PUK Environment aims to assist public sector bodies (for example, DEFRA, Scottish Executive, Environment Agency, Carbon Trust) to deliver their investment programme.

The level and type of engagement that PUK provides varies according to circumstance. It includes the Development Partnership Agreement (DPA) model, where PUK works alongside the public body, acting as co-sponsor of the procurement. The examples of PUK’s co-sponsor role include:

• Working with Ministry of Defence for the procurement of the Aquatrine project – a major PPP for the water and waste water treatment facilities of MOD sites across Great Britain . A reduction of 15 months in procurement timescale and a corresponding £6mn reduction in the cost of delivering the project were achieved by this project.
• In the waste sector, PUK currently has a DPA with the Midlothian Local Authority in developing its waste PPP project

As well as co-sponsoring projects, PUK can also support the procuring authority at key stages of their projects. Examples of recent and ongoing work undertaken by PUK include:

• Providing expertise to a procurement authority’s project board in assessing whether their PPP projects delivers the intended objectives
• Providing negotiation support to two waste PPP projects

In the waste sector, PUK is working closely with DEFRA and the Scottish Executive in supporting the delivery of their investment programme. The waste sector SOPC3 derogation guidance is currently being prepared. PUK will also support the Scottish Executive in implementing Key Stage Reviews for waste projects in Scotland .

Procurement in the environment sector e.g. waste or flood defence projects can be a complex and expensive exercise because of limited precedents in the market. Having been involved in many novel and technology driven projects, PUK is able to offer a comprehensive support bringing to bear and co-ordinating the wide range of expertise available within PUK.