1.4 Structure and contents

Chart 1 summarises the three key phases of the PPP project cycle. Throughout, its treatment of these phases, the Guide identifies sources from PPP guidelines or professional publications where readers can access further material.

The Guide has four core chapters and one annex. Chapters 2 to 5, the core chapters, cover the procurement and implementation phases of the PPP project cycle and have two stages each (see Table 1):

□ Chapter 2 provides a summary of the main issues related to the identification phase of the PPP project cycle, including project selection, feasibility studies, affordability, risk allocation and Value for Money.

□ Chapter 3 goes over the detailed preparation steps typically required before launching the public tender for the award of the PPP contract.

□ Chapter 4 covers the procurement phase of the PPP cycle, including request for proposals, selection of preferred bidder, and financial close.

□ Chapter 5 focuses on contract management issues (including changes to the contract, disputes, renegotiations, and termination) and ex-post evaluation.

The structure of the core chapters has the following features:

□ For each stage shown in Table 1. the Guide identifies the key steps which the public contracting authority and its advisers need to take before moving to the next stage

□ The discussion of the key steps listed in the third column of Table 1 includes the rationale for the step , the key tasks involved and a list of publication sources to understand those tasks further.

Table 1. Core chapters: stages and steps

In addition:

□ Some specific issues, for example traffic risks and payment mechanisms, or combining EU grants with private finance, are developed in more detail with text boxes because of their relevance to TEN-T PPPs and their fundamental role in the design of the PPP arrangements.

□ At the end of each step, there is a Guidance box with references for further material on the issues discussed in that step (see section 1.6, How to use the Guide ).

□ Checklists are included at the end of each stage to remind the reader of the key tasks that have to be fulfilled before moving to the next stage.

□ A Summary in the form of a chart is included at the end of each core chapter listing all the stages, steps and key tasks discussed in the chapter.

The Annex completes the Guide and covers the basics of project finance which are relevant to PPP projects in general.