On 26 March 2026, the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) published an updated and expanded suite of PFI contract management guidance through its PFI Centre of Excellence and PFI Contract Management Programme.
The new material is intended to support contracting authorities responsible for managing live PFI projects, ensuring that contract managers are equipped with the tools and knowledge required to manage PFI contracts effectively throughout their operational life.
What has been published?
NISTA has published eight core guidance documents, alongside a number of practical toolkits for contract managers. Together, these resources provide structured guidance across a broad spectrum of PFI contract management issues — from high‑level principles underpinning the PFI model, through to detailed, day‑to‑day operational guidance.
The eight core guidance documents are:
- PFI Foundations for Contract Managers
- PFI Contract Management Contract Review
- PFI Contract Management Document Stocktake
- PFI Contract Management Gaps and Ambiguities
- PFI Contract Management Governance
- PFI Contract Management Intelligent Client Function (ICF)
- PFI Contract Management Plan (CMP)
- PFI Contract Management Strategy
The guidance addresses both strategic and practical challenges, including how authorities should approach gaps or ambiguities in legacy contract documentation, manage stakeholder interests, and ensure appropriate governance and oversight arrangements are in place.
Why this matters
Managing large‑scale, complex PFI projects from a contractual perspective is rarely straightforward — particularly as many projects progress further into their operational phase and increasingly gear up for expiry. Robust contract management is critical to protecting value for money, managing risk, and preparing effectively for handback.
How we can help
If you require support with PFI contract management, including contract reviews, expiry planning, governance frameworks or intelligent client arrangements, please get in touch with Stuart Murray or Hayley Burns.
