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This topic is one of the first to be reviewed in our programme of work to update the Business Case Approach guidance. In the meantime, if you have any questions about developing your point of entry, contact our Strategic Cases team at pointofentry@nzta.govt.nz |
The purpose of a point of entry (PoE) phase is to discuss and reach agreement on how the business case approach will be applied. It allows problem owners and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to:
The PoE phase ensures there is prioritising of business case work to match resources and work programmes. Considering the context and scale of the problem/opportunity and identifying relevant work that has already been done will minimise the risk of double-up of effort.
The PoE phase is meant to be a brief exercise using the minimum appropriate resource. The main focus is on discussion, fact-finding and critical thinking.
It is critical to record the outcome of a PoE phase, including any recommendations, so it can be clearly communicated to decision makers and stakeholders. There is a template to help with capturing all the information Waka Kotahi needs to decide whether to endorse a PoE.
The PoE template should also be revisited before starting each new phase of a business case and revised or updated as necessary.
The reason for starting a PoE is often in response to the environment. For example:
Exploring the issue may be as simple as a single conversation between likely problem owners, or if it’s a more complex issue, it may involve discussions with investors and stakeholders who have been identified for early engagement.
Start talking with a Waka Kotahi investment advisor at an early stage to get advice and agree the PoE recommendation with them.
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A note about problems and opportunities… Problems and opportunities can be thought of as opposite sides of the same coin; problems can help to identify opportunities, and describing an opportunity is a great way of showing what an investment could deliver. |
When considering the issue further, in consultation with the appropriate stakeholders, it is important to:
Applying critical thinking and the BCA principles and behaviours is an important part of determining the point of entry. They must be used to develop your understanding about the potential investment. Read an information sheet about critical thinking in the BCA [PDF, 56 KB] |
Find out more about investment logic mapping
Make a clear recommendation based on your view of what the fit-for-purpose effort would be. This could mean recommending:
If your recommendation is to start at a later phase than the strategic case, the record of PoE needs to show how the relevant investment decision questions have been answered.
Find out more about the investment questions
Read more about the business case phases
If a business case is the next step, it is important to consider the remaining business case phases through to implementation. This will provide decision makers with clarity regarding the timeframes and resources that will likely be needed.
The pathway needs to be consistent with the level of existing information, and the risk and complexity of the investment. Further advice on assessing risk and complexity, and finding the appropriate investment development pathway for a business case, can be found here:
The point of entry requirements for business cases that consider the potential replacement of existing structures are relatively consistent from case to case. Because of this, specific guidelines have been developed to help maintain consistency of practice, and reduce the amount of effort needed to complete the point of entry and plan the business case development.
The following guidelines include information on how the present value end-of-life (PVEOL) analysis should be used to support decision-making regarding economic end of life for existing structures:
The purpose of recording the PoE is to provide a high-level description of the problem/opportunity and likely outcomes, and a recommendation about where the business case should formally start, if at all.
Having a documented record also means you can explain your thinking later on.
It is important to also record information that Waka Kotahi needs to make a decision regarding endorsement of the PoE. The record of PoE template has been developed to capture the appropriate information and we've produced a guide on what a good PoE includes:
Your organisation decides whether to advance to the business case process based on the recommendation you have agreed, and the PoE is signed off by the business owner.
Read the ‘Point of entry: relationship management’ information sheet [PDF, 72 KB]
Read more about engagement and relationship management
The PoE phase is funded by the problem owner’s organisation.
Completed record of the point of entry, agreed with Waka Kotahi.
Online learning modules have been developed by Waka Kotahi, and are available to our partner organisations.
The point of entry course includes:
Go to the InvestHub Resources page to access the point of entry learning modules(external link)
You can access these modules through your Waka Kotahi single sign-on or if you’re already registered through your organisation as an external user. If you’re a new external user, follow the registration prompts in InvestHub.
It is important to talk to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency at an early stage. Contact either your Waka Kotahi representative, or e-mail the Strategy, Policy and Planning team direct at pointofentry@nzta.govt.nz
