118. The PFP model has spread awareness of the possible benefits of whole-life costing more widely, without necessarily resorting to private finance. Sir John Bourn said: "It does not rest simply on PFI, but there is no doubt that PFI was the incentive to get this going" (Q 356).
119. While generally opposed to PFPs, Ms Jaffe believed they had had the benefit of introducing the concept of whole life costing into all procurement: "I think these lessons from PFI have been and are being integrated into traditional procurement, and if there is a lesson that you have to keep some money ring-fenced for maintenance then I think that is one that we can carry forward" (Q 559).
120. The NAO noted: "Private finance is not, however, the only way to ring-fence maintenance funding or consider whole-life costs. The London Borough of Lewisham, for example, has established a sinking fund to ensure its non-PFI schools are maintained to the same standard as its PFI schools" (p 90).
121. Witnesses said the skills acquired using PFPs spill over into traditional procurement. For example, with Crossrail-which is mostly traditionally procured-assessment of risk is "much more developed", having learnt from the experience of PFPs (Ms Mingay Q 507). The Ministry of Defence sought to improve its procurement by adopting PFP methodology to evaluate all projects (Mr Jon Thompson Q 507). Mr Rylatt said skills learnt by his company in PFPs were now used in traditionally procured projects (Q 179).
122. Traditional procurement has also benefited from the lessons learnt from private finance projects. Risk management and due diligence appear to be better in the public sector as a result of PFPs. These benefits need to be included when assessing the total benefits of private finance.