PFI

You can contact us at any stage of the contract. We support authorities with operational issues, commercial reviews, governance and resourcing, as part of enhancing your contract management function, as well as planning for contract expiry and the future delivery of services beyond. Starting expiry planning early gives authorities more time to understand asset condition, resolve issues and prepare for handback. We recommend adopting the NISTA described approach

Yes. We can support an individual project or review a portfolio of PFI contracts. Our work with Newcastle City Council, for example, covered five PFI projects and helped the council strengthen governance arrangements (at project and programme level), identify operational resource requirements and develop expiry plans and effective contract management tools.

Support can be tailored to the project and may include contract and document reviews, governance and resource planning, performance management, support in implementing contractual processes, including benchmarking, insurance or refinancing, and all elements of preparation for expiry, including asset condition assessments, assessing handback options and required activity and future service delivery options.

Yes. We can review the commercial and financial operation of a contract and help authorities identify potential savings, deductions, refinancing gains or other sums due. Recent work has included supporting Essex County Council with a refinancing, which delivered a substantial financial gain and Tower Hamlets Council with the recovery of contractual deductions and profit share through implementing existing contractual terms.

Yes. We can help authorities understand contractual handback requirements, review available information, assess asset condition and develop a plan for resolving issues before expiry. Our work with Liverpool City Council included reviews of fire safety arrangements, lifecycle information, insurance and asset condition.

Yes. Expiry planning should consider both the end of the existing contract and how services and assets will be managed afterwards. We can support options appraisals, future delivery models, procurement strategy and transition planning. Our work on the Barkantine heat network is one example.

Yes. We can work with your internal team and existing legal, technical and financial advisers, providing additional capacity, independent challenge or programme coordination. On the Barkantine project, Local Partnerships led a team that included specialist technical and legal advisers.

Additionally, we work closely with sponsoring Departments (including MHCLG, DfE and DfT) as well as NISTA top ensure support reflects the wider objectives of the respective PFI programme.

Some support may be available through nationally funded programmes or helpdesks, subject to current eligibility and availability. Other work is commissioned directly by the authority. Contact us and we can explain the options available for your project.

Depending on your organisation and circumstances, you may be able to appoint Local Partnerships directly under the vertical arrangements exemption in the Procurement Act 2023. Your procurement or legal team should confirm whether the exemption applies. Further information is available on our procurement exemption page.

No. An initial conversation can help clarify the issue, identify the support required and agree an appropriate scope. It is helpful to provide the project type, contract expiry date, the issue you are facing and details of any previous reviews or expiry health checks.

Yes. We support authorities throughout the contract lifecycle, including commercial reviews, governance and resourcing, benchmarking, insurance matters, refinancing, performance management, implementation of contractual mechanisms and financial recovery activities.