Better Business Cases
Reviewer Assessment Tool
Single Stage Business Case Review
September 2015
Acknowledgements
This document was created using material provided by Her Majesty’s (HM) Treasury in
the United Kingdom and the Welsh Government (Llywodraeth Cymru). Accordingly,
ownership of any copyright in the information contained in this document belongs to the
original copyright owners. Other than as provided by the applicable copyright laws in
each jurisdiction, permission to copy, distribute, adapt or otherwise use the information
contained in this document, must be sought from the original copyright owner.
The Five Case Model is the best practice standard recommended by the HM Treasury
for the preparation of business cases. The New Zealand Treasury wishes to
acknowledge that the following documents were used and adapted for the purpose of
creating this guidance:

‘Making Sense of Public Sector investments’ (2001) by Courtney A Smith and
Joe Flanagan;

the Green Book at www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-green-bookappraisal-and-evaluation-in-central-governent; and

‘Delivering Public Value from Spending Proposals: Green Book Guidance on
Public Sector Business Cases using the Five Case Model’ at
www.wales.gov.uk/funding/wiipindex/5cmodel/?lang=en.
This assessment tool is based on the criteria, and evidence required, as set out in the
Strategic Assessment guidance booklet on the New Zealand Treasury website at
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/statesector/investmentmanagement/plan/bbc/guidance
Internet
The URL for this document on the Treasury’s website at September 2015 is
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/statesector/investmentmanagement/plan/bbc/guidance
Single Stage Business Case Review
AGENCY NAME
INITIATIVE NAME
Action
Main Evidence
Fully meets
Comments
Partly meets
Fails
Strategic Case
2
3
Strategic Context
Investment Objectives,
Existing Arrangements
and Business Needs
Has the alignment of the proposed investment with wider national or
sectoral priorities and goals, policy decisions, other multi-agency
programmes (if relevant) and with the sponsoring organisation(s) strategic
intentions been demonstrated?
Have measurable investment objectives of the proposal been set?
Have the existing arrangements (i.e. what is currently happening) been
documented highlighting current problems, challenges and opportunities?
Have the business needs (i.e. changes from the current state) been
specified?
4
5
Potential Business Scope
and Key Requirements
Benefits, Risks,
Constraints and
Dependencies
Has the potential business scope of the proposal been identified?
Have key requirements to satisfy the identified business needs been
specified?
The purpose of this action is to identify the potential benefits, risks,
constraints and dependencies associated with the investment proposal.
Economic Case
6
Critical Success Factors
Have the Investment proposal’s critical success factors been identified?
7
Long List Options and
Initial Options
Assessment
Have a wide a range as possible of realistic options for meeting the
investment objectives and business needs been considered?
Better Business Cases: Reviewer Assessment Tool - Single Stage Business Case Review | 1
AGENCY NAME
INITIATIVE NAME
Action
Main Evidence
Fully meets
Partly meets
Fails
Recommended Preferred
Way Forward
Not applicable
8
9
The preferred option
Not applicable
10
Economic assessment of
the shortlisted options
Has an economic assessment been undertaken of the short-listed options?
11
Non-monetary benefits
and costs
12
Risk and uncertainty
Is the assessment appropriate for the scale and risk of the initiative?
Has an assessment been undertaken of the non-monetary costs and
benefits of each of the short-listed options?
Is the assessment appropriate for the scale and risk of the initiative?
Has the risk and uncertainty of each short-listed option been measured and
quantified?
Was the method used appropriate for the scale and risk of the initiative?
13
The preferred option
Does the preferred option provide the best possible value for money?
Has sensitivity analysis been undertaken to test the recommendation of the
preferred option?
Commercial Case
14
The procurement
strategy
Has the procurement strategy prepared in sufficient detail?
15
Specify requirements
Have the requirements for service or asset to be procured been prepared in
sufficient detail?
16
Risk allocation
Has how risks may be balanced between purchaser and supplier been
considered?
17
Payment mechanisms
Has the pricing and payment mechanisms been considered?
18
Contractual and other
Have intended contractual arrangements been outlined?
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Comments
AGENCY NAME
INITIATIVE NAME
Action
Main Evidence
Fully meets
Comments
Partly meets
Fails
issues
Financial Case
19
The financial costing
model
Has an financial analysis for preferred option been undertaken including

capital and operating funding requirements?

the impacts on the organisation’s financial statements?
Management Case
20
21
22
23
24
Project management
planning
Change Management
Planning
Have project management strategy, framework and plans been defined
including:

project governance and management structures?

project methodology?

project schedule and milestones?

project resources?

reporting and control mechanisms?

assurance arrangements?
Has the thinking and arrangements been outlined for:
 change management approach?
Benefits Management
Planning
 benefits realisation approach?
Risk Management
Planning
 contract management?
Post Project Evaluation
 risk management arrangements?
 post-evaluation reviews?
Other comments:
Better Business Cases: Reviewer Assessment Tool - Single Stage Business Case Review | 3
AGENCY NAME
INITIATIVE NAME
Action
Main Evidence
Fully meets
Partly meets
Fails
Conclusion:
Reviewer name:
Date of Review:
4 | Better Business Cases: Reviewer Assessment Tool - Single Stage Business Case Review
Comments