Criteria for selecting public–private partnership models in smart transport infrastructure project development: the case of Vietnam

Smart transport infrastructure combines physical assets, digital systems, cybersecurity, data governance, and long-term service operation. This complexity makes selecting an appropriate Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model a procurement challenge rather than merely a financing decision. Existing PPP guidance offers limited support for making this choice in developing-country contexts. This study identifies suitable PPP models and their selection criteria through a structured literature review from 2010 onward, refined through expert input, and evaluates them using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The inputs of AHP were collected based on responses from 45 PPP practitioners in Vietnam spanning government, investors, contractors, consultants, and financial institutions. As a result, five PPP models and ten selection criteria were assessed.Results indicate that social benefits, financial mobilization capacity, and the ability to attract private investors are the most influential criteria in PPP model selection, with modest differences among the criteria. Model 4 (including BOOT, BOT, BTO, BTL, and BLT/BLOT) ranks first; however, the close model weights indicate that project-specific appraisal remains necessary. The study contributes a decision-support framework for PPP procurement in smart transport projects in developing-country settings.