The aim of this guidance material is to support the objectives of Queensland's public private partnership policy, namely:
• to deliver improved services and better value for money through appropriate risk sharing between public and private sector parties;
• to encourage private sector innovation;
• to optimise asset utilisation; and
• to promote integrated whole of life management of public infrastructure.
Queensland's public private partnership policy has been developed to support the government's ongoing priorities of:
• More jobs for Queenslanders.
• Safer and more supportive communities.
• Community engagement and better quality of life.
• Valuing the environment.
• Building the regions.
A key characteristic of the policy initiative is its flexibility, which ensures that there is the ability to respond to the changing needs of our communities in an evolving social and economic environment.
The guiding principles which underlay this policy framework include:
• Clarity and certainty of process to provide the private sector with the confidence to invest in the development of high quality, cost-effective and efficient project solutions.
• Value for money focus, to ensure the objectives of the government are delivered by the mechanism best able to deliver value for money.
• Competitive process to drive value for money and innovation.
• Consistency with government policies, objectives and planning principles, and with the public private partnership policies being developed in other jurisdictions.
• Analytical rigour which focuses on objective, whole of life, risk-adjusted costing as part of a thorough investigation of available delivery options.
• Effective risk allocation which allocates risk to the party best able to manage it.
• Protection of genuine intellectual property to encourage development of innovative solutions.
• Transparency and accountability through clear definition of the process and of the respective roles and responsibilities of the government and private sector parties.
• Clear definition and understanding of project outcomes through constructive information exchange with potential proponents. This will be undertaken through a structured process which ensures that all proponents are treated in a fair and equitable manner.
The scope of the public private partnership policy encapsulates the delivery of 'hard' and 'soft' infrastructure facilities and related non-core services, such as operation and maintenance of the assets.
This guidance material is consistent with the objectives of the State Purchasing Policy, that is to:
• advance government priorities;
• achieve value for money; and
• ensure probity and accountability for outcomes.
The guidance material comprises a framework document which sets out a process for analysing and, where appropriate, implementing public private partnership Proposals, together with a range of supporting documents which provide further detail on specific aspects of the public private partnership process, including:
• risk management
• project resourcing
• probity and process governance
• contract development and management
• business case development.
This guidance material will be supplemented over time through the release of further supporting documents.