Commissioning and Decanting

105  Social care PFI projects will probably require mobilisation and commissioning tasks to be carried out prior to service commencement.  The Contract will need to set out the tasks that the Service Provider needs to have satisfactorily completed before the Services can commence.  The Model Contract includes appropriate drafting to require the parties to agree both pre and post construction commissioning.  The aim of an agreed commissioning plan is to ensure the Local Authority has access during the Works Period to carry out any tasks (such as installation of specialist equipment) that it may not wish to contract to the Service Provider.  It also ensures that the building is ready for the Local Authority to use as care accommodation and allows the Local Authority to plan the decanting of patients and staff.  

106  The Local Authority will need to specify in the Model Contract which equipment it will provide and remain responsible for and which equipment the Service Provider must provide, maintain and replace.  The Model Contract contains a generic definition of Equipment and Authority Equipment which will need to be made project specific - by example by inclusion of a list of Authority Equipment.

107  Although on a project specific basis the Local Authority may provide certain equipment such as beds, the Service Provider will be responsible for maintaining and cleaning such equipment.  This needs to be made clear in the Services Specification.