Infrastructure Project Service
COST ASSURANCE, AUDIT & STRATEGY ADVISORYWELCOME TO CFBL CONSULTING!
AUDITS PROTOCOLS & ESG FINANCE STRATEGy & ADVISORY
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Our Professional Standards & Memberships
overview
Infrastructure Project Services
We develop and implement cost assurance agreements for open cost-based contracts or capital expenditure projects to help minimise cost overruns and outcome risks on infrastructure projects. This involves training and the design of standard controls, processes, tools and templates. We conduct independent cost assurance and cost validation audits to validate actual defined costs and agreed on contract changes reimbursed over the life of the project against expected contract costs to minimise risk and surprises for all parties.
Commercial Protocols & Training
Protocols
We do this by developing and implementing cost assurance protocols on cost-based, open-book contracts or capex projects helping to minimise overspends and outturn risks on infrastructure projects.
Commercial Assurance
CFBL validates the integrity of revenue, procurement, and contract management processes, reinforcing commercial confidence and mitigating operational risks.
Contract Audit
CFBL examines contract execution for compliance, completeness, and value delivery, uncovering deviations and opportunities for dispute avoidance.
Supply Chain Audit
CFBL evaluates procurement and logistics networks to uncover inefficiencies, compliance gaps, and resilience vulnerabilities within the supply chain.
Training
CFBL Consulting provides training in the case study, cost and open book-based accounting contracts to help businesses deal with commercial, financial, cost and business risks. We ensure that your staff are skilled not only in their role in the project or business but also as managers, suppliers, employees and custodians of public funds and private money.
Commercial Management Review
CFBL examines end‑to‑end commercial operations, from sales pipelines to supplier frameworks, to optimise performance and support strategic growth.
Contract Reviews
CFBL conducts holistic reviews of contract portfolios to identify inconsistent terms, renewal risks, and cost‑leakage opportunities..
Commercial Audit
CFBL audits commercial transactions and agreements to ensure contractual terms are met, revenue recognition is accurate, and procurement complies with policy.
Contract Advisory
CFBL provides expert guidance on contract structuring and management, ensuring agreements are risk‑balanced, enforceable, and aligned with organizational goals.
Procurement Audit
CFBL examines purchasing processes, supplier selections, and contract performance to uncover savings and strengthen procurement controls.
Independent Project Audits & Open Book
Cost Optimisation & Advisory
We implement target cost, cost-based or alliance/framework contracting principles to ensure compliance and minimise revenue and profit risk. This includes pre-audit diagnostics and facilitating the cost recording to comply with legislation and reporting on open-book accounting contracts.
Finance Business Partnering
We can take on a longer-term advisory role alongside your organisation, guiding along financial matters with our expert industry insights and wealth of experience.
Project Audit
CFBL evaluates project governance, cost controls, and schedule adherence to ensure projects deliver scope, budget, and quality objectives.
Project Control
CFBL implements integrated control frameworks for project execution, aligning scope management, cost tracking, and schedule monitoring.
Project Risk Management
CFBL establishes risk identification, assessment, and response frameworks to anticipate and mitigate project threats and capitalize on opportunities.
Accounting & Tax
We will handle your personal taxes, payroll and business taxes, ensuring they are timely, optimised and compliant.
Planning, Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Modelling
We will also ensure that you have appropriate financial controls in place for budgeting, cash flow management, cost, credit control and risk management.
Open Book Audit
CFBL verifies partner and supply‑chain costs, fostering transparency and collaborative savings identification.
Project Cost Analysis
CFBL dives into cost allocations and resource utilizations within projects, identifying inefficiencies and recommending optimisation strategies.
Infrastructure Cost Audit
CFBL analyzes capital and operating costs of infrastructure assets, ensuring alignment with lifecycle objectives and affordability constraints.
Funding Investment Appraisal
We will help develop your investment business case and support you in selecting the appropriate funding strategy and in obtaining these.
Interim Head of Finance Role
We can also temporarily take a more embedded role with your organisation as an Interim Finance Director.
Interim Head of Finance Role
We can also temporarily take a more embedded role with your organisation as an Interim Finance Director.
Project Governance
CFBL designs governance structures that clarify decision rights, accountabilities, and reporting lines to enhance project oversight and success rates.
Subcontract Audit
CFBL audits subcontractor activities and billings to ensure contract compliance, cost integrity, and performance accountability across project lifecycles.
Cost Assurance & Cost Audits
Cost Assurance & Audits
We carry out independent cost assurance and cost verification audits to validate the actual defined costs and agreed-on contract changes reimbursed over a project lifecycle versus the intended contract costs to minimise risks and surprises for the parties.
Cost Verification
CFBL independently validates cost data integrity and adherence to accounting standards, safeguarding against misstatement and fraud.
Cost‑Based Analysis
CFBL applies cost‑plus and target‑cost methodologies to evaluate profitability, pricing strategies, and margin enhancement opportunities.
Commercial Management
We ensure that commercial management and financial controls are in place. This includes pre-audit diagnostics and the implementation of people, process and system controls to minimise cost and profit risks.
Cost Reviews
CFBL conducts periodic examinations of actual versus planned costs, diagnosing variances and recommending corrective actions to realign budgets.
Defined Cost
CFBL clarifies and standardizes cost definitions across projects and departments, promoting consistency in budgeting, reporting, and benchmarking.
Project Governance & Change Controls
This includes investment approval, business case development to secure funding, strategy development, procurement, commercial management of contracts, implementation, change management and project control.
Cost Reporting
CFBL streamlines cost‑reporting processes, delivering clear, timely financial insights to support executive decision‑making and regulatory compliance.
Value for Money Audit
CFBL examines programs and procurements to assess whether resources are being used effectively, economically, and efficiently in pursuit of outcomes.
HR, Payroll, Carbon, Cost & ESG Audits
Independent HR & Payroll System
Our independent HR and payroll audits include cost of carbon, pay gap, gender balance audits and carbon benchmarking as well as ESG impact reports.
Fraud Risk Assessment
CFBL evaluates organizational vulnerabilities to fraud through risk mapping and scenario analysis, designing controls to prevent, detect, and respond.
Internal Audit
CFBL defines audit charters and scopes, delivering systematic evaluations of controls, risks, and governance processes to fortify internal oversight.
Risk Management
CFBL designs integrated risk frameworks that embed risk awareness into decision-making, enabling organizations to proactively manage uncertainties and safeguard strategic objectives.
ESG Audits
We ensure that business governance and financial controls are in place. We verify the accuracy of expected contract costs, agreed contract changes signed by both parties and actual BAU costs reimbursed over the life of the project.
Forensic Audit
CFBL conducts deep‑dive investigations into irregular transactions and suspected misconduct, gathering evidence to support legal and disciplinary actions.
Risk-Based Audit
CFBL conducts deep‑dive investigations into irregular transactions and suspected misconduct, gathering evidence to support legal and disciplinary actions.
Carbon Cost Assessment
CFBL conducts deep‑dive investigations into irregular transactions and suspected misconduct, gathering evidence to support legal and disciplinary actions.
Sustainability Cost
CFBL identifies the direct and indirect costs associated with sustainability initiatives, enabling smarter investment in climate goals and compliance obligations.
Payroll Audit
CFBL audits payroll processes for accuracy, compliance, and fraud prevention, ensuring employees are compensated correctly and records are reliable.
Compliance Audits
CFBL verifies adherence to regulatory requirements and internal policies, identifying non‑compliance risks and recommending controls to strengthen governance.
Risk Reviews
CFBL conducts independent evaluations of risk identification and mitigation processes, ensuring that controls are both effective and aligned with organizational priorities.
Sustainability Audits
CFBL conducts comprehensive reviews of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance to support sustainable operations and transparent reporting.
ESG Finance & Capex Business Case Appraisal
ESG Finance Training
We offer ESG finance workshops and training to improve the skills of staff and supply chain in decision making and implementing controls, tools and templates for ESG reporting in relation to ESG KPIs.
Capex Strategy Development
CFBL collaborates on crafting a forward‑looking capital investment roadmap, aligning project priorities with strategic objectives and financial constraints to maximize returns.
Financial Strategy
CFBL partners on long‑term financial roadmaps, aligning capital investments, funding plans, and risk appetites to organizational ambitions.
Capex Business Case Appraisal
We help develop capital expenditure strategies, invest in business cases and assess and support companies in choosing the right financing strategy. It also includes KPI supply chains for decision making and implementation control and ESG benchmarking/reporting tools.
Financial Advisory
CFBL delivers strategic financial planning and capital structure advisory to optimise liquidity, leverage, and shareholder value.
ESG Finance Training
We offer ESG finance workshops and training to improve the skills of staff and supply chain in decision making and implementing controls, tools and templates for ESG reporting in relation to ESG KPIs.
Capex Cost Analysis
CFBL dissects capital expenditure budgets and actual spend to uncover variance drivers, enhance cost predictability, and inform future allocation decisions..
Financial Management
CFBL strengthens financial operations through process redesign, system implementations, and governance frameworks that drive efficiency and control.
Clients
Trusted by Top Global Companies
team
Our Experienced Associate Team
testimonials
What Our Clients Say
Multi-Disciplinary Steering Group
With the widespread use of NEC cost-based and alliance contracts, cost assurance & cost verification has become a necessary step to provide the transparency and assurance required by employers, clients and project managers. The steering group has prepared several key outputs from groups of like-minded professionals who have examined various key aspects in detail.
ESG Finance Services
CFBL delivered cost assurance training including on risks and emerging costs like carbon to our commercial, finance and project teams. The elements most valuable were setting out the process and protocols for audit, and having clarity on the responsibility of each party in the supply chain for cost assurance on infrastructure projects. We also found the elements on disallowed costs to be very valuable.
SME Fintech & Strategy Services
CFBL has provided Pacific Marketing with lots of really insightful and helpful financial advice. This included where to obtain grant funding and finance, how to credit check potential customers, and always first taking the time to first understand our questions and requirements.
Infrastructure Project Services
After the successful completion of a 3-year Crossrail audit programme, CFBL led supply chain consultations with contractor, consultant and auditor workstreams, delivering cost assurance protocols from CP4 and CP5 lessons for our 5-year strategic plans and CP6 control period. They would be an asset to any company to whom they are engaged and we would never hesitate to call upon their expertise. ”
Our unique point
Multi-disciplinary Steering Group
Our multidisciplinary steering group of diverse experts, professionals and member companies have the required wealth of the UK and international expertise on cost assurance and audit on infrastructure projects and construction contracts. Through our CSR and governance initiative, we are working with funders, clients, and contractors to drive change and transformation industry-wide.
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Contact us
25 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey, UK, RH1 1QZ | T: 01737 452323 | 07951 722554 | E: [email protected]
Registered in England and Wales | Registration No.7524623
