B1 Business Case - Format & Systems Requirements

Background

All proposals for DFID funding must be accompanied by a Business Case.

Format

There are 5 interdependent cases within the Business Case:

Strategic Case – makes the case for DFID intervention
Appraisal Case – explores how you will address the need in the Strategic Case in a way that optimises value for money.
Commercial Case – outlines the approach that delivers value for money through procurement.
Financial Case – sets out issues of affordability and the sources of funding
Management Case– sets out the appropriate arrangements to ensure successful delivery of the project/programmes.

In its final form the Business Case is the main record of the proposal, summarising value for money considerations and intended results. The logframe is an Annex to the Business Case
On completion of stage 3, an Intervention Summary should be completed. This is a synthesis of the intervention and is intended as a short, non-technical, easily understood introduction to the intervention. The Intervention Summary is embedded in the Business Case template.

Proportionality

The level of detail in a Business Case is a matter of judgement and at the discretion of the person with delegated authority to approve the spending. It should be proportionate to the level of funding and take into consideration other issues such as political economy sensitivities or whether the intervention is novel or contentious.

Compliance Tasks

1. A Business Case is mandatory for all new investment approvals. Each Business Case must include an Intervention Summary.

Task assigned to: Head of Department, Project Staff

2. The appropriate Business Case template (Generic, Multilateral Core, Programme Partnership Arrangement) and Approver/Assurance checklist available in Word templates must be used. The latest Logframe format available in Excel templates must also be used.

Task assigned to: Head of Department, Project Staff

3. An Intervention Summary must be written when the Business Case design is complete. The template for the Intervention Summary is included within the Business Case template. Where appropriate the Intervention Summary must be translated into the local language. A separate Intervention Summary template exists on Word templates for this purpose.

Task assigned to: Project Staff

4. The Business Case and Intervention Summary must be written in clear English, using 12pt Arial single spaced. They should be correctly spelt and punctuated, with proper use of capital letters, with minimal use of acronyms and abbreviations and explanations in the text when used.

Task assigned to: Head of Department, Project Staff

5. A small number of exclusions apply to publishing Business Cases (see link to transparency MS pages below) and must be signed off by Directors.

Task assigned to: Director, Head of Department, Project Staff

6. Sensitive or Restricted information must not be included in the body of the Business Case. These should be included in the project submission.

Task assigned to: Head of Department, Project Staff

7. Once approval has been received, the email indicating approval must be stored in the same folder, linked to the Business Case, and Declared as a Record.

Task assigned to: Head of Department, Project Staff

8. The Business Case, including Intervention Summary, must be Declared as a Record once any final amendments arising from the approval process have been made and approval received. Each document must be given the correct content type when declaring it as a record on QUEST as this is the trigger for publishing the Business Case and Intervention Summary, in keeping with DFIDs transparency commitments

Task assigned to: Project Staff

Last updated: 03 Oct 2011

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