Florida Council for Public-Private Partnerships Has Successful Inaugural Conference

The Florida Council for Public-Private Partnerships launched to the public statewide last week at its very successful inaugural conference in Orlando. One hundred thirty attendees, representing an equal mix of public entities, builders, lenders/investors, design professionals and others heard several case studies illustrating how P3 projects have been successfully delivered. Featured projects included the Port of Miami Tunnel, Long Beach Courthouse in California, Palm Beach County Convention Center Hotel and the pending P3 expansion of Seminole State College. Other presenters included William Merck, the CFO of the University of Central Florida, Representative Greg Steube who sponsored the new P3 legislation, and the heads of P3 activities for Balfour Beatty and AECOM.

The Florida Council for Public-Private Partnerships fared well too, as attendees competed for the last founding member positions and the membership drive is now in full swing. Check out the website to learn how FCP3 can benefit you. Jump on board – P3s are hot and are destined to become the future of public construction. Join us now and get lined up for P3s. The momentum for them has been immense over the past few weeks since the legislation passed.

Florida Gets Its First Public-Private Partnership Trade Association

As the momentum for public-private partnerships (“P3”) continues to accelerate, both within Florida and elsewhere, the first Florida P3 trade association is preparing to launch. With an inaugural board already empaneled and setting its first meeting in August, the Florida Council for Public Private Partnerships (“FCP3”) will provide educational content, case studies, relationship development and networking, and other programs to stimulate P3s in Florida and help its members start to do business with each other. Educational programs will include studies of P3 projects from around the state, both successes and failures, to explore what went right and what went wrong. National consultants and advisors will provide educational components and, in the process, members will develop relationships with each other with a goal of working together on P3 jobs.

Membership in FCP3 will be open to anyone interested in P3s, with membership categories including public owners; equity financiers and lenders; contractors, lenders and developers; and associate members including lawyers, accountants, and members of the insurance and surety industries. The inaugural board consists of members from large and well-known governmental entities, investment firms, banks, contractors and engineers. The board membership will be announced after the inaugural meeting in August. The goal is to launch FCP3 this fall.

If you’re interested in more information about membership, please contact me. Otherwise, stay tuned to this blog in the fall for more details.

Construction Owners Trade Association Takes Note of Public-Private Partnerships

The movement towards public-private partnerships (“P3”) as the wave of the immediate future in public construction continues to gain momentum. Construction Owners Association of America (“COAA”) is presenting a workshop on this topic on February 10, 2012 at 10:00 am in Orlando. The site appears to be the Hilton Hotel on International Drive, but I’ll forward definitive details as soon as they are available.

The program will begin with a presentation from the University of Florida about a sizeable P3 project they are undertaking just east of campus on the site formerly occupied by Alachua General Hospital. Next will be a presentation from a private developer out of San Diego with extensive experience with P3 projects around the country to discuss how they have selected, funded and administered P3 jobs. These two presentations alone, while not constituting the entire program, will give great insight into the P3 opportunities we will soon face in Florida, from both the owner’s and contractor’s perspective.

The program will then continue with a short lunch presentation by me on the status of the pending P3 legislation, about which I have previously blogged, as well as a summary of what that legislation would provide. Next (subject to final confirmation) will be a presentation by George Burgess, former Miami-Dade County Manager and current COO of Becker & Poliakoff, on funding options for P3 jobs – where to find funds and creative ways to come up with them. George was very involved in putting together P3 jobs for Miami-Dade County, such as the current tunnel construction and the various Metrorail stations. He sits with me on Becker & Poliakoff’s P3 team. 

The workshop will close with a question and answer session. Watch this blog for a copy of the agenda and registration form in the near future. Catch the wave – P3s are the wave of the immediate future, providing great opportunities for public owners, as well as private contractors, subcontractors and developers. Learn about them now and start positioning yourself to capitalize on them.