What is a Public-Private Partnership?

A public-private partnership (P3) is a funding model for public infrastructure projects such as new airports, waste water treatment plants and new roadways.

The government at a local, state and/or national level make up a public partner. On the other hand, privately-owned business, public corporation or consortium of businesses with a specific area of expertise are what factor into a private partnership.

P3 arrangements are useful for large projects that require highly-skilled workers and a significant cash outlay to get started. They are also useful in countries that require the state to legally own any infrastructure that serves the public.

Different models of P3 funding are characterized by which partner is responsible for owning and maintaining assets at different stages of the project. Below are a couple of examples of types of projects that Terracare Associates has participated in some form:

Design-Build (DB)

The private-sector partner designs and builds the infrastructure to meet the public-sector partner’s specifications, often for a fixed price. The private-sector partner assumes all risk.

CentennialOperation & Maintenance Contract (O & M)

The private-sector partner, under contract, operates a publicly-owned asset for a specific period of time. The public partner retains ownership of the assets. Our partnership with CH2M-Hill and the City of Centennial Public works department, which just became the first accredited P3 of its time, is an example of this type of arrangement.

The primary value of the P3 model comes from delivering a needed project more efficiently and at less risk for the public entity.

Using Denver as an example, CDOT has been able to complete an expansion of Highway 36 between Boulder and the I-25 corridor using private sector funding in exchange for an arrangement on tolling fees. This model has proven itself successful enough that the same type of model is being used for the eventual I-70 expansion project.

Another large scale Denver area project is the connection of Denver International Airport to downtown Denver via a monorail going from the airport to downtown Denver. This project was started first by a public-private arrangement and finished through support by the federal government with large funding to finish the project.

Our P3 experts on staff at Terracare are available for a P3 consultation with your team throughout the United States. Contact us today for more information on this innovative approach to public works requirements.

Public-Private Partnerships For Public Works

City of Centennial public worksPublic-private partnerships are a way for governments to collaborate with the private sector to share the risks and rewards involved in the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure projects. To ensure a lean government and outstanding service, cities often embraced public-private partnerships. This is what the City of Centennial did.

The City of Centennial is located just south of Denver city limits with 107,000 residents.  The city was formed in 2000 through high citizen engagement resulting in the largest incorporated city in U.S. history at the time.
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Experience is the Key to Public Private Partnerships

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Experience matters! Especially in the world of public private partnerships (P3’s)

Public Private Partnerships are a way for governments to collaborate with the private sector to share the risks and rewards involved in the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure projects. Since 1998, Terracare Associates has been at the forefront of public private partnerships, public works and city landscape maintenance services in the Western United States. And, the Public Infrastructure management team at Terracare, brings quite an extraordinary resume to every project with over 200 years of combined experience.

Experience is the Key to Public Private Partnerships

The leadership is comprised of seasoned individuals with a breadth and depth of public works experience, and the knowledge and tools to help clients with a wide variety of infrastructure projects. The combined backgrounds include decades working for the Colorado Department of Transportation, city management, and multiple industry certifications.

We are so fortunate to have such an impressive group of people working together, sharing knowledge and resources to best serve our customers,” says Justin Stewart, Vice President of the Public Infrastructure Division at Terracare.

NameTitleYears ExperienceCertifications/Degrees
Thomas DeGaffeProject Manager163
Antonio DelunaProject Manager186
Greg HayesColorado Operations Manager305
Tim GowanShopManager1615
Nick MadridAsst Project Manager356
Loran GillenUtah Operations2911
Todd RodriguezProject Manager224
Justin StewartVice President255
Bill WinfieldDirector of Operations164
Jacque Wedding-ScottStrategic Partnerships252
Totals23261

Every team member in our division contributes to our success. From our field personnel, and line supervisors to our project managers and our fleet management group, we are better together, sharing and caring about delivering quality performance every day” says Stewart.

Terracare Associates offers a wide variety of public works maintenance services including right-of-way mowing, all-inclusive roadway and roadside management, sign repair/replacement, concrete, traffic control, and snow removal on a citywide scale.

Submitted by Jacque Wedding-Scott, Terracare Associates Manager of Strategic Partnerships