2.1 The Contributions Agency set up an appropriate team to manage the procurement, which they conducted using the negotiated procedure under European Union procurement regulations, and sought to use what wider Private Finance precedents they had to conduct the procurement effectively. By including the whole Newcastle estate in the project, they responded to earlier advice that a Private Finance solution was not viable for the Longbenton site alone. They issued an output specification that gave bidders an opportunity to offer innovative solutions to the Department's requirements.