Infrastructure & Project Finance Lawyers in Tbilisi, Georgia

Public-private partnerships and concessions in Georgia

Georgia’s PPP framework distinguishes concession and non-concession structures. A concession involves the relevant operating risk borne by the private partner. In a non-concession model, the private partner receives remuneration from the public partner under the arrangement. For bidders and lenders, the commercial question is how demand, availability, construction performance and public-side commitments translate into enforceable payment obligations.

We review the project structure, selection or procurement documents and draft project agreement. The legal work may involve performance standards, deductions, tariffs or availability payments, permitted changes, public-side obligations, termination compensation and handback. A commitment from a public counterparty should be assessed against its authority and the approvals the project requires. Where a tender decision is disputed, our administrative appeals lawyers review the available procedure and timing.

EPC, operating contracts and the interfaces between them

A project company can have a strong construction contract and still bear a delay that falls between two contracts. A contractor may owe damages for late completion, while a separate connection delay triggers lost revenue under the offtake agreement. The documents need aligned definitions of completion, commissioning, acceptance and relief events, with a workable process for proving which obligation caused the delay.

We draft and negotiate engineering, procurement and construction agreements, operating and maintenance contracts, warranties and performance security. We examine how responsibility passes from design to commissioning and operation. For power assets, our energy lawyers bring the grid connection, permitting and power purchase terms into the same analysis.

Project finance, lender security and direct agreements

Project financing relies primarily on the revenues and assets of the project. Lenders therefore need to understand which revenues can be pledged, how long the project rights last and what happens if the contractor, operator or project company defaults. We review financing conditions, reserve accounts, sponsor support, security over shares or receivables, land and asset rights, and the documents needed for security to take effect in Georgia.

A direct agreement can give lenders notice and time to address a default before a key contract ends. Where step-in or replacement rights are proposed, the documents should identify who can exercise them, what consent is needed and how the project can continue during the change. We coordinate these arrangements with our banking and finance lawyers, including priority and enforcement where several lenders are involved.

Financial close and changes during construction

Financial close is a test of the whole set of documents. Site access, critical permits, insurance, signed project contracts and security steps need to line up with the funding conditions. We coordinate the Georgian closing checklist and identify which evidence must be delivered, by whom and in what order. If a condition will be met after funding, the financing documents should deal clearly with timing, control and the consequences of delay.

During construction or operation, variations, changes in law, delayed permits and refinancing can reopen the original risk allocation. We advise on notices, amendments and claims so the project record captures what happened and which contractual rights are being exercised. Material disputes can draw on our arbitration and litigation practice.

Instruct project finance counsel in Tbilisi

Send the project summary, draft project or concession agreement, funding assumptions and status of land and approvals. If a procurement deadline or financial close is approaching, include the timetable and outstanding documents. Lawyers.ge can support the Georgian legal work from bid review and development through financing, construction and operation.