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Public Private Partnerships And The Public Accountability Question, John Forrer, James Edwin Kee, Kathryn Newcomer, Eric Boyer

Eric Boyer

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are growing in popularity as a governing model for delivery of public goods and services. PPPs have existed world-wide since the Roman Empire, but their expansion into traditional public projects today serious questions about public accountability. This article examines public accountability and its application to government and private firms involved in PPPs. An analytic framework is proposed for assessing the extent to which PPPs provide (or will provide) goods and services consistent with the 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 …