KAP announce municipality partnership for 327mm Government Water Project in Vietnam!
Why Florida? Government Friendly Affairs
An Opportunity of a Lifetime
Florida is the number one holiday destination in the world, and many investors from all parts of the world have bought here over the past decades.
Investors are attracted for many reasons: the weather, the lifestyle, the strength of Sterling against the US Dollar and of course the endless number of leisure activities available for the whole family to enjoy on their holiday in the sunshine state.
Recognizing that foreign nationals invest heavily in Florida each year, the purchasing process and financial assistance available is much greater and simpler than in most other states of the USA. The government of Florida has made a special point to relax legislation for foreign nationals to invest into Florida.
Florida has one of the most advanced and diverse economies in the US. The state has a sophisticated service sector with trade and tourism being the main forces behind economic growth. Its economy is the fastest growing among the ten states in the US. If Florida was an independent country, it would have the 20th largest economy in the world.
Florida leads the south-east in farming, producing about 75 per cent of American oranges and supplying 40 percent of the world's orange juice. By contrast, Florida has one of the highest rates of business formation in the US and has managed to successfully develop its high-tech industry. Growth has been especially strong in business services, trade, transportation, aerospace, tourism, education, healthcare, construction and real estate.
Florida A Buyers Market
As the US economy recently slid into recession and the long-standing property boom ended, many developers in Florida have faced tough market conditions in which to promote their projects. One consequence of this has been that buyers have been able to get some great discounts on new properties. Another is that the exchange rate between the US Dollar and Sterling means Brits are getting far more property for their Pounds.
The economic crisis has created an ideal opportunity to buy property at low prices and global property experts are predicting that the fall in Florida property is almost at an end, and prices have nearly 'bottomed out', so for people buying now it could be the perfect time for an investment.
In recent months, we have carried out extensive research into this huge state, narrowing down the focus to specific hotspot locations and places of interest that have rock bottom prices, that are already showing signs of an upward trend that will continue to rise through 2009. Click here to view properties for sale in Florida.
Tourism
Florida is predominantly a service-based economy and tourism is its biggest industry. The number of tourists has been steadily rising since 2001 and reached 85 million in 2005 with revenues of $62 billion and employment within the sector of 944,500 workers. One dollar in every seven spent by overseas tourists in the US is spent in Florida. By 2010, it is estimated that 97 million tourists will visit Florida, generating $103-136 billion in economic output.
Public Private Partnerships (P3) Government Affairs
A Public-Private Partnership (P3) refers to a contractual arrangement between public and private sector partners pertaining to the design, construction, operation, management and/or finance of revenue generating public infrastructure facilities and projects. P3s have been used in industry sectors as diverse as roads, airports, utilities, ports, schools and hospitals. Generally, the public sector partner retains the advantages of public ownership of the facility or asset, while the private partner brings expertise in operations and management, and project execution efficiencies.Knight Advisory & Planning (KAP) have the combined experience and business acumen to help government and private sector clients achieve their objectives in the P3 sector.
KAP has the ability to quickly deploy highly focused teams of professionals experienced in the development, construction, financing, ownership and operation of the variety of P3 amenable project types.We bring one-stop P3 services for our client’s P3 project needs, eliminating the need to rely on multiple firms to address the spectrum of legal issues typically encountered in a P3.
Check our Portfolio Management Division to see the management practices and portfolio value managed by the FTF team.
Additionally, our extensive national and international offices, resources, and reach uniquely position us to serve projects throughout the U.S., Central and South America, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. Our Portfolio Managers have represented project sponsors, banks and institutional investors, contractors, facility operators, and given formal presentations to state and local government agencies. Through our representation of a wide range of clients, we understand the objectives of all parties with interests in P3s. KAP is able to advise on how to effectively balance competing interests (i.e. effective Program Management).
Projects on which KAP staff have been engaged extend to virtually all industries involved in P3 infrastructure transactions and other public-private arrangements, with a special emphasis on the Procurement & Financial Structuring of the P3 side. Our industry experience includes:
- Roads, bridges and tunnels
- Rail facilities
- Airports and seaports
- Electric generation and transmission facilities
- Natural gas supply,
- transmission and distribution facilities
- Water and wastewater treatment plants and reclaimed water systems
- Solid waste and waster to energy facilities
- Telecommunications facilities
- Petrochemical projects
- Arenas and convention centers
- Housing
- Community infrastructure development
- Hospitals
We have participated in transactions employing the entire range of project structuring techniques and have made significant contributions to the evolution of many of those techniques. We have particular experience in the adaptation of P3 delivery structures (including D.B.O., B.O.O., B.O.T. and B.O.O.T) to projects in later-developing nations in order to respond to the needs of sponsors and lenders in light of local country conditions.Whether a client’s business objective is monetizing infrastructure revenue streams, financing of a new or expanded infrastructure, or efficiently managing or operating infrastructure, KAP personnel have the depth and breadth of knowledge and experience to bring the applicable project to fruition.
KAP has strategically advised private and governmental officials in the drafting of legislation underpinning key P3 infrastructure projects in the U.S. and overseas. KAP personnel are skilled in negotiating infrastructure concession agreements, lease and license agreements, privatized operations and management agreements, and sale/leaseback agreements. Negotiating and drafting the full range of construction agreements (including engineering, procurement and construction contracts) and construction enhancement mechanisms (including sponsor support agreements, performance bonds, guarantees and letters of credit). KAP personnel are also key on consulting in a full range of financings, including private placements, public offerings, (in both the U.S. and overseas), IPOs and Rule 144A transactions, secured and unsecured bilateral and syndicated, credit facilities, industrial development bond financing, tax-free and taxable state and local government financing.Negotiation and structuring of joint development, limited partnership, limited liability and other types of agreements for project participants, as well as all project-related contracts.
Full range of tax advice, including cross-border tax issues, tax analyses, fuel excise tax controversies, tax incentive negotiations, sales tax rulings and energy tax credits.Advice to both international and U.S. clients on international and domestic compliance issues (including the Patriot Act and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) are handled through KAP legal affairs law firm.
Knight Advisory announces P3 Assessment scale for governments to qualify for project management.
Public Private Partnerships (P3) Government Affairs Qualifications
Knight Advisory & Planning (KAP) utilizes three primary evaluation methods to determine acceptance of P3 clients. The following categories are utilized to determine acceptability of a country application:
Econmic Risk - (Moderate) The likelihood that fundamental weaknesses in a country’s economy will cause adverse developments for an insurer. KAP utilizes A.M. Best’s assessment of economic risk to evaluate the state of the domestic economy, government finances and international transactions, as well as prospects for growth and stability.
Political Risk - (Moderate) The likelihood that government or bureaucratic inefficiencies, societal tensions, inadequate legal system or international tensions will cause adverse developments for an insurer. Political risk comprises the stability of the government and society, the effectiveness of international diplomatic relationships, the reliability and integrity ofthe legal system and of the business infrastructure, the efficiency of the government bureaucracy and the appropriateness and effectiveness of the government’s economic policies.
Financial System Risk - (Low) Financial system risk (which includes both insurance and non-insurance financial system risk) is the risk that financial volatility may erupt due to inadequate reporting standards, weak banking system or asset markets and/or poor regulatory structure. Along with the risk that the insurance industry’s level of development and public awareness, transparent and effective regulation and reporting standards and sophisticated regulatory body will contribute to a volatile financial system and compromise the ability of an insurer to pay claims.
Public Private Partnerships (P3) Government Affairs Structuring
METHODOLOGY OF QUALIFICATION
To qualify for the Global Discretionary Development Fund a P3 project must meet the following parameters for structuring to trigger placement under Rule 144a issuance, private investment, or off ledger capitalization:
- Must contain a sovereign guarantee from an issuing government between the Quasi-Government External Agency and the Central Government on all developed projects.
- Must establish a Quasi-Government External Agency responsible for the administration of proceeds to the identified projects.
- Must issue a Memorandum of Understanding between the Quasi-Government External Agency and the Government detailing a charter which the sovereign duties are delegated under.
- Must obtain parliament, congress, senate, or comparable government assembly passage / ratification of bill grade resolution authorising the formation of the Quasi-Government External Agency.
- Must initially receive proceeds through a bond offering of the main government treasury department guaranteeing a low interest yield of 1.25 – 3.25% interest.
- Must allow the Issuer to select board seats for Quasi-Government Entity in a 60/40 ratio for project management.
- Must sign a comparable BOOT, BOO, BOT contract with the Quasi-Government External Agency to develop government infrastructure.
- The Quasi-Government External Agency must have non diluted shares assigned to the Issuer.
- Target infrastructure projects of the Quasi-Government External Agency must at least return a minimum ten (10) percent (%) IRR over the course of the project.
10 Reasons to Foreign Businesses Invest In Florida
1. Grab Yourself a Bargain! - Enjoy discounts on property in Florida up to $150,000 below 2005 prices.
2. Strong Tourist Market - Tourism is worth an annual estimated $57 billion to the Florida economy.
3. No State Tax - There is no state tax which has positioned Florida as a shelter state for wealth for both individuals and corporations.
4. Unique Combination of Knowledge & Infrastructure - No other location in the western hemisphere can match Florida's unique combination of a strategic geographic position, strong knowledge base, state-of-the-art infrastructure, entrepreneurial spirit, and concentration of corporate and financial resources.
5. Industry Growth - The area's industry growth is focused on the professional and business services sector; all these are likely to see significant gains in the near future.
6. Strong Rental Demand for Quality Real Estate - Rental returns on properties in carefully selected areas can yield $20,000 per annum.
7. Foreign Direct Investment - The state has emerged as a hotspot for foreign direct investment (FDI), where total holdings by non-US companies are valued at $40bn.
8. Fastest Growing US State - Over 350,000 people NET move to Florida every year, making it the fastest growing US State.
9. Strong Demand - Baby Boomers are retiring in record numbers and flocking to the sunshine state to invest in second homes. This trend is likely to continue for the next two decades.
10. Price Growth - Prices are set to rise, more so in some areas of Florida than others; we will show you where.
Knight Advisory & Planning Key Points:
(1) Quality Networking Opportunities That Yield Profitable Partnerships.
(2) Knight Advisory; an Authorized Florida Business Agent.
(3) Florida: Helping Women Design Business Blueprints.
(4) Knight Advisory holds a seminar on opportunities in the Florida-National relationship.
(5) Team Proposal.
(6) Emerging Markets.
(7) Independent Entity not affiliated with any other entity discussed.
Additional Information
For more information email: info@knight-planning.com
KAP's Global Consultants Network