This paper is intended for public sector agencies considering the advantages or the fearful specter of privatization. Its objective is to help these agencies identify and adopt those attributes of private companies they value or to partner with private companies to obtain these services, while retaining the unique advantages of public ownership. It is only when these advantages cannot be transferred or purchased in part via partnerships or joint power agreements with other public agencies that outright privatization of an entire organization is recommended. The forces driving privatization will only intensify as rapidly improving private organizations widen the performance gap between themselves and less nimble public and private utilities.