3 Ps in a Pod

Hosted by Partnerships Bulletin and P3 Bulletin

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141

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The team behind Partnerships Bulletin and P3 Bulletin bring you the stories behind the headlines, interviews with industry experts, and an occasional lighter look at the market <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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60 recent

August 12, 202620 min

Episode 131: P3s on the federal agenda

The P3 model has received a number of positive boosts from the federal government over recent months - but the lack of surface transportation reauthorization is causing concern for many in the market The team consider:<ul><li>The back and forth on Dulles Airport - 3:12</li><li>The continuing failure of Congress to vote on new surface transportation legislation - 7:35</li><li>The growing use of P3 to deliver a range of military facilities - 13:40</li><li>Plans to replicate the approach </li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

July 24, 202622 min

Episode 130: New government but old PFI problems

Partnerships Bulletin recently revealed the amount of money one NHS trust spent on legal fees related to its PFI battle. The team delve into the question of what this means for future disputes and relationships in PFI and PPP contracts. But first, they take a quick look at the new players in Prime Minister Andy BUrnham’s Cabinet. The team consider:<ul><li>What the new Cabinet appointments mean for PPP - 48 seconds</li><li>What an Andy Burnham infrastructure programme might look like - 4:03</li><li>Legal fees in PFI disputes - 10:22</li><li>The role of NISTA’s Conflict Avoidance Forum - 14:12</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

July 15, 202619 min

Episode 129: Conflict avoidance and readying for handback

The UK continues to see struggles with operational PFI projects, and with more heading towards handback in the years to come, it is likely that more conflicts will emerge as hard negotiations get underway.  With this in mind - and with NISTA developing its Conflict Avoidance Forum (CAF) to potentially catch problems before they turn into full-blown disputes - Partnerships Bulletin editor Paul Jarvis recently chaired a roundtable in association with the CIOB to take stock of how things have progressed and whether the learnings from industry touchstones such as DLA Piper’s Project Autumn and the government-commissioned White Fraiser Report have been put into practice. The team consider:<ul><li>Views on NISTA’s Conflict Avoidance Forum - 2:25</li><li>The future of human resources within FM - 9:46</li><li>How new contracts can learn the lessons of the PFI experience - 12:49</li></ul> To read our full write-up of the roundtable, click herehttps://www.partnershipsbulletin.com/article/1964306/roundtable-handling-expiry-tacking-behaviours-pfi-contracts <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

July 8, 202619 min

Episode 128: The Defence Investment Plan and PPP

The UK’s Defence Investment Plan (DIP) has promised to take a “partnership” approach, working with the private sector to deliver the infrastructure needed. However, details on the exact role and nature of private finance remain scant. The team pick through the DIP and ask what it might mean for the industry. They consider:<ul><li>How an Andy Burnham leadership could impact future investment in defence and beyond - 8:35</li><li>How the DIP could create new PPP opportunities in space - 11:48</li><li>Using private finance to deliver a combination of both military and civilian projects - 16:00</li><li>What comes next? - 17:52</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

July 1, 202626 min

Episode 127: Could a new approach to P3 unlock smaller projects?

Anton Steshenko, an academic at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, at the University of Maryland, explains the thinking behind his latest paper, advocating a new approach to small scale infrastructure initiatives that could unlock significant private capital by aggregating projects. Speaking to editor Paul Jarvis, he discusses:<ul><li>The theory behind the ‘Hybrid Institutional Capital Model’</li><li>Learnings from the Connecticut Green Bank, Montgomery County Green Bank, and the UK Green Investment Bank - 6:46</li><li>The sectors that could benefit from an aggregated approach - 10:29</li><li>The difficulties facing successful aggregation - 18:43</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

June 24, 202622 min

Episode 126: James Stewart on lessons from HS2 and what next for PPP

James Stewart joins 3Ps in a Pod for a discussion around some of the key learnings for the PPP market in the UK. He picks out some main points from his review into HS2, before going on to consider how major projects and a future PPP programme might avoid the pitfalls of the past. He also explores:<ul><li>Tackling gold-plating on public projects - 4:53</li><li>Tackling negative behaviours in operational contracts - 11:07</li><li>The prospect for new PPP projects in the UK - 15:20</li><li>What is needed to deliver a new programme of PPPs - 18:06</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

June 17, 202626 min

Episode 125: Conflict avoidance and new opportunities

After years of waiting, UK infrastructure agency NISTA looks set to establish a Conflict Avoidance Forum. But what will the industry think? Is it too late, and will parties want to engage with the process at this stage? The team also cover progress on the development of a new model for the UK market. <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

June 15, 202615 min

Lord Heseltine: "You’re just playing in toy town”

Lord Heseltine tells the story of the birth of the European Space Agency. Why post-Apollo, when the US was spending £1.2 billion a year on space, the whole of Europe was spending just £200 million. Why the birth of ESA was driven by the self-interest of three major countries. Why the US general with a $29 billion budget for the Star Wars project wanted to invest in Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Why, the idea that Britain could compete alone with the technologies that were accumulated and available to the American capitalist system was “simply laughable”. Why “being European is not selling out British interests”. And why Margaret Thatcher told him: “If you want to get on and put your budget into this, you can, but you're not getting any of mine."  Join Alice and Lord Heseltine as they pick apart the negotiating contrivances and the wheeling and dealing to circumnavigate “turkeys not voting for Christmas” that ultimately put European space on the map. Contributors:Alice Bunn, President of UKspace <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-alice-bunn-obe-fimeche-fraes-ceng-3b5141/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn</a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ukspace/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn</a> Lord Heseltine, Member of the House of Lords Key topics covered: <ul><li>Creation of the European Space Agency (ESA)</li><li>US "Star Wars" program and brain drain</li><li>Geopolitical case for European R&D collaboration</li><li>Impact of Brexit on science and technology</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

June 10, 202611 min

Episode 124: Tackling the PFI backlash

As the national media warn of the 'return of PFI', the team take a look at what's happening behind the scenes and how the narrative can be countered. They consider:<ul><li>Has the government finally kicked into action? - 2:15</li><li>The potential for defence PPPs - 3:50</li><li>Whether UK national and regional governments have a strategy for PPP - 7:06</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

June 3, 202620 min

Episode 123: IML’s Steve Cooper reflects on the UK PPP industry

IML chief executive Steve Cooper speaks to Paul Jarvis about his first 18 months in the role and reflects on the threats and opportunities in the current UK market. He discusses:<ul><li>IML’s experience of handback of PFI contracts - 3:20</li><li>What’s next for IML? - 9:41</li><li>Energy transition opportunities - 12:25</li><li>The emphasis on community impact and engagement - 16:40</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.