Was the We looked for a clearly defined business case, to explain how DET had business case clearly chosen the PFP approach. It is important for the successful delivery of any project that an organisation states its requirements clearly from the start. Otherwise there is the risk that it will end up with a project that does not meet its real needs. Also, prior to going out to tender, a procuring organisation needs to demonstrate that the proposed project is likely to provide more value for money than other projects.
We found that DET:
■ clearly defined its requirements from the outset. Its objectives included a faster supply of schools, possible cost savings, innovation and simplified services management
■ presented a persuasive case that the proposed project was likely to provide value for money when compared to other options, although this was not supported by comprehensive financial and economic analysis of all the alternatives
■ established that the project was likely to be affordable, but new schools were only advanced one or two years earlier than would otherwise have been expected
■ identified that allocation of risks between the public and private sectors most likely to deliver better value for money
■ scoped the project to maximise its prospects of achieving value for money. But we also found that the process involved a number of changes made to the lists of schools as detailed planning and negotiation progressed.