PPP Development and Governance in Latin America: Analysis of Brazilian State PPP Units

Abstract

Governments have used public–private partnership (PPP) units to ensure that PPP programs and projects are successfully delivered. These units frequently are understaffed and vulnerable to political and economic pressure to deliver. Few researchers have examined the organization, size, and transparency of these units. This paper undertakes a comparative analysis of 27 Brazilian federative units. The research has been focused more on identifying governance characteristics, and this study includes indicators of success, such as project implemented and transparency level. The research concluded the following: (1) Brazilian PPP units still have to significantly improve PPP public transparency; (2) a reduced number of PPP projects is actually implemented, but the more transparent PPP units are those with the ability to successfully implement more projects; and (3) size matters in terms of staff—the larger the units are, the more projects are implemented and the better the conversion ratio (projects appraised versus projects in operation).