NI Practical Guide to the Green Book

• Introduction
• The Basic Steps of an Economic Appraisal
• What is Economic Appraisal and When is it required?
• Step by Step Appraisal Guidance
• Policy and Programme Appraisal
• Appraising Assistance to the Private, Voluntary and Community Sectors
• PPP Projects and Procurement Issues
• Appraising Information Technology Projects
• Appraisal of Accommodation Projects
• Business Cases
• Approval of Departmental Expenditure
• Implementation, Management and Monitoring
• Evaluation
• Expert Advice, Use of Consultants and Training
• Terminology and Abbreviations
• Appendices

Financial Assistance To The Private, Voluntary and Community Sectors: A General Checklist

General

• Has eligibility for assistance been established?
• Is a full economic appraisal required?
• Does the proposed assistance represent a State Aid?

National Economic Efficiency

• Is it an economic or social case?
• Are there alternative options to consider?
• Are costs and benefits identified in sufficient detail?
• Are adjustments needed for foreign ownership?
• Are NPVs correctly calculated?
• Has displacement been considered - with adequate supporting evidence?
• What are the wider national costs and benefits?
• Is it a marginal case?
• Is assessment of regional costs and benefits appropriate?
• Is the project worth doing?

Additionality

• Has the applicant's financial position and ability to fund the project been examined?
• Have details of the negotiations with the applicant on the level of assistance been recorded?
• What is the evidence that assistance will make a difference to the project's location, scale, quality or timing?
• Where project mobility is claimed, is there substantial evidence of a viable alternative location?
• Are reasons recorded for the proposed level of assistance, related to the location, nature, scale or timing of the project?
• Is the proposed assistance the minimum needed to bring about the project?

Cost-Effectiveness

• Are appropriate ratios included? eg total public assistance to total project cost, cost per job, other unit costs.
• All UK and EU funding taken into account?
• Is the proposal cost-effective?

Viability

• Business plan provided?
• Are the project management arrangements clear?
• Are the key management personnel identified and do they have the right experience and qualifications?
• Are anticipated cash flows set out in suitable detail?
• Will the proposed assistance enable the project to (a) cover all its costs and (b) earn a commercial rate of return?
• Are the applicant's financial position and previous track record stated?
• Are arrangements for funding clear and unambiguous?
• Is there a sound marketing plan?
• Is the project sustainable beyond the proposed period of funding? Is there a clear exit strategy?
• Do plans provide for suitable monitoring and evaluation?
• Is the project viable?