI hospital deals. The overall findings were that Trust continues to pay a premium on financing costs compared to current deals and it might have improved the original deal with greater competition and better defined requirements. However the Trust believes it gained benefit from the early provision of facilities in a deal that had previously been assessed as good value for money.
Download or read book Lessons from PFI and other projects written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2011-04-28 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lessons from the experience of using PFI can be applied to improve other forms of procurement and help Government achieve its aim of securing annual infrastructure delivery cost savings of £2 billion to £3 billion. To secure the best value for money from all types of procurement, the public sector needs to develop skills the NAO has identified. These are collecting better data to inform decision-making; ensuring projects have the right skills; establishing effective arrangements to test, challenge and, if necessary, stop projects; and using commercial awareness to obtain better deals. The case for using private finance in public procurement needs to be challenged more. Also, privately financed projects will often still be off balance-sheet which may continue to act as an incentive to use PFI. There has not been a systematic value for money evaluation of operational PFI projects by departments. So there is insufficient data to demonstrate whether the use of private finance has led to better or worse value for money than other forms of procurement. The Treasury and departments should identify alternative methods for delivering infrastructure and related facilities services to maximise value for money for government. The NAO welcomes the current plans of the Treasury and Cabinet Office to strengthen project assurance. The report highlights the need for independent challenge capable of stopping projects which do not give the prospect of value for money. This is particularly important as there is still a shortage of the skills needed to manage and oversee complex major projects.
Download or read book The Termination of the PFI Contract for the National Physical Laboratory written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-05-10 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1998, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Laser, a special purpose company jointly owned by Serco Group plc and John Laing plc, signed a 25-year long Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract. Laser would build and manage new facilities for the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), comprising 16 linked modules, containing over 400 laboratories, and replacing many existing buildings. The planned cost of the new buildings was approximately £96 million. The DTI would pay Laser a unitary charge, of £11.5 million (1998 prices) a year once the new buildings were ready, the charge increasing annually based on the increase in retail prices. The project suffered considerable construction delays and difficulties in achieving the specification for some parts of the buildings, mainly due to deficient design. In December 2004, it was agreed to terminate the PFI contract. The DTI paid Laser £75 million for its interest in the new buildings. This was the first termination of a major PFI contract involving serious non-performance. This report examines the problems that led to the termination, why these problems arose, how the Department managed them and the value for money consequences of the termination. The report finds that the DTI successfully transferred risk in the PFI contract to the private sector, but that the project risks could have been reduced with firmer control and better communication. Up to and including the termination, the Department's investment in the new facilities was about £122 million (March 2005 prices). In return, the Department secured an asset valued at £85 million and for which all but eight of more than 400 laboratories should be capable of being made to meet its specification in full. The private sector reported a loss of at least £100 million.
Download or read book Financing PFI projects in the credit crisis and the Treasury s response written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2010-07-27 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By setting up an Infrastructure Financing Unit, HM Treasury helped reactivate the lending market for private finance projects which was putting government PFI programmes in doubt as a result of the credit crisis. While the extra finance costs for projects in 2009 were value for money in the short term to stimulate the economy, the Treasury should not presume that continuing the use of private finance at current rates will be value for money. In line with policy on acting to stimulate the economy, the Treasury and other government departments gave priority to closing deals at the prevailing market rates, even if this meant the public sector paying more, and the banks carrying less risk. Analysis by the NAO suggests that higher financing costs increased the annual charge of PFI projects by six to seven per cent and that between £500 million to £1 billion of higher cost has been built in over 30 years, partly offset by an increased public sector share of refinancing gains. The NAO also considered whether reconsidering business cases would have improved value for money. The NAO found that this might have put policy objectives to give a boost to the economy at risk and would not have been a reasonable yardstick to assess the protection of value for money. The NAO recommends that there now be a thorough project by project review of the forward programme to apply more exacting and narrower criteria than applied to projects at the height of the crisis
Download or read book Traffic World and Traffic Bulletin written by and published by . This book was released on 1916 with total page 750 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
