Infrastructure is one crucial aspect to boost national development and economic growth. Availability of infrastructure is one determining factor for investors in making their decisions, as well as in retaining them. The rapidly growing need of infrastructure and the limited capability of public sector has made governments worldwide increasingly seek private partners for the financing, building, operation and maintenance of such infrastructure, in the form of public-private partnership (PPP). In many economies, PPP have proven to be successful cooperative means for the provision of public infrastructure through investment.
As each economy has its own governmental structure, PPP structure and arrangement are different between one and another. An investor wanting to enter a PPP project must first have a knowledge of PPP scheme in the economy they wish to invest. It should understand the overall process and basic requirements to set up a project. A private partner candidate, for example, must understand the bidding and procurement process, legal and regulatory environment, government institutions involved and their respective responsibilities and liabilities, government support, and dispute resolution mechanism. Therefore, they should be able to easily obtain such information.
This project directly corresponds with APEC 2013 priority to strengthen the connectivity through infrastructure development. By providing an overview of PPP frameworks in APEC economies, this guidebook is expected to expand information accessibility for potential private parties and raise their interests to get into PPP projects.
As a facilitatory and promotion tool in increasing awareness of investment opportunities through PPP, the guidebook is also in line with the Osaka Action Agenda and facilitation pillar of investment at the Investment Experts' Group.
The aim of this guidebook is to compile information on PPP frameworks in APEC member economies into a single information as a facilitatory tool for investment. The guidebook will provide a general overview of the process and requirements within PPP frameworks in order to establish a PPP project.
Each framework covers four sections: (1) legal and regulatory structures; (2) project structure and development; (3) project support, financing and management; and (4) related policies. The framework also enlists ready-to-offer projects in each economy.
The guidebook serves 3 (three) key objectives:
1. To compile and present a comprehensive overview of PPP schemes in infrastructure in APEC economies, as a starting point to facilitate potential APEC-wide investor and other parties who seeks such information.
2. To attract investors in setting up PPP projects in APEC economies.
3. To initiate a living database of PPP guide in each APEC economy.
This guidebook will become a living document as economies will be able to update information regarding their PPP.