60/98
24 April 1998
TASKFORCE PFI TRAINING PROGRAMME LAUNCHED
In the third Public/Private Partnership (PPP) of its own, the Treasury's Private Finance Taskforce has awarded a contract for the provision of a programme of in-depth Private Finance Initiative (PFI) training for civil servants to Price Waterhouse, one of the UK's leading providers of PFI advisory services to the public sector.
Announcing the award of the contract, made in response to Recommendation 24 of the Bates Review of PFI, Paymaster General Geoffrey Robinson said:
"With a growing number of PFI projects signed or close to signature, it is vital that Government Departments capture this knowledge and build on it through attending training events delivered by PFI practitioners with real extensive experience in the field. This is another welcome step forward to ensuring that the Government delivers a steady flow of high quality PFI projects as efficiently and effectively as possible.
It is also good to see the Treasury Taskforce itself actively practising what it preaches. PPP's are all about negotiating deals that are good for both sides and the Government is keen to exploit the potential for better value for money through the use of a wide spectrum of partnerships that combine public and private sector skills".
The contract has been awarded following a competitive tender. Pilot training courses are being run in London and Edinburgh during April, with a full roll-out of the Taskforce approved PFI training programme planned from early summer onwards. The programme will be open to all public sector PFI practitioners, in both central and local government.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. A review of the PFI programme to be conducted by Malcolm Bates was announced on 8 May 1997 (HMT press release 41/97). This reported on 26 June 1997 (HMT press release 69/97), making 29 recommendations to Government to streamline and improve delivery of PFI projects. Recommendation 24 asked the Treasury Taskforce to commission specialised PFI training packages geared specifically to Departmental needs. The tender for the training contract was announced on 10 December 1997 (HMT press release 158/97).
2. The Treasury Taskforce has developed two previous PPPs. First, an Internet website, delivered in partnership with Interesource, with sponsorship from DTZ and Berwin Leighton and, secondly, a contract to deliver a programme of Taskforce PFI Conferences with Capita Group Plc (HMT press release 167/97). All PPPs will be delivered at no cost to HM Treasury.
3. Media enquiries should be addressed to Malcolm Graves on 0207 270 5192. For further details on the Taskforce PFI training programme and other PPPs contact Tony Whitehead on 0207 270 4637.