INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND ISSUES

Once the transportation agency has established a PPP program, it can more effectively proceed to develop and implement PPP projects that offer the potential to cost-effectively expedite needed transportation projects by involving the private sector to a greater extent than in the past. These are a number of requirements for transportation agencies to meet to have an effective PPP program. Among these, the most significant requirements are listed in Exhibit 18 below.

Exhibit 18 - Transportation Agency Requirements for an Effective PPP Program

PPP program development and refinement - policy, authority, and responsibility

Program management - strategic planning, guidance, monitoring, evaluation. And reporting processes

Resource management - organization, staffing, and procedures

Technical capabilities

- Legal and regulatory review and analysis capabilities

- Innovative procurement and contract administration techniques

- Innovative funding approaches and financial management practices

Project prioritization and selection criteria and processes

RFP development and/or bidder evaluation processes

- Solicited and/or unsolicited proposals

- Brownfield (existing) and/or greenfield (new) projects

Legal assessment of bidding process, bids, and contracts

Effective contract administration and project oversight to ensure accountability

A transportation agency should consider the key issues framed in terms of the five questions listed in Exhibit 19 to successfully develop a PPP program.

Exhibit 19 - Key Issues to Consider in Developing a Transportation Agency PPP Program

What is the institutional context for the PPP program?

- Focus of PPP initiative (e.g., mega projects, inadequate funding, strong private interest)

- Primary reasons to consider PPPs for project/asset delivery

- Relationship of PPP approaches to the agency's mission and responsibilities

Does the sponsoring agency have the statutory and regulatory authority for PPPs?

- Review existing statutes and regulations to assess authority for PPP projects

- Assess legal context and capability for PPP project proposals - solicited and unsolicited

- Eligibility for PPP delivery by project type based on project selection criteria

What are the potential public and private partner responsibilities, risks, and returns?

- Project development - financing - operations - preservation

- Toll schedule

- Asset ownership

- Contract duration and renewal potential

Does the sponsoring agency have the capabilities and resources to develop and manage a PPP program and the resulting projects?

- Organizational placement and structure

- In-house staffing levels and qualifications

- Specialized staff resources

What kind of procurement approach should be used to select qualified PPP teams?

- Procurement method

solicited - unsolicited

one-step - two-step (prequalification leading to short list)

prequalification process - criteria

performance-based versus prescriptive standards

- Selection basis

project price - level of third party financing - other considerations

best value - lowest responsible bidder - lowest bid

- Contract type

DB, DBOM, DBOM-F, BOT, long-term concession lease

performance-based versus prescription based

project delivery - service levels - asset conditions

shared risks - shared rewards

duration - renewal potential

- Extent and sources of competition for PPP assignments

local

national

international

- Contract administration responsibility and approach

quality control - quality assurance