Over the past several decades PPPs have become an increasingly common tool throughout the world. This has resulted in experience and research which informed this guide. The important thing is to approach this study and other experience as a guide rather than a stringent list of rules in creating a PPP.
Shirley Ybarra, whose experience includes serving as the Secretary of Transportation for the Commonwealth of Virginia and writing Virginia's model public-private partnership legislation, "The Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995,"60 acknowledges both the importance of the PCC process and its inability to be a complete formula: "Too many people want to come up with a formula to say 'that's what works'... It's a nice idea but I doubt it. You can't cookie cutter it."61 While Ybarra notes that guides can point to the elements that ought to be included, the actual inputs and elements are unique and project specific. Ybarra proves her point with the simple example that picking a standard overhead rate "would be foolhardy."62 Thus, it is important to remember that each potential project or problem should be understood as a unique opportunity. Taking this approach allows for public and private stakeholders to act creatively to the specific problems and circumstances they are confronting.
Gene Schiller, whose substantial hands on experience in project development stems from his experience as senior executive with Southwest Florida Water Management District, notes that "each project is a unique set of variables, not one size fits all... process is as important as the product."63 He describes the potential in partnerships as "a business relationship, but it's a mutual beneficial one...It's not a war."64
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60 Reason Foundation (2011). "Staff Shirley Ybarra." Retrieved from http://reason.org/staff/show/shirley-ybarra.html.
61 Ybarra, S. (2011, March 10). Telephone interview.
62 Ibid.
63 Schiller, G. (2011, March 10). Telephone interview.
64 Ibid.