This study explores the connections of public procurement official perceptions of public-private partnerships and their contracting decisions for public infrastructure projects. Detailed discussion of previous scholarship and its focus on policymaking and project evaluation of public-private partnerships leaves a gap in the public policy process – implementation. Procurement officials are presented in the role of policy implementers rather than agents in a principalagent approach. This attempts to address a shortcoming of the description that these officials do nothing more than purchase. Arguments are put forth that these officials are given additional levels of discretion when faced with contracting decisions. Specifically, procurement officials observe that public-private partnerships provide sets of project consequences. A survey instrument is designed to explore the differences in perceptions that procurement officials have with respect to public-private partnerships and traditional contracting out. Survey failures result in findings only being able to attempt a more general view of public-private partnerships. Results allow perceptions to be placed in a decision-making model based on a project phase approach that develops on the assumption that tasks contracted to private vendors produce project consequences. Furthermore, analysis of significant consequence perceptions indicate that those perceptions do not provide a rationale for a procurement official’s decision-making on whether to contract using a public-private partnership for public infrastructure projects. Independent sample t-tests, controlled correlations, multiple ANOVA and linear regression analyses show that perceptions of consequences, the perceptions of differences of those consequences across project phases, relationships of consequences to perceptions of efficiency and effectiveness proxies and a bounded rationalitybased model of decision-making for procurement officials are all inconclusive. Discussion focuses on the development of consequences and phases as defining and clarifying public-private partnerships. Further discussions are presented for procurement officials with respect to their decision-making and possible role as policy implementers. Conclusions fail to uncover any inferential results. The research finds its primary contribution in the conceptual discourse of public procurement official roles and public-private partnership definitions. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis is focused on the analysis of the application Public Private Partnership within the financing of public infrastructures projects. Public infrastructure financing has traditionally lain in the domain of public sector. A tightening of many countries' budgets recently has led to an exploration of alternative resources for financing transport infrastructure as e.g. PPP. The aim of the thesis is to compare or evaluate which form of financing (PPP or using only public finance esp. issue of public bonds) is more effective. The thesis is separate into 2 important parts, theoretical and practical. The theoretical part of the thesis provides the general description of PPP projects, international experiences and about the legal and institutional framework within the EU and Czech Republic. Practical part of the thesis is focused on the main advantages and disadvantages of PPP projects. Here is also part devoted to the financial models using for the comparison which form of financing (PPP or traditional public procurement) is more efficient. Conclusion of the thesis summarizes the gained findings and also assesses which form of financing is more efficient.

Europos Sąjungos finansų politika pagal savo prigimtį, įgyvendinimo procesą ir ateities tendencijas yra labai reikšminga Europos Sąjungos bendros ir finansų rinkos integracijos ir efektyvaus veikimo atžvilgių. Lietuva, vadovaudamasi Europos Sąjungos finansų politikos gairėmis ir reikalavimais, padarė didelę pažangą siekdama integruotis į Europos Sąjungos bendrą finansų rinką ir sudarė sąlygas tobulėti valstybės privataus finansų sektoriaus rinkai ir viešų finansų sistemai bei užtikrinti darnų ekonomikos augimą. Jeigu ateityje Europos Sąjungos finansų politika bus vykdoma kryptingai, galima tikėtis, jog bus sukurta konkurencingiausia ir dinamiškiausia ekonomika pasaulyje, turinti autentišką bendrą rinką, kurios egzistavimui reikalinga bendra valiuta norint garantuoti, jog bendra rinka turės potencialą augti bei klestėti. / The European Union’s finance policy, due to its nature, process of implementation and future tendencies, is of high importance in respect of the integration of European Union’s common and finance market and effective operation. Lithuania, following the requirements and milestones of the European Union’s finance policy, made a huge progress seeking for the integration into the common finance market of the European Union, moreover, Lithuania capacitated the market of public finance sector and the system of public finance to improve and ensured harmonious growth of the economy. If the European Union’s finance policy is implemented purposefully in the future, we may expect that the most competent and the most dynamic world’s economy, having the authentic common market and common currency, which is necessary for its existence, in order to guarantee that the common market will have the potential to grow and to flourish, will be created.