The project sample

4.4 The scope of the research was restricted to the use of PFI as a procurement tool for substantial capital assets that were currently operational. IT or smaller projects, both the subject of separate research programmes were excluded from the sample.

4.5 Nine of the 70 projects in the sample were found to fall outside the scope of the research, leaving a sample of 61 operational projects covering a wide range of service areas. This sample represents about 10 per cent of all completed PFI projects. This information combined both objective data on the procurement process itself as well as more qualitative aspects concerning how far the schemes were matching up to the expectations of the public sector clients. The research will be published on the HM Treasury website in the Autumn.