Absolutely.
In terms of the design process, the first step is for the public sector to define performance expectations. It's not how thick the concrete should be or how many bolts should be on the thing, but what the outputs should be. What performance do we want at the end of the day?
In general, then we would go to between 20% and 30% design. The 20% and 30% design is to allow for a reasonable cost estimation. We don't go farther than 30% design because we want to leave scope for the private sector to come up with the best design to achieve the performance specifications.
As part of the bid process, the bidders would have to complete to 100% design and do a cost estimate. They are at risk in their bids of having to go from that 20% and 30% to 100% design and putting that forward.
Then those designs are evaluated based on whether they're technically compliant with the performance specifications that have been put out.
You leave them that kind of scope to allow for innovation. That's why there are greater upfront costs for bidders in a P3. As part of their bid, they have to complete that design and costing work. There is a fair bit of upfront work and more risk for the private sector in having to do that.
That's basically how it works