Building schools for the future - Unison

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BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE
Financial Close – This is when the bidder fixes the interest rate incurred on the bank debt that is
used to finance the project.
Gateway Review – a procurement project carried out at key decision points by a team independent of
the project team. The project is managed by 4ps – a local government procurement agency.
ITN – Invitation to Negotiate. This document is effectively the tender document which includes
guidance to bidders, the timetable, requirements for bids and the evaluation criteria; the output
specification, contractual terms and variant bids.
Local Education Partnership (LEP) – the joint venture company for local delivery in BSF. It is formed
by the local authority, Partnerships for Schools (PfS) and Private Sector Partner (PSP)
Output Specification – a detailed description of the functions that the new accommodation must be
capable of performing. It is split into building and service functions. Only makes mention of outputs not
how they are achieved.
PfS – Partnerships for Schools. Quasi governmental body set up by DfES as the delivery vehicle for
BSF, responsible for both working with the DfES on the national programme, and with all local
authorities in the programme to scope their educational vision, define their investment strategy and
procure and deliver their programmes. www.p4s.org.uk
Partnerships UK – a Joint Venture Company or public private partnership set up under the auspices of
HM Treasury in 2000 which provides specialist advice and contract documentation on PFI/PPP to a
range of public sector clients in key areas, including health, education, defence, accommodation,
transport, environment, criminal justice and IT. www.partnershipsuk.org.uk/
Preliminary Invitation to Negotiate (PITN) – provides extra detailed information about the bidder.
This is only looked at if the bidder satisfies pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) requirements.
Pre-Qualification Questionnaire – bidders expressing an interest in the project advertised in the
OJEU are issued with a PQQ. This helps decide if bidders have the technical capacity and ability as well
as economic and financial standing to deliver a project.
Private Finance Initiative (PFI) – is a procurement route which involves private sector consortia
raising private finance to fund capital projects which involves investment in assets and the long-term
delivery of services to the public sector. In BSF, PFI is one of several possible procurement routes being
funded.
Private Sector Partner (PSP) – the private sector organisation with which a local authority enters a
PFI or PPP deal. In BSF the PSP will have the majority stake within the LEP.
Project Review Group (PRG) – an inter-departmental group chaired by the Department of the
Treasury. Members are drawn from government departments sponsoring BSF. The PRG assesses PFI
projects to confirm whether or not they are commercially viable. This will apply to BSF projects with a
PFI element.
PFI Credits - these represent a commitment on the part of the government to provide a certain level of
revenue support to a local authority under the Local Government (Capital Finance) regulations of 1997.
This is to cover a certain amount of repayment to the servicing of funds borrowed to finance a project.
Project Initiation Document – this defines a BSF project as the basis for the management and
assessment of the success of the project.
Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) the arrangement forged between public and private sector
bodies that aim to introduce private sector resources and/or personnel to provide or deliver public
sector functions.
4ps - 4ps is the local government procurement expert, providing advice, guidance and skills
development to local authorities undertaking projects, procurement and partnerships. This includes
private finance initiative (PFI) schemes, strategic service partnerships and all other forms of partnership