Observations on Project Structures for Privately Funded Infrastructure Projects

Abstract

Privately funded infrastructure projects (PFIPs) normally are financed on a project finance basis. The most common project formats that are used in PFIPs are build-operate-transfer (BOT), build-own-operate (BOO), and build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT). This article identifies the key differences among these formats in three different phases of the project: project development, project operation, and project termination. Successful project completion requires identifying an appropriate project structure that can match the project characteristics. Using empirical evidence, this article suggests appropriate project formats for different infrastructure projects depending on their individual characteristics.