Introduction. Public-private partnership is one of the most effective mechanisms for effective development of market economy in order to attract capital resources and the private sector to finance the public sector, the implementation of major infrastructure projects, introduction of high technologies. Theoretical analysis. Based on the research of different points of view, the article proposed the definition of PPP as a special system of cooperation between the public authorities and the private sector, essential attributes which are institutionally defined national models, forms, schemes and mechanisms for establishing and implementation of specific organizational, economic and property and economic relations inherent activities and social roles undertaken in the public interest under the terms of economically and socially beneficial for all participants in such relationships. Results. No generally accepted and clearly defined approach to statutory interpretation of the concept of PPP, underdeveloped legal framework, as well as the practices and traditions of public administration is a significant barrier to the development of PPPs in Russia. For the development of the PPP identified a need to change the system of strategic and long-term financial planning on the part of the state, development and implementation of a system to guarantee the investments of the private sector invested in state property, development of monitoring of PPP projects, tools to assess their economic performance, improving the legal framework, effective interaction partners – government and business.