The objective of the guidelines is to provide a set of principles that enable the public and private sectors to enter into mutually beneficial commercial arrangements for the delivery of public services to the community.
The Cabinet, or alternatively the joint approval of the Minister and Treasurer, has the discretion to decide if a project should be considered as a potential public private partnership. The Partnerships SA guidelines have been designed to assist agencies to investigate the suitability of a particular project for delivery as a public private partnership.
Unless otherwise decided by Cabinet, South Australian Government agencies are expected to follow these guidelines as closely as possible when contemplating private sector participation in infrastructure development or the provision of public services.
These guidelines relate to the provision of infrastructure or services to the public sector by the private sector, usually of a long-term nature, encompassing the design, construction, management and ownership or use of long life assets under a whole-of-life commercial arrangement between the public and private sector. The guidelines will not normally apply to short-term projects or public works contracts, such as refurbishment or facilities maintenance of public buildings and the associated financing arrangements. Projects of this type are subject to the Government's general procurement policies and are therefore not subject to these guidelines.
Through these guidelines the Government aims to:
■ encourage joint participation between the private and public sectors in the design, construction, financing and management of infrastructure projects and the delivery of associated services to the community;
■ provide guidance to the private sector in the policy issues relevant to private sector participation in public services, particularly the assessment and approval processes required for a given project;
■ provide agencies with guidance on how to engage with the private sector;
■ build on existing activities aimed at encouraging a more efficient public sector in joint enterprise with the private sector;
■ encourage development of innovative and viable approaches to infrastructure; and provide a mechanism by which such proposals can be brought forward.