Public–Private Partnerships and the Public Accountability Question

TLDR

Public‑private partnerships, long established yet increasingly popular, raise serious public‑accountability concerns as they expand into traditional public projects. The article investigates how public accountability applies to governments and private firms participating in PPPs. An analytical framework incorporating risk, costs and benefits, political and social impacts, expertise, collaboration, and performance measurement is proposed to assess PPPs’ alignment with public‑sector goals.

Abstract

Public–private partnerships (PPPs) are growing in popularity as a governing model for delivery of public goods and services. PPPs have existed since the Roman Empire, but their expansion into traditional public projects today raises serious questions about public accountability. This article examines public accountability and its application to government and private firms involved in PPPs. An analytical framework is proposed for assessing the extent to which PPPs provide (or will provide) goods and services consistent with public sector goals of effectiveness, efficiency, and equity. Six dimensions—risk, costs and benefits, political and social impacts, expertise, collaboration, and performance measurement—are incorporated into a model that assists public managers in improving partnerships’ public accountability.