The government is to provide a toolkit to help local authorities implement its troubled PFI housing schemes.
The kit will contain standard legal and technical documentation intended to reduce the need for external consultants.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has commissioned a consortium of consultants to produce the documents.

The consortium, called the 4Ps, is made up of three companies, all of which have experience of housing PFI schemes: Hunter & Partners, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Pinsent Curtis Biddle. Hunter & Partners will provide technical knowledge, PWC is acting as financial adviser and Pinsent is offering legal advice.

Richard Stebbing, managing director of Hunter & Partners, said the procurement pack could reduce costs by cutting the bidding process by up to six months.

It is hoped that the documentation will be ready by spring 2004.

Postscript

The Department for Education and Skills has started work on standard PFI contracts for schools.