In the interest of fulfilling the general purposes of this chapter under section 5301(b), the Secretary shall—

(1) better coordinate public and private sector-provided public transportation services;

(2) promote more effective utilization of private sector expertise, financing, and operational capacity to deliver costly and complex new fixed guideway capital projects; and

(3) promote transparency and public understanding of public-private partnerships affecting public transportation.

The Secretary shall—

(1) provide technical assistance to recipients of Federal transit grant assistance, at the request of a recipient, on practices and methods to best utilize private providers of public transportation; and

(2) educate recipients of Federal transit grant assistance on laws and regulations under this chapter that impact private providers of public transportation.

Upon request by a sponsor of a new fixed guideway capital project, the Secretary shall—

(1) identify best practices for public-private partnerships models in the United States and in other countries;

(2) develop standard public-private partnership transaction model contracts; and

(3) perform financial assessments that include the calculation of public and private benefits of a proposed public-private partnership transaction.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter—

(1) the eligibilities, requirements, or priorities for assistance provided under this chapter; or

(2) the requirements of section 5306(a).

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(d), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 813; Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(13), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3390; Pub. L. 105–178, title III, § 3017(a), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 361; Pub. L. 105–206, title IX, § 9009(l), July 22, 1998, 112 Stat. 857; Pub. L. 109–59, title III, § 3017, Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1600; Pub. L. 112–141, div. B, § 20013(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 692; Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title III, § 3010(a), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1474.)