The public sector often views partnering as a way to achieve higher service levels from the private sector. Private partners are more than willing to provide high-quality service levels, but they expect to be paid for doing so. The public sector cannot expect to get a Ferrari for the price of a Beetle. Understanding this at the outset will help to establish more realistic performance standards in the project agreement and mitigate sticker shock once the bids come in. PSC/VFM analysis seeks to create an apples-to-apples comparison that enables the public sector sponsor to make a best value choice. Once the project agreement is signed, the public sector is aware of the quality of service that will be provided for the term of the contract. This approach contrasts with conventional procurement models, where the quality of service has been shown to decrease over the length of the contract as maintenance requirements become more costly.