4.00  METHOD AND AIMS OF SURVEY

4.01  The Survey of the Properties will be carried out in conjunction with a review of any data available from the Council for the Properties concerning main dwelling types and construction types.

4.02  The Surveyor shall ensure that the results of the internal and external sample Survey of the Properties will include indicative pricing of all works required in a sample property to meet the PMS. The results and costs shall be cloned where necessary for similar adjacent property types.  The pricing of this work shall be issued to the Council by the Surveyor.  The Surveyor will provide a complete list of all pricing assumptions.  The results and costings shall be in sufficient detail to permit the Council to prepare its Outline Business Case.

4.03  Data is required to be produced as part of the Survey on Decent Homes compliance/non-compliance.  It shall identify the number of Properties, which are failing, or are likely to fail the Decent Homes Standard.  The data will assist Bidders to develop a package of work which will meet both the Decent Homes Plus Standard as well as the Decent Homes Standard.

4.04  A visual assessment shall be made of the condition of Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing services which shall include a description and assessment of the age, condition and remaining life of such services within the curtilege of the Properties.

4.05  It is for Bidders to interpret and interrogate the findings of the Surveyor produced in the Survey and asset register, to assist them in formulating financial and technical proposals in support of their bid submissions.  Bidders will be responsible for interpreting the Survey, deriving their independent estimates of the investment required to maintain the Properties in good repair, meeting the Output Specification requirements for all elements and providing a timed programme of work.  The Surveyor will indicate possible costs for works identified but these will be purely indicative and shall not constitute formal costing advice. It will be for Bidders to commission their own costing advice and determine the pricing of their proposals. However, the Surveyor is to provide indicative costs to the Council and the Bidders on a confidential basis and in sufficient detail for use in preparing and assessing the Outline Business Case.

4.06  The Surveyor shall be clear in its working methods to ensure that the Council will be able to compare Bidders' costs and timing of works with costs and timing information provided by the Survey.

4.07  The process and principles of PFI procurement require the Bidders to be provided with the maximum flexibility to innovate in meeting the PMS within the Output Specification. The purpose of the Survey is to produce reliable information so that Bidders can provide a detailed and costed package of investment work, not to produce a stock valuation.  The Bidders will wish to receive a Survey that assesses the condition, existing and future liabilities of the Properties in the context of an HRA PFI project.

4.08  The Surveyor should note that the Operator will be required, under the contract, to ensure that Properties are 'Available' according to the Full Standards set out in the PMS over a 30-year term.  Only when the Properties have been improved to meet the Full Standard set out in the PMS will full payment of the Unitary Charge be made to the Operator.

4.09  Prior to the Properties meeting the Full Standards in the PMS there will be an Interim Services Period of [  ] years.  During this period the Properties will be managed in their unimproved condition in return for a lower transitional Unitary Charge.  During the Interim Services Period the Operator will be required to maintain the Properties so as to achieve statutory fitness requirements, to meet other statutory obligations, be wind and watertight and secure, and to maintain the landlord's fixtures and fittings. The Standards which the Properties are to meet are the Initial Standards set out in the PMS.  The Survey shall therefore identify any instances where Properties will not meet the Initial Standards of the PMS.