Project Assurance
Infrastructure Tasmania (ITas) administers project assurance for the Tasmanian Government. From 1 July 2025, project assurance reviews are compulsory for infrastructure projects, excluding IT projects, from all Tasmanian Government departments, if the projects are:
- valued at $50 million or more
- valued at $10m - $50m and identified as needing a review by a department, minister or the Budget Committee.
Project assurance is not an audit, approval or endorsement process. It is an independent review. A panel of specialists assesses a project and provides recommendations through a series of document reviews, interviews and reports. Project assurance provides practical advice, reduces risk and helps to ensure successful delivery on time and on budget. It is considered best practice throughout Australia and the world.
Contact us
If your project meets the criteria or has been identified for review, please contact us at Project.Assurance@stategrowth.tas.gov.au to learn how to include project assurance reviews in your project.
More information
- Framework
- Types of Review
- service need
- value for money and affordability
- social, environmental and economic sustainability
- governance
- risk management
- stakeholder management
- asset owner’s needs and change management.
- Timing
- day 1 – interviews
- days 2 and 3 – interviews/report preparation.
Framework
The project assurance framework provides the overall structure for the independent assessment of projects and programs. It contains background information and explains the roles of those involved.
It is based on the work of infrastructure bodies such as iNSW, and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority of the United Kingdom Government, and has been used by the Tasmanian Government on a voluntary basis since January 2022. As of 1 July 2025, the project assurance framework is compulsory for all government departments.
Types of Review
The list below explains the various review types that may be used. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to project assurance reviews. Not every project requires every type of review.
Gate review | Project phase | Focus of review | |
|---|---|---|---|
0 | Project registration | Initiate | An initial discussion with ITas to determine an appropriate project assurance process for each project. |
1 | Project justification | Plan and development | Each review considers seven key focus areas: Each area is applied to the specific issues of each gateway. |
2 | Business case | ||
3 | Readiness for market | Procurement | |
4 | Tender evaluation | ||
5 | Readiness for service | Execute | |
6 | Benefits realisation | Close | Considers the project’s original purpose, benefits and the lessons learned. |
Review type | Project phase | Focus of review |
|---|---|---|
Health check | Development | Have a similar structure to Gate Reviews 1-5, but take place between gates, to assess the health of a project in its current phase. |
Procurement | ||
Delivery | ||
Deep Dives | Any | Can be conducted at any time to consider specific or technical issues that may impact a project. |
Timing
Project assurances for gates 1 - 5 and health checks generally follow these steps and approximate timeframes.
Planning
1. Project team approaches ITas to discuss specific requirements (Gate 0).
2. ITas and the delivery agency confirm review dates and senior responsible officer (SRO).
3. ITas confirms and appoints reviewers.
4. ITas prepares terms of reference with SRO and delivery agency.
5. Delivery agency completes required templates and provides to ITas.
Week 1
6. Project planning meeting with review team and formal start of review process.
7. Review documents released to review team.
Week 2 and 3
8. Review days hosted by delivery agency (up to three days, if required):
The time required is agreed between the delivery agency, review team leader and ITas, and includes debrief sessions at the end of each day of interviews.
Week 4
9. Review team prepares, presents and discusses a draft review report with the SRO and provides feedback through ITas.
10. Review team provides draft review report to SRO through ITas.
Week 5
11. Delivery agency fact checks final draft review report and provides responses to its recommendations to ITas, which liaises with review team for finalisation.
12. Final review report incorporating responses to recommendations finalised by review team and provided to the SRO through ITas.
Please note, Gate 6 and Deep Dives timescales are more tailored to each project and will be discussed during the Gate 0 process.
Framework
The project assurance framework provides the overall structure for the independent assessment of projects and programs. It contains background information and explains the roles of those involved.
It is based on the work of infrastructure bodies such as iNSW, and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority of the United Kingdom Government, and has been used by the Tasmanian Government on a voluntary basis since January 2022. As of 1 July 2025, the project assurance framework is compulsory for all government departments.
Types of Review
The list below explains the various review types that may be used. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to project assurance reviews. Not every project requires every type of review.
Gate review | Project phase | Focus of review | |
|---|---|---|---|
0 | Project registration | Initiate | An initial discussion with ITas to determine an appropriate project assurance process for each project. |
1 | Project justification | Plan and development | Each review considers seven key focus areas:
Each area is applied to the specific issues of each gateway. |
2 | Business case | ||
3 | Readiness for market | Procurement | |
4 | Tender evaluation | ||
5 | Readiness for service | Execute | |
6 | Benefits realisation | Close | Considers the project’s original purpose, benefits and the lessons learned. |
Review type | Project phase | Focus of review |
|---|---|---|
Health check | Development | Have a similar structure to Gate Reviews 1-5, but take place between gates, to assess the health of a project in its current phase. |
Procurement | ||
Delivery | ||
Deep Dives | Any | Can be conducted at any time to consider specific or technical issues that may impact a project. |
Timing
Project assurances for gates 1 - 5 and health checks generally follow these steps and approximate timeframes.
Planning
1. Project team approaches ITas to discuss specific requirements (Gate 0).
2. ITas and the delivery agency confirm review dates and senior responsible officer (SRO).
3. ITas confirms and appoints reviewers.
4. ITas prepares terms of reference with SRO and delivery agency.
5. Delivery agency completes required templates and provides to ITas.
Week 1
6. Project planning meeting with review team and formal start of review process.
7. Review documents released to review team.
Week 2 and 3
8. Review days hosted by delivery agency (up to three days, if required):
- day 1 – interviews
- days 2 and 3 – interviews/report preparation.
The time required is agreed between the delivery agency, review team leader and ITas, and includes debrief sessions at the end of each day of interviews.
Week 4
9. Review team prepares, presents and discusses a draft review report with the SRO and provides feedback through ITas.
10. Review team provides draft review report to SRO through ITas.
Week 5
11. Delivery agency fact checks final draft review report and provides responses to its recommendations to ITas, which liaises with review team for finalisation.
12. Final review report incorporating responses to recommendations finalised by review team and provided to the SRO through ITas.
Please note, Gate 6 and Deep Dives timescales are more tailored to each project and will be discussed during the Gate 0 process.
Framework
The project assurance framework provides the overall structure for the independent assessment of projects and programs. It contains background information and explains the roles of those involved.
It is based on the work of infrastructure bodies such as iNSW, and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority of the United Kingdom Government, and has been used by the Tasmanian Government on a voluntary basis since January 2022. As of 1 July 2025, the project assurance framework is compulsory for all government departments.
Types of Review
The list below explains the various review types that may be used. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to project assurance reviews. Not every project requires every type of review.
Gate review | Project phase | Focus of review | |
|---|---|---|---|
0 | Project registration | Initiate | An initial discussion with ITas to determine an appropriate project assurance process for each project. |
1 | Project justification | Plan and development | Each review considers seven key focus areas:
Each area is applied to the specific issues of each gateway. |
2 | Business case | ||
3 | Readiness for market | Procurement | |
4 | Tender evaluation | ||
5 | Readiness for service | Execute | |
6 | Benefits realisation | Close | Considers the project’s original purpose, benefits and the lessons learned. |
Review type | Project phase | Focus of review |
|---|---|---|
Health check | Development | Have a similar structure to Gate Reviews 1-5, but take place between gates, to assess the health of a project in its current phase. |
Procurement | ||
Delivery | ||
Deep Dives | Any | Can be conducted at any time to consider specific or technical issues that may impact a project. |
Timing
Project assurances for gates 1 - 5 and health checks generally follow these steps and approximate timeframes.
Planning
1. Project team approaches ITas to discuss specific requirements (Gate 0).
2. ITas and the delivery agency confirm review dates and senior responsible officer (SRO).
3. ITas confirms and appoints reviewers.
4. ITas prepares terms of reference with SRO and delivery agency.
5. Delivery agency completes required templates and provides to ITas.
Week 1
6. Project planning meeting with review team and formal start of review process.
7. Review documents released to review team.
Week 2 and 3
8. Review days hosted by delivery agency (up to three days, if required):
- day 1 – interviews
- days 2 and 3 – interviews/report preparation.
The time required is agreed between the delivery agency, review team leader and ITas, and includes debrief sessions at the end of each day of interviews.
Week 4
9. Review team prepares, presents and discusses a draft review report with the SRO and provides feedback through ITas.
10. Review team provides draft review report to SRO through ITas.
Week 5
11. Delivery agency fact checks final draft review report and provides responses to its recommendations to ITas, which liaises with review team for finalisation.
12. Final review report incorporating responses to recommendations finalised by review team and provided to the SRO through ITas.
Please note, Gate 6 and Deep Dives timescales are more tailored to each project and will be discussed during the Gate 0 process.