7 Our main survey work for the study, in addition to the background data collection described above, was carried out in June 2006. We carried out a census of all 49 PFI projects within the study scope which reached financial close between April 2004 and May 2006, with a combined capital value of £7.88 billion.24 Most of these projects were, in practice, schools and hospitals, although there were also several defence and transport projects and one courts deal (see Appendix 2 for project details). The questionnaire was returned by 46 projects representing a 94 per cent response rate, with capital value of £7.75 billion. Of the three non-responses, two were schools projects and one was a hospital project. The reasons given for failing to respond included key personnel moving on and the pressures of current work commitments.
8 The questionnaire asked for detailed financial and other objective evidence and for information on issues that are inevitably more subjective, such as the authority's reasons for actions they had or had not taken. The main topic headings were:
■ Key financial information such as capital value, net present value at preferred bidder and at financial close, annual unitary charge figures at preferred bidder and at financial close and the value of any changes made to the project during preferred bidder negotiations;
■ Market interest in bidding, number of bidders;
■ Tendering times and costs, including the amount spent on advisers;
■ Reasons for any delays or overspends; and
■ Examples of perceived good practice adopted.
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24 11 local government projects which were not part of major central government programmes, such as social housing and street lighting, were excluded with a total capital value of just under £750 million.