Public-private partnerships, which are commonly referred to as P3s or Triple P projects, are an alternative delivery method for public capital improvement projects. Unlike traditional design-build projects, P3s offer a soup-to-nuts delivery method where government agencies can procure responsible vendors for the design, build, financing and operation of public projects at the most competitive price. The efficiency of this alternative delivery method has led to its tremendous popularity.
The Florida Legislature responded to this popularity by enacting Section 287.05712, which was intended to encourage P3s through the application of minimum procurement guidelines that are now applied uniformly throughout the state. In addition to this minimum baseline, the section sought to encourage ingenuity by providing a process where the private sector could propose capital projects improving existing public facilities or create new facilities, like the Miami Tunnel project.
