Implementing public-private partnerships in municipalities

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) realize three critical strategic issues for improving the quality of urban services: the enhancement of governmental financing capabilities, the improvement of public investment efficiency, and the harnessing of consumer-orientated management expertise. Based on a sample of 20 projects embarked upon by the city of Warsaw, we examine the process of project selection, planning, and prerequisites for satisfactory completion. The paper contributes to the literature on the PPP pre-implementation process and offers a perspective on the potential of PPPs in emerging economies. Key policy recommendations: 1) central headquarters for coordination of planning process; 2) clear project selection criteria; 3) involvement of independent consulting companies to legitimate the process under subsequent administrations; 4) ex ante risk allocation and ex post performance measurement procedures; 5) pre-determined termination conditions; 6) determination to start the process and learn by doing, and 7) knowledge transfer and retention mechanisms.