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Under budget constraint, public decision-makers choose to outsource in order to control costs. We observe, however, that this objective is not achieved. This research paper seeks the real legitimacy of a public-private partnership, by analyzing the case of the National Defense Sports Center. A qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews, a survey and non-participatory observation led to the following result: a focus on skills emerges at the expense of budget reduction. We conclude that quality improvement and refocusing on core business could legitimate the project.