5.2.1  Define the institutional framework

Ex-post evaluation of TEN-T PPP projects facilitates learning lessons from the experience of implemented projects, including successes and failures. These lessons can improve future decisions on whether to use the PPP route or how to design PPP contracts, for example, and ultimately how best to prepare and implement PPP projects.

It is important that the information needs for ex-post evaluation are thought through carefully and specified in the PPP contract. This ensures that the right information is gathered during the course of the project with the support of the public contracting authority and the project team.

The timing for evaluating a PPP is an open question, although a balance is needed between getting useful information quickly to inform current processes and getting meaningful data on performance. Evaluation around 12-18 months after the commencement of operations will provide information on the bidding process, the delivery of the project asset, and initial performance. Subsequent evaluations will provide better information on operational performance. <1>

The purpose of an ex-post evaluation is twofold: <2>

□  Evaluate the merits of PPPs associated with a particular type of project (e.g. TEN-T highway PPP projects).

□  Identify potential issues related to the implementation or management of specific PPP contracts (e.g. availability-based PPPs).

Evaluation requires the establishment of relevant criteria and methods and the capacity within the public authority to carry out the process. In order for this process to be successful it is important that the public authorities:

□  define the set of questions they would like to see answered; and

□  decide on who is best placed to answer those questions.

The type of body most suitable for the ex-post evaluation exercise depends on the objectives of the PPP ex-post evaluation. It is not unusual, for example, that national audit units undertake such studies<3> In some instances, for example, ex-post evaluation can be contracted out to a consulting firm, especially when in-house expertise is not available within a public body.

But whatever the nature, the public authority will have to ensure that the body undertaking the evaluation is independent from the teams responsible for delivering and implementing the PPP project subject to evaluation. <4>