7.10.1 Previously privately financed projects commonly involved the private sector providing all the hard and soft services. Under the new PF2 model it is anticipated that in the majority of sectors11 it will represent better value for money if the Authority retains the obligation to provide soft services (and some other services) itself.12 Such services will be known as "Authority Services." Hard FM services in the main will however continue to be provided by the Contractor although there will be a greater degree of flexibility over the provision of certain minor hard FM services by the Authority itself (Authority Maintenance Obligations), where it offers value for money for it to do so (e.g. minor maintenance).There will also be an opportunity for the Contractor to provide additional services on a more flexible fixed price basis (Elective Services). Details on how the new model PF2 anticipates the service provision will be scoped and allocated is set out in Section 7.1 (Introduction and Range of Services) above.
7.10.2 The assumption that responsibility for services is now to be split between the Authority and the Contractor, with greater service responsibility now sitting with the Authority, means that there is a need to consider how the interface between these two parties will operate in practice. It is anticipated that an Authority will meet its services obligations by self-providing services and/or contracting directly with its own service providers (known as "Authority Service Providers") for their provision. In practice this means that a third party service provider, or a number of them, will be involved in providing services at the Site and consequently, the interface between third party service provider(s), the Authority and the Contractor should be considered and an Interface Protocol produced (see footnote 15 below.
7.10.3 The standard Services Output Specification will include a draft Interface Matrix which will be adjusted on a project basis, and which identifies which services are provided by the Contractor, and which by the Authority and/or Authority Service Providers. This matrix should also form part of the Interface Protocol.
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11 In certain sectors, such as prisons and defence projects, because of the integral role which soft FM services play in the successful delivery of the overall service, a different approach has and will continue to be taken, with soft FM services being the responsibility of the Contractor.
12 See Section 7.1.1 and 7.1.2 above