Real option model for valuing public-private infrastructure projects with minimum income guarantees

Authors

  • Gastón Silverio Milanesi Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto de Investigaciones Ciencias de la Administración. Departamento Ciencias de la Administración https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1759-6448
  • Carlos Alberto Ferreira Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto de Investigaciones Ciencias de la Administración. Departamento Ciencias de la Administración https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2479-6288

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30972/rfce.3418338

Keywords:

public-private agreements, real options, minimum income guarantee, contingent liabilities, equilibrium tariffs

Abstract

Public-private agreements for the development of infrastructure projects constitute a strategic alliance between the public sector, developers, and private financiers. Contracts contain clauses for early termination, deadline extensions, and revenue guarantees, granting strategic flexibility. This makes traditional valuation methods ineffective for estimating resources committed by governments and the value of the concession for the private sector. Numerical alternatives based on real options theory are needed to incorporate the value of flexibility and its economic and financial impact. This paper proposes a binomial numerical model to quantify the contingent value of minimum revenue guarantees, impact on future budgets, economic value of the investment, and break-even rates. To this end, a case study in administration is applied to a road infrastructure development and toll concession. The anatomy of project risk is analyzed through simulation of the stochastic revenue process and VAR estimation. The binomial model is then applied to estimate: contingent value of the minimum revenue guarantee, present value of the government's contingent liabilities, value of the project with strategic flexibility from the private sector's perspective, and equilibrium rates for zero strategic present value.

Author Biographies

Gastón Silverio Milanesi, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto de Investigaciones Ciencias de la Administración. Departamento Ciencias de la Administración

Post. Doctorado en Ciencias Económicas Facultad de Ciencias Económicas Universidad de Buenos Aires. Doctor en Ciencias de la Administración Departamento Ciencias de la Administración Universidad Nacional del Sur. Magister en Administración Departamento Ciencias de la Administración Universidad Nacional del Sur. Contador Público. Profesor Titular Exclusiva Departamento Ciencias de la Administración: Análisis Financiero, Administración Financiera I, Decisiones y Estrategias Financieras Universidad Nacional del Sur. Profesor Titular Simple Departamento Licenciatura Organización Industrial: Proyecto Final Universidad Tecnológica Nacional Facultad Regional Bahía Blanca. Profesor Doctorado Ciencias de la Administración Departamento Ciencias de la Administración Universidad Nacional del Sur, área Finanzas. Profesor Doctorado en Administración Facultad Ciencias Económicas Universidad de Buenos Aires, materia Teoría de Juegos y Opciones Reales. Profesor Maestría en Administración Financiera Facultad de Ciencias Económicas Universidad de Buenos Aires materias: Derivados Financieros, Instrumentos de Renta Fija e Instrumentos de Renta Variable. Profesor Maestría en Administración Financiera de Negocios Departamento Ciencias de la Administración Universidad Nacional del Sur: Instrumentos de Renta Fija. Profesor Maestría en Administración de Negocios Universidad Tecnológica Nacional, Facultad Bahía Blanca materia: Finanzas y Control. Profesor en otros posgrados con carácter temporario, integrante de comités académicos. Director Decano Departamento Ciencias de la Administración Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina.

Carlos Alberto Ferreira, Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto de Investigaciones Ciencias de la Administración. Departamento Ciencias de la Administración

Doctor en Ciencias de la Administración, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina. Mgter. en Gestión Financiera del Sector Público, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Argentina. Profesor Titular, Ciencias de la Administración, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina.

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Published

2025-06-26 — Updated on 2025-07-04

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How to Cite

Milanesi, G. S., & Ferreira, C. A. (2025). Real option model for valuing public-private infrastructure projects with minimum income guarantees. Revista De La Facultad De Ciencias Económicas, 34(1), 25–54. https://doi.org/10.30972/rfce.3418338 (Original work published June 26, 2025)

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