2.43 Staff continuity is an issue that affects all PFI projects. Staff involved in negotiating a PFI project may not necessarily stay with the project once the contract has been let. They may move on to negotiate other PFI projects or be transferred to other duties. Also, some staff have particular skills in contract management and will join the project to carry out that function. Some element of staff continuity after the letting of the contract is, however, desirable to ensure that knowledge of the contract and the project's aims is transferred to staff engaged in managing the contract.
2.44 On the Heavy Equipment Transporter and Tidworth Water and Sewerage projects staff continuity was identified by the Department's project teams as a key driver of performance. In the MOD Main Building Refurbishment the Department's project director for the procurement remained in post for a year after the contract had been let to ensure the smooth handover to the contract management team.
2.45 Lack of continuity in core areas was, however, identified as an area of potential risk on the Defence Fixed Telecommunications System project. There has also been lack of continuity on the Field Electrical Power Supplies project, where better transfer of knowledge between the procurement and in-service phases may have been useful in managing the subsequent issues with the design and specification of the asset.