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In China, public–private partnership (PPP) projects consist of six phases, from inception to completion. In the final phase, known as the transfer phase (TP), the project assets are transferred back to the government, and the project is effectively closed out. Although success factors (SF) covering the earlier phases of PPPs have been well-documented, little is known about the effective execution of the TP in China. The main reason is that PPPs are a relatively new phenomenon, with few having reached the end of their life cycle, although this is happening now. Consequently, the determination of critical success factors (CSFs) in the TP is of great interest. This study aims to identify those CSFs that are most impactful to the success of the TP. A total of 23 process factors, arranged in four factor groups, are taken from an earlier study. These factors were presented to China's water PPP project experts in an online questionnaire, with 52 valid responses returned. Of the 23 process factors, 22 were revealed to be statistically critical to the success of the TP, which were identified as critical transfer success factors (CTSFs). The top five CTSFs are (1) contract system, (2) infrastructure, (3) transferred assets, (4) transfer acceptance criteria, and (5) overhaul information. The identification of the relative criticality of CTSFs and, in particular, the identification of the leading factors, can be expected to support the government and contractor entities in effecting the smooth transfer of many Chinese PPP water projects approaching maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public–private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects progress through separate phases, with each phase subject to unique risks, thereby requiring a phase-based strategy for managing risks. To date, most research on PPP risk has emphasized phases, with an obvious neglect of the final, transfer phase (TP) of PPP projects, in which the project ownership reverts to government. This study identified and evaluated critical risk categories of the TP, using China's PPP water sector as the context of analysis. A two-stage approach was adopted, including both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Seven critical transfer risk categories (CTRCs) were identified, namely overhaul risks, contract risks, posttransfer operation risks, residual value risks, political risks, information risks, and succeeding operator risks, of which three are unique to the TP. Expert recommendations were presented for the facilitation of a smooth transfer of water PPPs in China. The findings of this study contribute to the body of knowledge in PPP risk management, and the specialized research approach employed may be utilized in similar exploratory studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most infrastructure public-private partnerships (PPPs) are returned to the government once the contract term expires. Before the handover, a preparatory period, known as the "handover stage (HS)," is needed to determine whether the project is fit for handover. However, to date, no means to assess the performance status of the handover management has been established. This study addresses this practical demand by establishing a definition of handover success and identifying and evaluating criteria for the measurement of handover success, which contributes to a better understanding of HS management. • PPP handover success is defined as a hierarchical structure constituted by 12 key performance indicators. • 'Consecutive water production' emerges as the indicator with highest efficacy in assessing handover success of water PPPs. • Governments should be vigilant when dealing with handover stage due to the opportunistic tendency of private parties. • A process-based handover performance assessment mode comprising three evaluation nodes is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]