PFI league table not the way ahead

Creating a league table of PFI procurement times could compromise the quality of privately financed (PFI) bids, according to James Stewart, chief executive of Partnerships UK.

The league table was a key recommendation in the National Audit Office's report Improving the PFI Tendering Process, published last week.

The report said the Treasury should consider using Partnerships UK's database of PFI schemes as the basis for an annual league table, to help motivate project teams achieve shorter tendering times.

Stewart told CJ: "The problem with league tables is that they could be detrimental to procurement quality. So, for example, local authorities with schemes that would benefit from going to BAFO, where bidders are keen to have another crack at it, will not do so for fear of being put at the bottom of the league table."