Evaluation Criteria

Yes

No

A.  General

1.  All the required sections of the First File are provided, and the information provided is in sufficient detail to enable the Supervisory Committee to fully evaluate whether the Project should proceed to the Second File phase.

2.  It is clear which organization is implementing the Project and who will ultimately be responsible for delivering the Project on time and to budget.

B.  Project Rationale and Assessment of Need

3.  The problem or opportunity to be addressed is clearly demonstrated and the way in which the Project will help solve the problem or respond to the opportunity is explained and appears plausible.

4.  The description of the scope of the Project is sufficiently detailed for the First File stage and there are no obvious omissions of major components that could potentially jeopardize the achievement of the Project purpose or materially affect the cost estimates.

5.  There is an urgent need, i.e., within the next 3 years, for the services of the Project as evidenced by one or more of the following:

A.  existing demand for a facility close to the end of its economic life or technologically obsolescent;

B.  a severe capacity constraint in existing facilities resulting in suppressed demand;

C.  strongly growing demand, likely to outstrip the capacity of existing facilities in the near future;

D.  demand for new services not previously provided;

E.  economic benefit from transfer of functions to private operation; or

F.  other valid strategic justification(s).

6.  The Project will contribute to the achievement of relevant strategic goals and objectives as set out in Vison 2030 or the NTP and is aligned with the sectoral Privatization plan as approved by the sectoral Supervisory Committee.

C.  Preliminary Economic Case

7.  The proposed technical solution appears appropriate to the problem identified, and the cost estimates appear realistic, based on available information.

8.  The postulated Project benefits appear plausible in the context of this Project.

9.  On balance, there is good reason to believe that the proposed Project costs are likely to be exceeded by the potential benefits.

10. Alternative solutions have been considered and the more promising among them have been identified for inclusion in the Second File for further appraisal.

D.  Preliminary Assessment of Affordability

11. Budgetary resources for the Project are available, or can reasonably be expected to be made available if the Project is approved.

12. Benefits to users are likely to be achievable at an acceptable cost, for example, approximate capital costs per user or per unit of output are in line with comparable Projects and/or international experience.

E.  Issue Identification

13. The First File appears to have identified the relevant technical, environmental social, and legal issues, which will require additional analyses if the Project concept is advanced to the Second File stage.

14. Mitigation measures can be foreseen for any potentially critical technical, environmental, social, or legal issues.

F.  Project Plan

15. Is the Project Plan complete and realistic?

G.  Summary and Recommendations

16. The recommendation to proceed to the Second File is supported by the information and analysis provided in the First File, which are fully compliant with all NCP requirements.