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U.S. Conference of Mayors Delivers Model Contract
Many in the public and private sectors have long called for a "model contract" for water and wastewater projects. Working with both sectors, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has developed a thorough and realistic response to this need.
Public-private partnerships can provide cities with a method for innovation, cost savings and accelerated delivery of infrastructure projects. But most cities have little experience negotiating these comprehensive water contracts. To answer that need, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (Conference) has developed a thorough and realistic response.
After more than a year in development, the Conference's Urban Water Council (UWC) has released the Mayor's Guide to Water and Wastewater Partnership Service Agreements: Terms and Conditions. The guide was prepared in response to a Conference resolution that directed the UWC to identify, discuss and develop recommendations for critical issues impacting water and wastewater infrastructure.
Some have voiced doubt that a model contract could ever exist because no two situations are identical. But Sugar Land, Tex., Mayor David G. Wallace, co-chair of the UWC, states that, "while some service agreement issues may be specific to a particular city's needs, there are a number of contractual issues that are commonly dealt with by the public and private parties of a partnership. As a result of countless hours of legal, operational and policy discussions, both sectors worked to create an equitable standard service agreement to serve as a successful partnership model."
Making informed decisions about partnership contract terms and conditions is important to protect the local government, ratepayers, water supplies and infrastructure assets. The new Mayor's Guide is designed to provide clear guidance about the relative responsibilities of both the public and private parties in a partnership and how they should be addressed in a contract.
Download a free copy  (235kb PDF) of this Mayor's Guide or visit www.usmayors.org .
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