The PBI Office will oversee partnerships with the private sector to complete major infrastructure projects and other programs through long-term, performance-based procurements commonly referred to as public-private partnerships, or P3s.
The Office of Performance-Based Infrastructure (PBIO)’s mission is to improve the lives of Denver residents by leveraging private sector financing and expertise to innovatively meet the city’s needs for new public infrastructure and to improve our existing facilities.
Answers to common questions such as what is a PBI project, why is the City and County of Denver engaging in these projects, how does the office and process work (including the stages), and how do they impact the City and its residents?
Why did you decide to put a PBI Office into place – Can’t we just rely on public funding per our usual practices?
What is the goal of the PBI Office?
When will the PBI Office open and the program go into effect?
Who will manage the PBI Office?
How will it be determined if a potential project is suitable for performance-based delivery and is placed in Denver’s PBI program pipeline?
What is the PBI Office’s role after projects are in the PBI pipeline?
What are the potential benefits of the PBI concept for the public? For private partners? What are the potential drawbacks for both partners?
Has the PBI Office and program been endorsed by the Mayor and/or other elected officials?
Will the PBI program be used for projects that will be developed outside of the Denver City and County limits?
What projects currently are being considered as a potential PBI project? Why is PBI a good option for these projects?
Why wasn’t the program in place before previous PBI projects were undertaken (e.g. Denver Union Station, DIA Great Hall, etc.)?
High-profile PBI projects in the region, such as U.S. Highway 36 and the RTD A Line, have been controversial. How will Denver’s PBI program keep City projects from running into similar problems?
PBI projects also are criticized for providing incentives for private-sector partners to do things on the cheap, as with the RTD A Line and its highly-publicized operational problems. Will Denver’s PBI program prevent these kinds of problems?
Does the PBI program address unsolicited proposals? If so, how?
In general, what is meant by a performance-based or public-private partnership project?
What is the PBI Program in Denver?
Is Denver’s PBI program similar to PBI policies in other cities? Have those policies been successful? How do we know?
How will the general public know that the City has its best interest at heart? Will there be an opportunity for community members to have a say in which projects move ahead?
How will the general public be kept aware of updates following these meetings?
How will the PBI program impact job creation?
The 2019 budget request is significant, why so expensive? What value does the City receive from the investment?
What are the project delivery and funding alternatives to PBIs? In what cases are the alternatives better? In what cases are they worse?
Isn’t a PBI just a way to privatize a public asset?