Answer
The purpose of the Identification Stage is to ensure that a project or a program of work (POW) submitted for project approval/expenditure authority (planning and design) has been adequately developed and analyzed in the context of the Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) Program and Centralized Portfolio management and represents the best investment solution.
The project identification stage can also assist our custodian clients in identifying and developing the most appropriate projects for their departmental objectives and in support of the government agenda for real property, business projects and information technology.
The purpose of project identification is to develop a preliminary proposal for the most appropriate set of interventions and course of action, within specific time and budget frames, to address a specific development goal in a particular region or setting. Investment ideas can arise from many sources and contexts. They can originate from a country’s sector plan, programme or strategy, as follow-up of an existing project or from priorities identified in a multi-stakeholder sector or local development dialogue. Identification involves:
- a review of alternative approaches or options for addressing a set of development problems and opportunities;
- the definition of project objectives and scope of work at the degree of detail necessary to justify commitment of the resources for detailed formulation and respective preparatory studies; and
- the identification of the major issues that must be tackled and the questions to be addressed before a project based on the concept can be implemented.
The project identification stage can also assist our custodian clients in identifying and developing the most appropriate projects for their departmental objectives and in support of the government agenda for real property, business projects and information technology.
This image describes the project identification stage, its phases, control points and deliverables:
Initiation phase
The purpose of the initiation phase is to analyze the statement of requirements and to provide an initial description of the project objectives, and related issues. The project description must be sufficiently detailed to allow a preliminary determination that the approach is appropriate and aligned with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) objectives and that the initiative is of high enough priority for management to commit the appropriate level of resources to the next phase.
Preliminary project plan
The preliminary project plan (PPP) provides an essential, yet initial, overview of the project and all of its known parameters. It outlines the project’s merit and conformity to government policy, objectives and programs. It should also include any known constraints related to time-frame, budget, etc. Depending on the type of project, the preliminary project plan will vary in content, length, and attachments required.
Preliminary project plan approval
The purpose of the initiation phase control point is to allow for a preliminary assessment by the appropriate authority of the merits and suitability of the project for departmental objectives and programs. The preliminary project plan approval is a confirmation that the project supports departmental objectives and programs and should proceed to the feasibility phase for further development of the project requirements and identification of a range of solutions.
Feasibility Phase
The purpose of the Feasibility Phase is to develop the project requirements and identify a range of solutions that meet those requirements. The feasibility report provides the information base to be used to evaluate solutions and determine the optimum project solution. Its level of detail will depend on the nature, complexity and sensitivities of the project.
Feasibility report
The feasibility report (FR) presents the project parameters and defines the potential solutions to the defined problem, need or opportunity. It expands on each of these potential solutions, providing sufficient detail and non-financial evaluations to permit the project leader to recommend to the approving manager all viable potential solutions that should be further analyzed in the nextphase (IAR). The FR should also justify why any potential solutions were considered non-viable or considered to be non-compliant with government policy and/or project objectives and thus laid aside and must be substantiated by feasibilitystudies.
Feasibility report approval
The purpose of the feasibility phase control point is to allow a review by the appropriate authority of the information provided in the feasibility phase. The feasibility report approval is confirmation that the information provided is sufficiently developed and that the project should proceed to the analysis phase for an evaluation and selection of the optimum investment solution.
Analysis Phase
The purpose of the Analysis Phase is to identify and substantiate the optimum solution that will satisfy the project requirements and constraints and to establish the project budget, schedule, controls, and evaluation criteria that will be put forward for preliminary project approval. The level of effort required for this phase is dependent on the nature, complexity and sensitivities of the project.
Identification close out phase
The purpose of the identification close out phase is to ensure that an appropriate level of assessment, reporting, evaluation, handover, and administrative closure has taken place that will provide enough directional detail to seamlessly proceed to the Delivery Stage.
Identification close out document
This document records the completion of core deliverables and the lessons learned if desired, and provides evidence of compliance and monitoring (Directive on the Monitoring of Real Property Projects’ Conformance to the National Project Management System). The document also provides the location of the key documents.
