Invitation to negotiate for PFI
The invitation to negotiate for private finance initiative (PFI) projects is equivalent to the invitation to tender for traditional contracts. It sets out the project particulars and the specific requirements for bids. It may be a development of the information pack if one was issued to potential bidders with pre-qualification questionnaires.
The invitation to negotiate might include:
- Letter of invitation to tender (or invitation to negotiate).
- Instructions to tenderers explaining the tender process.
- Form of tender.
- Preliminaries
- Form of contract, contract conditions and amendments.
- The timescale for the tender process.
- An explanation of how queries will be dealt with.
- The evaluation process and any evaluation criteria.
- Policy in relation to alternative or non compliant bids.
- Policy for providing feedback to unsuccessful tenderers.
- Draft contract (including the payment mechanism).
- Pre-construction information.
- Site waste management plan.
- An output-based specification describing the clients objectives for the project.
- A description of what is required in response to the invitation to negotiate (including any requirements for method statements)
- A pricing schedule.
NB. Private finance initiative projects are generally tendered after the project brief has been prepared, without the benefit of design. However if a smart PFI route is adopted a concept design will have been prepared and so the invitation to negotiate might include drawings and prescriptive or performance specifications.
For a detailed description of the tender process for private finance initiative projects see the free work plan stage: Public project: PFI tender.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
What they are, how they work and why they are popular in many countries.
Plastic, recycling and its symbol
Student competition winning, M.C.Esher inspired Möbius strip design symbolising continuity within a finite entity.
Do you take the lead in a circular construction economy?
Help us develop and expand this wiki as a resource for academia and industry alike.
Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce
Risks of undermining UK’s energy transition due to lack of electrotechnical industry representation, says ECA.
Cost Optimal Domestic Electrification CODE
Modelling retrofits only on costs that directly impact the consumer: upfront cost of equipment, energy costs and maintenance costs.
The Warm Homes Plan details released
What's new and what is not, with industry reactions.
Could AI and VR cause an increase the value of heritage?
The Orange book: 2026 Amendment 4 to BS 7671:2018
ECA welcomes IET and BSI content sign off.
How neural technologies could transform the design future
Enhancing legacy parametric engines, offering novel ways to explore solutions and generate geometry.
Key AI related terms to be aware of
With explanations from the UK government and other bodies.
From QS to further education teacher
Applying real world skills with the next generation.
A guide on how children can use LEGO to mirror real engineering processes.
Data infrastructure for next-generation materials science
Research Data Express to automate data processing and create AI-ready datasets for materials research.
Wired for the Future with ECA; powering skills and progress
ECA South Wales Business Day 2025, a day to remember.
AI for the conservation professional
A level of sophistication previously reserved for science fiction.
Biomass harvested in cycles of less than ten years.
An interview with the new CIAT President
Usman Yaqub BSc (Hons) PCIAT MFPWS.
Cost benefit model report of building safety regime in Wales
Proposed policy option costs for design and construction stage of the new building safety regime in Wales.
Do you receive our free biweekly newsletter?
If not you can sign up to receive it in your mailbox here.
























