1.4 The procurement stage of a PFI deal is very important, not only in obtaining a deal which represents value for money, but also in establishing the basis for a good relationship between the authority and contractor for the contract period. Authorities will, therefore, need to assess bidders' approaches to partnership working. This should encompass their commitment towards continuous improvement of the services provided under the contract and their acceptance of certain contractual provisions based on partnership working such as open book accounting. Authorities should also explore softer factors such as a contractor's willingness to work jointly with the authority through the establishment of joint governance arrangements, joint working groups and co- location, and the attitude and approach of key individuals. Contractors will also wish to assess the authority's approach to partnership working.
1.5 Our survey of PFI contracts which had been let prior to 2000 showed that 71 per cent of authorities assessed bidders' attitudes to partnership working when procuring the contract. This is an important issue for authorities to consider when assessing the suitability of a bidder for a long term PFI contract. We would expect all authorities to consider this when assessing bidders.