The Hurdles of Local Governments with Ppp Contracts in the Waste Sector

Abstract

Abstract:This paper identifies a number of the theoretical principles that apply to PPP contracts, introducing new case studies and policy discussions relevant for Europe and elsewhere.It discusses to what extent these contracts can and should be applied in the waste sector and performs a comparison between the purely contractual and the institutionalised models of PPP arrangements. We analyse four case studies in the 'wholesale' waste market in Portugal and examine the implementation and degree of success of these partnerships in the field. It seems that public authorities are failing to secure an adequate level of protection of the public interest. Drawing on the empirical evidence, we present some guidelines that can lead to better regulatory contracts for waste services.

Once The Shovel Hits the Ground: Evaluating the Management of Complex Implementation Processes of Public-Private Partnership Infrastructure Projects with Qualitative Comparative Analysis

“…chapters 4 and 6) so as to achieve satisfactory outcomes that are best-for-project (cf. cruz & Marques, 2013;da cruz et al, 2013;Sakal, 2005). 103 it is argued that, because of the inherent uncertainty and unpredictability of events in projects, PPP contracts are incomplete by definition.…”

Transforming Municipal Services to Transform Cities: Understanding the Role and Influence of the Private Sector

“…According to a 2008 Skumatz Economic Research Associates survey of 700 North American municipalities, 29% of municipalities reported having public waste collection, 43% reported organized systems where services are contracted out to the private sector, and 23% reported fully privatized "open" waste and recycling collection systems [12]. Even in the European Union, waste collection is "organized" under different public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements [5]. The Twin Cities case study therefore illustrates a range of possible ways that the private sector can be involved in delivering municipal services and the implications that this range of involvement has on urban sustainability initiatives.…”

“…City governments can collaborate with the private sector to share the knowledge and resources needed to coordinate infrastructure investments through Public-Private Partnerships (P3s), for example, or household communications through joint advisory boards. When services are provided by the private sector through local government contracts, public officials can help advance policy aims by ensuring that these contracts are effectively managed and risk is properly allocated [5,32].…”

“…We take as a starting point the often-overlooked fact that private engagement in local service delivery can take a variety of forms, from informal collaboration to full privatization [5,10]. We use the case of waste management in the Twin Cities, Minnesota to examine and discuss the issues and tensions that can arise as governments try to steer city services toward more sustainable outcomes in the varying context of privately delivered municipal services.…”

“…Following the new public management reforms of the 1990s [2], and often encouraged by higher levels of government and international funding organizations, city governments in the U.S. have increasingly turned to the private sector for service delivery in an effort to increase economic efficiencies and reduce transaction costs [3,4]. In some cases, the private sector may be better poised to borrow and leverage assets compared to local governments facing debt limitations, and also have the potential to be more flexible and productive [5,6]. While assessments of whether greater efficiency has been achieved as a result of privatization are mixed at best, e.g., [7], many city governments engage with the private sector for service delivery in some way.…”