Appraising long-list options

4.22 For spending decisions the long-list can be filtered down by assessing how well they meet Critical Success Factors (CSFs) which cover:

  strategic fit - how well does the option meet agreed objectives and fit with wider organisational or public-sector objectives?

  potential Value for Money - is the option likely to deliver social value in terms of costs, benefits and risks?

  supplier capacity or capability - if procurement is required, are there suppliers available to deliver the required services?

  potential affordability - how will an option be financed and is it affordable within existing budgets?

  potential achievability - how likely is it that an option can be delivered given organisational capability and skills available?

4.23 Other factors that may be relevant to assess the long-list and affect which options are feasible:

  constraints such as legality and ethics

  dependencies such as infrastructure

  unmonetisable and unquantifiable factors which should be considered and it may be necessary to use a structured technique such as Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

  collateral effects and unintended consequences which may occur should be considered and potentially fed into the short-list analysis stage

4.24 Equalities impacts must be taken into account and the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), created under the Equalities Act 2010, requires that public sector bodies have due regard to advancing equality of opportunity for persons with protected characteristics, eliminating discrimination and fostering good relations between protected groups and others. Consideration of equality issues must influence the decisions reached by public bodies and decision makers should be informed of the potential effects of intervention on groups or individuals with characteristics identified by the Act.

4.25 The PSED covers 9 protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. The need for equalities analysis will apply at the long-list stage and throughout the appraisal process, with the results visible to decision makers. In addition, since October 2014 there is also a requirement to consider the impact of decisions on Families.

4.26 Distributional effects should be proportionately considered, relative to objectives, costs, benefits and risks to the whole population or any sub-group of the population. Relevant sub-groups of the population that stand to lose or gain, types of organisation or areas of the country should be identified, with quantification of the likely effects at the short-list stage. Distributional effects at the long-list stage may:

  act as a constraint on the feasible options, where there are distributional objectives

  be an intended or unintended consequence