Question

National Highways Authority (NHA) is considering a public-private partnership with Friends construction as main contractor using a DBOMF contract for a new 50-mile motorway on the outskirts of Baluchistan Province. The design includes seven 10-mile-long commercial/retail corridors on both sides of the road. Motorway construction is expected to require 6 years at an average cost of $4 million per mile. The discount rate is 11% per year, and the study period is 30 years. Initial investment is $200 million distributed over 5 years; $50 million now and in year 6 and remaining amount equally in rest of the years. Annual operating cost is $10 million per year, plus an additional $5 million every six years. Annual revenues Include tolls and retail/commercial growth; start at $5 million in first year, increasing by a constant $2 million annually through year 10, and then increasing by a constant $3 million per year through year 20 and remaining constant thereafter. Disbenefits include loss of income to people in surrounding areas; start at $15 million in year 1, decrease by $2 million per year through year 21, and remain at zero thereafter.

Required: Evaluate the economics of the proposal using (a) the modified B/C analysis from the NHA’s perspective and (b) the profitability index from the Friends construction viewpoint in which disbenefits are included and not included.

Answer 1