Glossary |
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The percentage by which the delivered benefits fall short of the benefits expected in the business case. | |
The document that initiates the commitment to undertake the project: under current practices it would include the user requirements, benefits, objectives, project scope and investment appraisal. This document may also be referred to as the strategic outline case, outline business case or full business case. | |
Capital expenditure. | |
The percentage by which the actual capital expenditure exceeds the expenditure expected in the business case. | |
Government department or body sponsoring the project. | |
A building or civil engineering project that has a significant amount of standard or non-standard elements that are not physically separate. | |
Developing individual components in parallel (e.g. prefabrication of slabs or bridge girders offsite while insitu work is carried out onsite). This is also where construction activities are performed (e.g. foundation works) while the detailed design (e.g. for the superstructure) is being finalised. | |
The point in time when the major contract within the project, typically for construction, is made legally binding. | |
The specific additional project costs required to effectively manage project risks within project risk areas. | |
Projects that are concerned with the provision of equipment and/or development of software and systems (i.e. manufactured equipment, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development projects) or leading edge projects. | |
The current value forecast for expected outturn project costs (excluding inflation), which includes the costs for the initial estimated NPC capital expenditure, costs for optimism bias and costs for risk management calculated at the time of a project appraisal. Note that for a project appraisal at works completion the final NPC capital expenditure will consist of the initial estimated NPC capital expenditure and the actual cost of managing project risks because the value of optimism bias reduces to zero at works completion. Also see 'Initial Estimated NPC Capital Expenditure' and 'NPC Capital Expenditure'. | |
The period between the approved outline business case and the contract award committing physical commencement of the works. | |
The project estimate for capital expenditure (which is the current value forecast for expected outturn project costs excluding the cost of inflation, optimism bias and risk management costs) proposed in the business case. Also see 'NPC Capital Expenditure' and 'Final NPC Capital Expenditure'. | |
A stage in the PFI procurement procedure under which the client invites a selected number of tenderers to negotiate the terms of a PFI contract | |
Projects which have not been undertaken before, and rely mainly on innovative processes or technology for delivery. | |
A multiplier identified as a decimal number between 0.0 and 1.0 that represents the level to which project risks within a project risk area have been managed. The mitigation factor for a project risk area is determined during project appraisal. Where 1.0 = fully mitigated (i.e. no residual risks). | |
The study of 50 major projects procured in the UK that were completed within the past twenty years, undertaken by Mott MacDonald in March 2002. | |
Net Present Cost. The current value excluding inflation - not to be confused with Net Present Value (NPV). | |
The current value forecast for expected outturn project costs (excluding inflation and cost of managing project risks), which includes the costs for the initial estimated NPC capital expenditure and costs for optimism bias calculated at the time of a project appraisal. Also see 'Initial Estimated NPC Capital Expenditure' and 'Final NPC Capital Expenditure'. | |
Projects which involve the construction of buildings requiring special design considerations due to space constraints, complicated site characteristics, specialist innovative buildings or unusual output specifications i.e. specialist/innovative buildings e.g. specialist hospitals, innovative prisons, high technology facilities and other unique buildings or refurbishment projects. | |
Projects which involve the construction of facilities, in addition to buildings, requiring special design considerations due to space constraints or unusual output specifications e.g. innovative rail, road, utility projects, or upgrade and extension projects. | |
The percentage by which the actual capital, operating expenditure or time of works duration exceeds (or, in the case of benefits, is less than) that expected at the business case stage. | |
Operating expenditure. | |
The percentage by which the actual operating expenditure exceeds the expenditure anticipated in the business case. | |
Projects that are concerned with the provision of hard and soft facilities management services e.g. ICT services, facilities management or maintenance projects. | |
A structured management approach to facilitate team working across contractual boundaries. Its fundamental components are formalised mutual objectives, agreed problem resolution methods, and an active search for continuous measurable improvements. | |
The entire project life cycle, starting at time of the approved outline business case, including gestation period and works duration, through to works completion. | |
An initial estimate for capital expenditure, operating expenditure, works duration, project duration or project benefits identified in the business case. Also see 'Initial Estimated NPC Capital Expenditure'. | |
An event, specific to a project, whose occurrence would cause a negative impact on the delivery of that project in terms of costs, time and/or benefit. Sometimes defined as the impact of a potential threat to a project that can affect the achievement of the objectives for an investment. | |
A categorisation used to group related project risks (see Appendix E). The grouping of project risks in to areas (project risk area) allows an assessment of optimism bias and effective risk management. | |
A grouping of related project risk areas (see Appendix E) according to their source of origin. | |
The parties involved in the negotiation, design and delivery of a project (e.g. the government department, executive agency, funders, project companies, designers, construction/supply contractors, advisors, public bodies and user groups). | |
Projects which involve the construction of buildings not requiring special design considerations i.e. most accommodation projects e.g. offices, living accommodation, general hospitals, prisons, and airport terminal buildings. | |
Projects which involve the construction of facilities, in addition to buildings, not requiring special design considerations e.g. most new roads and some utility projects. | |
Non-PFI / PPP procurement (also known as conventional procurement). | |
Projects which relate to the provision of electricity, water, gas and telecoms | |
A strategic approach to achieving maximum value in a project consistent with the organisation's broad business goals. It is a structured team approach to problem solving that can be applied to the objective setting, concept, design and construction stages and the on-going management of projects. A value management exercise aims to attain optimum value by providing the necessary functions at the least cost without prejudice to required quality and performance. | |
The percentage by which the time taken for the actual works programme exceeds the estimate for time allowed in the business case. | |
The point in time at which the physical elements of the project are completed and it can begin to be used for the purpose it was intended to fulfil. | |
The time between contract award and works completion. Also known as the implementation stage of a project starting at contract award including mobilisation, detailed design, and construction / execution of the works through to works completion. This is a measurement of time rather than money. |