Correctional management attitudes to private prison design and construction briefs in Australia

Interviews with private correctional management ('operators') involved in the submission of design and construction tender documents during the 'Request for Proposal' (RFP) stage of private prison projects in Australia highlighted a number of problematic issues. These included (1) the content of design and construction briefs – in which the scant information and 'grey areas' in the briefs created uncertainty, impeded progress and caused operators to feel inadequate and unprepared (2) assembling the design bids – was problematic as operator's wished to challenge and deviate from the brief (3) methods of research - which included revisiting their own schemes, existing State facilities and those of competitors, while simultaneously adding to their body of knowledge, and (4) difficulties faced in the management of the tender bid – such as there being inadequate time to brief architects and contractors, managing personalities, protecting commercial interests in design, defining expectations, and maintaining team momentum. The study found that conflicts between government and private sector stakeholder expectations, commercial confidentiality, motivational issues and misunderstandings, adversely impacted upon the derivation of tender documents and affected the resultant product.