offentligeprivat

Offentligeprivat, commonly translated as public-private partnership (PPP), describes a cooperative arrangement between public authorities and private firms to deliver public services or infrastructure. In a PPP, the private partner may be responsible for financing, designing, building, operating, and maintaining a project for a defined period, with assets or oversight often reverting to the public sector at the end of the contract. This differs from traditional procurement where the public sector solely contracts private providers for ongoing services.

Common forms include design-build-finance-operate (DBFO), build-operate-transfer (BOT), and concession agreements. Payments to private partners typically come from user fees, availability payments, or performance-based contracts. The private party assumes lifecycle risks and the contract sets performance standards and reporting requirements.

Rationale for PPPs includes mobilizing private capital, introducing market incentives, and transferring certain risks to the private sector to potentially improve efficiency and service quality. Successful PPPs require clear objectives, transparent procurement, rigorous risk allocation, and strong governance and oversight.

Criticisms focus on long-term cost, complexity, and the potential for renegotiations or reduced public control. Critics also worry about transparency, accountability, and whether private incentives align with public welfare. Public partners must ensure robust contract design and external scrutiny to protect taxpayers and users.

Usage spans infrastructure and services such as roads, hospitals, schools, water, and information technology. PPPs are common in many regions, including Europe and North America, and are often used to supplement public funding in Nordic countries under national procurement rules and evaluation regimes.