NAO Private Finance Conference 2009

Monday 22 June 2009
Victoria Park Plaza Hotel, London

The NAO's 2009 private finance conference provided a forum to assist decision making in private finance projects in the current financial and economic environment.

The conference featured:

• Findings of recent NAO reports on major private finance programmes
• Treasury update on the new financing arrangements for infrastructure projects
• Essential contract management issues in the current environment
• Networking opportunities with other private finance practitioners

Topics covered at this year's conference included:

• Programme and project management: drawing on the recent NAO reports on the PFI waste programme and Building Schools for the Future and issues arising from the failure of Metronet, which was responsible for two thirds of the modernisation of London Underground's infrastructure.
• Procuring and managing projects in the financial and economic downturn: Speakers from the Treasury and major projects which have recently reached contract award explained how current deals are being financed. This includes the arrangements for the new Treasury scheme to provide public loans to private finance projects. The NAO also outlined contract management issues arising in the economic downturn. 
• New procurement models: Partnerships UK and other practitioners presented new procurement models which provide alternatives to the conventional PFI project.
• Update on NAO research into PFI construction experience: The NAO gave an update on current research into the experience of using PFI construction.
• Feedback from the Public Accounts Committee: As in previous years Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Edward Leigh provided an overview of the private finance findings and recommendations of the PAC over the past year.