UK Treasury publishes PPP guidelines

A Treasury taskforce has issued guidance on the undertaking of public and private partnerships (PPP) for government IT contracts.

A spokesman for the Treasury said the report was issued in recognition of the fact that many IT contracts, such as those for the Passport Agency and the Air Traffic Control Centre, have gone badly wrong in the past.

The recommendations received the backing of the National Audit Office, which has previously criticised the government for running over budget on its IT projects.

The recommendations are thought to call for a separation of the tendering process that would see software development treated separately to the implementation of a project. The development would be done at cost price, with a contractor getting profit from other parts of the deal.

Cabinet Office Minister Ian McCartney said the deal is about ensuring the use of best practice throughout government for IT projects, and ensuring the best value for the public.