Ownership of the PPPUE project is equally important at local level and consultations and workshops were therefore held in every 5 municipality selected for pilot project implementation with municipal staff and politicians, representatives of the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) and civil society groups. To facilitate the process at local level the programme established permanent PPP Committees with representation from all three parties. A participatory approach was applied, in which the different groups independently selected members to the Committee, which was given full responsibility for the identification of service needs in the municipalities and potential PPP projects. The Committee members were exposed to a range of training activities, including exposure visits, which gave them the needed background for initiating the PPP selection process.
In the first phase of the programme the committees were primarily concerned with the identification of needs and potential projects, while the feasibility studies of potential projects as well as the legal groundwork was implemented by the programme through the use of local consultants. This however left the committees with relatively limited terms of reference and less engagement in critical phases of the programme. In order to pave the way for a sustainable approach and to build the capacity of the committees by on-the-job training the PMU decided to channel funds directly to the committees in the second phase for these to undertake all relevant activities at local level. The programme activities have thus been limited to advise and guidance in the original five municipalities.
During the inception phase the programme management was closely involved in the execution of all ground level activities. However, over time measures were taken to ensure the eventual phase out of the programme from the local level, and with the second phase initiation an exit strategy was designed for both central and local level. The strategy, which seems sustainable, includes the establishment of permanent constructions at all levels. This includes:
o PPP desks in partner institutions. As stated above the PPP desks in the partner institutions (MuAN and FNCCI) will take over the advisory role of the programme during the next two years for their respective members.
o PPP committees at municipal level. The PPP Committees at municipal/local level will be responsible for the identification, feasibility studies and monitoring of local level PPP projects.
o Central level PPP Committee. A PPP central level committee will be formed comprising of members from the private sector, local level public sector, and civil society and chaired by the Ministry of Local Development. The Committee will function as an advisory body for looming disputes with the objective of supporting the partnership philosophy and avoiding arbitration or legal suits.
o PPP coordination desk with the Ministry of Local Development. The Ministry of Local Development will in the future play a leading role as coordinator of all the above activities through its recently established PPP desk, which is supported by PPPUE. The desk will take over the responsibility of the programme in 2007.