Project assessment framework
Queensland’s Project Assessment Framework (PAF) is used across government to ensure a common, rigorous approach to assessing projects at critical stages in their lifecycle – from the initial assessment of the service required through to delivery.
The Project Assessment Framework’s application is not limited to infrastructure projects or public private partnership (PPP) projects.
At each stage of a project’s progress and quality is assessed to ensure it (and the associated investment) meets strategic objectives and achieves value for money. Once a project ‘clears’ a particular stage, it can progress to the next.
Suite of documents
The Project Assessment Framework provides tools and techniques to assess projects throughout the project lifecycle:
- Policy overview
- Strategic assessment of service requirement
- Preliminary evaluation
- Business case development
- Supply strategy development
- Source supplier(s)
- Establish service capability
- Deliver service
- Benefits realisation
The Project Assessment Framework is supported by the following supplementary guidance material:
Related policy documents include:
Agencies will also be bound by other applicable legislation, standards, frameworks, policies and guidelines. The Project Assessment Framework does not aim to stipulate the requirements for each individual agency and this must be determined on a case-by-case basis by each agency.
An overview of the government project environment including legislation, frameworks, policies and guidelines can be found in the Policy Overview section of the Project Assessment Framework.
Summary of select legislation, standards and frameworks
Financial and Performance Management Standard 2019 and Financial Accountability Act 2009
The Financial and Performance Management Standard 2019 (FPMS) provides a framework for a department’s accountable officer or a statutory body to achieve reasonable value for money by establishing and maintaining systems, practices and controls for the efficient, effective and economical financial and performance management of the department or statutory body.
These standards are issued by the Treasurer under the Financial Accountability Act 2009. The FPMS states departments and statutory bodies must have regard to the PAF in preparing evaluations concerning the acquisition, maintenance or improvement of assets.
Public Private Partnerships
We are responsible for the Queensland Government’s procurement of privately financed major infrastructure projects. Infrastructure Australia, a business unit of the Australian Government, provides comprehensive guidance on the national framework, including guidelines for practitioners, methodologies, specific jurisdictional requirements and commercial principles.
This material provides a clear framework for Queensland and the Australian Government to achieve maximum results from private sector involvement in major infrastructure delivery.
The government’s position is that private sector involvement in public infrastructure or service delivery should be encouraged where it can be shown that the state will achieve better value for money through involving the private sector, compared with delivering the project or service entirely at the public sector’s cost and risk.
This has included supplementing the National PPP Guidelines with the Queensland Public Private Partnership supporting guidelines to suit the Queensland context.
Gateway reviews (assurance)
Depending on the capital costs or risk associated with a project, a project’s progress and quality may be assessed via a series of gateway reviews by independent reviewers. These reviews help ensure the project (and associated investment) meets strategic objectives and achieves value for money.
Once a project ‘clears’ a particular stage, it can progress to the next. Comprehensive guidance material and tools about the gateway process and its application are available to agencies at each stage of the process.