Archive - this information is for reference only and no longer maintained.

This page relates to the 2018-21 National Land Transport Programme.

Introduction

Work category 004 provides for funding assistance for the costs of preparing programme business cases under Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's Business Case Approach, including supporting evidence collection and model application.

Qualifying activities

 

  • Examples of qualifying actitivities

    These include, but may not be limited to:

    • collecting evidence to inform specific components of the programme business case
    • applying modelling, eg through the use of a transport model or network operating plan, to test assumptions within the business case, or to forecast demand
    • developing a regional, inter-regional or sub-regional programme business case.

    You can discuss with Waka Kotahi whether other potential activities not listed above might also be eligible for inclusion in this work category.

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  • Exclusions

    Work category 004 excludes:

    • the costs associated with the development of a strategy/ activity strategic case - these are not eligible for funding from the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF)
    • development or upgrading of transport models – these are funded under work category 002: Transport model development
    • preparation or improvement of activity management plans, procurement strategies, road safety action plans or regional public transport plans – these are funded under work category 003: Activity management planning
    • studies that do not contribute to the objectives of the approved programme business case
    • detailed option selection or any component that is a part of investigating an activity – these are part of the cost of the indicative or detailed business case
    • regional land transport planning preparation and management, which should be funded from work category 001: Regional land transport planning management.
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Expected outputs from a programme business case

The primary purpose of the programme business  case is to provide robust evidence for a decision to invest in a programme of activities that will deliver optimal value for money. 

The programme business case will:

  • confirm the strategic case
  • develop a list of strategic alternatives and options
  • identify a list of possible programmes
  • identify a preferred programme of activities to progress to the indicative business case stage, supported by robust evidence
  • provide a cohesive long-term vision (10 – 50 years)

The programme business case must also enable Waka Kotahi to make a preliminary assessment of:

  • the  assessment profile, including an indicative benefit and cost appraisal
  • the timing of the interventions
  • affordability of the preferred programme.

The business problem owner should use the assessment of the business case questions to test the robustness of their prepared business case.

Development of programme business case development activities

Activities will be developed using the programme business case and transport planning (work categories 002, 003 and 004) module in Transport Investment Online (TIO).

The module consists of two parts:

  • the funding application to develop the programme business case (which is also used for funding applications for work categories 002 and 003)
  • the application seeking support of the completed programme business case.

Waka Kotahi expects programme business cases to consider a range of alternative programmes and to arrive at a preferred programme justified by robust evidence. 

  • Programmes for programme business cases

    Programmes for programme business cases constitute the projects/activities needed to deliver the optimal solution for the problems identified in the strategy level strategic case.

    These may be pulled together as:

    • spatially based programmes (sub-regional, regional or national)
    • theme based programmes (safety, resilience, etc.)
    • time based programmes (short, medium and long term)
    • a mix of the above.

    Most programmes will be spatially based, addressing issues at a sub-regional level, and will be expected to integrate across modes and organisations and with land use to the extent required to address the problem(s).

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Support for a programme business case

At the conclusion of the programme business case development, approved organisations and Waka Kotahi (state highways) should seek Waka Kotahi support for their completed programme business case to ensure:

  • there is acceptance of the scale of the problem and the need to address it
  • the developed business case is robust and aligns with the current assessment framework
  • there is a reasonable degree of certainty to seek investment to develop the activities further through the business case process.

Refer to the Business Case Approach guidance for further information.

When seeking support for a programme business case, the approved organisation or the Waka Kotahi (state highways) must provide an assessment for support.

Conditions of funding

Waka Kotahi expects that proposals for funding assistance for a programme business base will be justified using a fit-for-purpose strategic case which:

  • outlines the case and the need for the investment
  • identifies the strategic context and fit of the proposed investment
  • provides stakeholders with a high degree of confidence that the investment aligns with strategic priorities.

The strategic case should include:

  • a strategic assessment of the problem or opportunity
  • a description of the strategic context
  • an outline of the work required to complete a programme business case
  • a funding application to proceed to developing a programme business case.

Funding assistance rates

The usual funding assistance rate (FAR) is:

Change management

Waka Kotahi must approve any change to the scope of an approved programme business case before the approved organisation or Waka Kotahi (state highways) proceeds with the business case development.

Waka Kotahi will check the coverage and outputs  of business cases against their strategic assessments.

TIO(external link) will automatically carry over the unspent allocation every year. Therefore it is vital that approved organisations and Waka Kotahi (state highways) declare any unused allocation for completed projects by making a cost-scope adjustment via the reviews module in TIO.