Originally launched in March this year, the study is focused on “the costs and benefits of PFI; managing and making savings from legacy PFI deals; [and] changes made under the new PF2 model”.
It was initially expected that the report would be published this summer, but the NAO’s work schedule was delayed by the snap General Election in June.
It had then been expected that the report would be released before the end of the year, but it has now been pushed back until “early 2018”.
A programme of PF2 projects was anticipated to be launched by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) earlier this year, but that plan was dropped in the wake of the election in favour of allowing departments to roll out their projects individually.
So far, Highways England intends to procure the A303 and the Lower Thames Crossing as PF2 projects – as well as the previously announced Silvertown Tunnel – while some health trusts are preparing new hospital schemes under the PF2 model.