Housing Acceleration Fund (HAF) 5
“The team brought a level of expertise and practicality that was exactly what we needed for the HAF5 program. Their ability to navigate the complexities of the assurance process and distill it into clear, actionable pathways made a tangible difference to our work.
The ‘How-to’ guide they developed has been invaluable. They took an approach that was collaborative and thorough.”
Strategic Business Case Turnaround
Client Challenges:
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) faced delays in the delivery of the $500 million Housing Acceleration Fund (HAF) business case, which was critical to supporting new housing supply across NSW. An external ‘big firm’ consulting team was struggling to produce a compelling, well-structured business case that had reliable, well-argued data, was clearly expressed and that met Treasury standards.
Our Services:
Vivendi Consulting were engaged to ‘turnaround’ the HAF business case. We conducted a detailed review, restructured the document, focused on the key questions and issues, and engaged with Treasury to ensure the work met their requirements. The engagement with Treasury helped refine methodologies and focus on appropriate economic valuations.
Outcomes Delivered:
Our intervention brought the HAF business case back on track, achieving critical Treasury reviews and supporting DPIE’s aim to accelerate housing supply.
Program Acceleration Review
Client Challenges:
The Housing Acceleration Fund (HAF) required a comprehensive review to identify methods to expedite delivery and ensure alignment with the Infrastructure NSW (INSW) assurance process. This involved navigating a complex framework of approvals, differing project tiers, and strategic objectives across a range of infrastructure projects.
Our Services:
Vivendi Consulting worked with the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) to evaluate assurance pathways and develop strategic recommendations for improving project efficiency. The team:
Reviewed the INSW assurance requirements for the HAF5 program.
Analysed pathways for faster project delivery.
Used previous program data and, using Lean Six Sigma analysis, identified critical program bottlenecks.
Proposed new program processes and streamlined assurance steps to resolve bottlenecks, with a minimum estimated saving of over 30% time to complete.
Provided detailed insights into tiered assurance processes under the Infrastructure Investor Assurance Framework (IIAF), tailored for HAF projects.
Outcomes Delivered:
The recommendations enabled a clearer, tiered approach to HAF project assurance. By identifying specific pathways for low-risk, medium-risk, and high-risk projects, the review provided actionable steps to reduce approval times. This provided the program with the capability to key deliver faster, ultimately supporting the timely delivery of housing infrastructure.
HAF Business Case ‘How-to’ Guide
Client Challenges:
The Department of Planning and Environment sought practical guidance for councils and agencies to prepare high-quality business cases for HAF funding. Many delivery agencies lacked the expertise and tools to meet the stringent requirements of Restart NSW and INSW assurance processes.
Our Services:
Vivendi Consulting developed a comprehensive “How-to” guide, including:
Step-by-step instructions on preparing business cases aligned with Restart NSW, NSW Treasury, and INSW guidelines.
Tailored templates for various project types (e.g., roads, active transport, and water infrastructure) exceeding and under $10 million in value.
Practical tips for economic and financial appraisal, options generation, and meeting Gateway Review requirements.
Sector-specific guidance for areas such as community infrastructure and environmental approvals.
High-level plan for the rollout of the guides, enabling Councils to be ready to deliver business cases and secure funding to deliver housing.
Advice to the Department on overcoming strategic risks around resource capacity and capability in Council.
Outcomes Delivered:
The guides clearly and effectively describe how Councils should prepare business cases for the HAF program, with supporting templates, guides, estimates and tools. These enable Councils to rapidly prepare business cases for DPE funding, enabling housing to be delivered rapidly to address a critical issue in NSW.