Engineers at the Policy Table: Understanding P3 Delivery, Finance, and Your Role in Public Infrastructure (Webinar)

Engineers at the Policy Table: Understanding P3 Delivery, Finance, and Your Role in Public Infrastructure

As infrastructure funding gaps widen and project complexity increases, public agencies are turning to alternative delivery models, including Public-Private Partnerships (P3s), to accelerate project delivery and better manage long-term risk. For engineers, these models can raise important questions: How does financing differ from traditional public funding? What role does public policy play in shaping P3 projects? And where does the engineer fit within a developer-led delivery structure?

Hosted by the Association for the Improvement of American Infrastructure (AIAI), this 75-minute virtual conversation will provide engineers with a policy-focused introduction to P3s—designed specifically for professionals who are not finance specialists, but who play a critical role in project development and implementation.

The session will explore:

·       The policy and legislative frameworks that enable P3s at the federal and state levels

·       The distinction between funding and financing—and why it matters in today’s infrastructure environment

·       How procurement statutes, risk allocation policies, and oversight requirements influence project structure

·       The evolving role of public sector engineers within P3 delivery models, from early-stage scoping and performance standards to compliance oversight and lifecycle accountability

·       How engineers help shape project requirements and protect the public interest—even within developer-led teams

Importantly, this conversation will address a common concern in the engineering community: the perception of diminished control under alternative delivery models. Participants will gain clarity on how P3s represent not a loss of professional authority, but a shift in methodology—one that elevates the engineer’s role in defining performance expectations, ensuring compliance with public standards, and advancing innovation in infrastructure delivery.

Featured panelists for this session:

·       Sia Kusha, Group Head, Business Development and Partnering, Plenary Americas

·       Dr. Shawn Wilson, Senior Vice President, National Highway Business Leader, WSP

·       Diana Ramirez, Senior Advisor, Association for the Improvement of American Infrastructure