Review of departmental information on projects

We undertook a desktop review of files in order to produce an overall impression of the reliability and robustness of the processes in place to ensure the value for money of individual projects prior to contract signature. We also developed our own checklist of questions based on our Framework for Evaluating the Value for Money of PFI Projects and compared this to desktop review tools used by the Department.

Files were largely complete. It was notable that for later projects a larger volume of documentation was available. The department made available all relevant files in hard and soft copy (where available). Key documents also contained more information on later projects. As we have not reviewed the local authorities themselves this is not a full value for money review of the projects. Reviews covered formal processes, such as the Department's desktop reviews of projects but also less formal, but equally important, issues such as communication, timeliness of responses and the depth of challenge. Documents included:

■  Expressions of Interest;

■  Outline Business Cases;

■  Full Business Cases;

■  Monthly updates from Transactors;

■  External reviews (where undertaken);

■  Correspondence with projects and other stakeholders; and

■  Minutes from meetings with the Department

The six projects were selected to give a mix of: older and more recent projects; lower and higher contract values and PFI credit allocations, types of local authority, single authority and partnership projects and a mix of contractors