PFI project clients and the special purpose vehicles (SPV) running such buildings should work together to establish the asset’s conditions prior to handback, according to a new playbook from the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA).
The PFI Expiry Asset Condition Playbook recommends “a joint voluntary process, with all interested stakeholders collaborating around the scope of services and instruction of a surveyor, in order to achieve a single version of the truth around asset condition, and the provision of asset condition – data consistency, conformity and accuracy – to provide efficient rectification planning”.
The bulk of the 700-plus PFI projects in the UK expire in the next 12 years. The new playbook restates the IPA’s position that the client and SPV cannot start too early on the asset handback process: indeed, the playbook proposes starting seven years before handback.
The playbook hints at some of the information management challenges to come. “The SPV is to ensure that the base data is made available to the surveyor on appointment. It is understood that documents may not be available (particularly relating to transferred retained estate) and/or may only be accessible on site in paper copy. The authority [PFI client] is to cooperate with and support the SPV where appropriate in the compilation and availability of base data.
“Should the base data not be able to be provided, the surveyor will remain responsible for the completion of the survey and the issue of the required reports for the agreed fee and to the agreed timescales.”
As previously detailed on BIMplus, the base data includes the likes of as-built drawings, O&M manuals, asset register, PPM tasks lists and schedules, and equipment lists.
The surveyor’s role
The playbook sets out a template for appointing a surveyor to “prevent individual contracting authorities from being forced to reinvent the wheel every time an asset condition survey is required to be carried out”.
All assets should be surveyed to NRM level 4, the playbook states. Both the Asset Management (Compliance) Report and the Condition Survey Report “shall focus on Excel data provision, to enable appointers to readily access, review, filter, and extract data”. They should also “reflect the importance of asset condition data consistency, conformity and accuracy”. Consistent Excel templates and data presentation are required and should be prioritised over narrative reporting and free text.
The IPA expects to iterate the playbook: “The expectation is that this version of the playbook may, and in all likelihood will, need to be updated. Once a reasonable number of surveys have been carried out across different sectors, asset types and sizes by different stakeholders and surveyors, a lessons learned review will be carried out and relevant feedback incorporated. Issuing subsequent versions and/or updates will hopefully ensure continuous improvement in processes and the quality of surveys over time; as well as ensuring that sector-specific issues are addressed.”
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