Akey function of the VHBA is to review, assess and provide assurance for business cases seeking public funds. To help achieve the highest standard in business case preparation, VHBA engaged Johnstaff to support the implementation of a strategy aimed at achieving consistent quality throughout Part 2: Delivery Case (definition of the preferred option) for business cases developed in 2021/22. In addition to detailed business case assurance review, Johnstaff also provided support and training to upskill VHBA Planning and Development staff on preparing and reviewing business case inputs as well as other ad-hoc requests including as full business case development and business case augmentation.

As its core DART role, Johnstaff carried out assurance reviews of capital inputs for business cases in accordance with the Victorian Government’s Investment Lifecycle and High ValueHigh Risk guidelines. Each review considered all or some of the following disciplines as required:

• delivery case preparation
• health facility planning and design
• urban design and landscape architecture
• wayfinding and accessibility
• building services, structural and civil engineering
• buildability, programming, risk assessment and scheduling, and
• cost planning and cost estimating, and reference class forecasting.

In addition, DART was engaged to develop two significant program Business Cases as well as subordinate project-levelBusiness Cases: Public Sector Residential Aged Care Services; and Additional Acute Mental Health Beds.

Due to the urgency to address the current needs, Johnstaff was required to work in close collaboration with VHBA and its principal consultants to gather key information whilst site-specific feasibility studies were undertaken and costed in parallel to the preparation of the Business Case.

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