In the UK, the government established a National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) to evaluate, monitor and propose the nation’s long-term infrastructure needs and created the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) to support the financing, delivery and assurance of major projects.

The last annual report and update from the IPA highlighted 235 live projects with a whole life cost of £678bn, half of which spend is in the infrastructure and construction category and 2021/22 saw a major influx of new projects. Over 80% of the projects in the UK Government’s major projects portfolio are rated amber or red with respect to the IPA’s assessment of confidence in their delivery. This underpins the challenges faced in implementing large scale, complex, multi-stakeholder infrastructure projects.

Understanding the infrastructure investment issues that affect your organisation

All sectors are competing for infrastructure investment. Currently, energy, transport and social infrastructure account for the majority. Greater demands for addressing climate change, improving productivity and addressing an ageing population have prompted the government to take a fresh look.

Infrastructure is ultimately funded through consumer bills, user charging, public funds from taxation, or a combination of these mechanisms[1]. With this, business cases for new schemes are under ever increasing scrutiny to deliver better and safer returns. This is where seeking expert advice from infrastructure specialists is essential; our teams have highly relevant expertise you can rely on to augment your project bid and/or delivery teams.

Infrastructure solutions to help your organisation

Our infrastructure specialists have developed guidance for companies and firms worldwide. Our expert teams have also worked across various sectors and with government bodies such as HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office, on matters from infrastructure project finance and programme management, through to financial modelling, assurance and contract management. Our specialists work with central and local government, agencies, investors, regulators, owners, operators and maintainers and provide services across supply chains.

Ways in which RSM’s infrastructure specialists can help:

• business case development and assurance (ensuring HM Treasury ‘Better Business Case’ and ‘Green Book’ compliance)
• bid support
• financial modelling and model audit
• infrastructure funding
• infrastructure project finance and financial advice
• project/programme initiation (IUK Route Map)
• project benefit planning and management
• project management and project impact evaluation
• contract and procurement advice and assurance
• project/programme assurance
• specialist tax and accounting advice
• economic and social impact studies (to comply with the 2011 act)
• operational improvement
• VAT and indirect tax advice