Feasibility studies

In 1999 the CIPE (with resolutions 106 - pdf, 19 Kb- and 135 - pdf, 31 Kb- of 1999) initiated more than 393 feasibility studies, co-financing 50% of the costs out of funds appropriated for under-utilised areas.

The aim of the CIPE initiative was to create a pool of “robust” project ideas to accelerate and enhance the use of national and Community resources for the 2000-2006 planning period. More generally, the CIPE co-financed the studies to foster the uptake of a technical tool that can be used to justify and support investment decisions.

The objective of feasibility studies is to transform a project idea into a specific plan, identifying and comparing alternatives with a view to developing different approaches to satisfying a need and implementing the original idea. The creation of an information set enables the competent government authorities to take well-founded, justified decisions in allocating resources for public investments. Such studies also enable the early identification of obstacles to the implementation of investment programmes and thereby accelerate the subsequent design and implementation process.

The legislative basis of feasibility studies can be found in:

Art. 4 of Law 144/1999 (pdf, 110 Kb) ,which requires feasibility studies for works with a total cost of more than €10.3 million

Art. 6 of Law 166/2002 (pdf, 117 Kb) , which revises the framework law for public works (Law 106/1977), confirming the central role of feasibility studies and extending their purpose

UVAL provided technical support and monitoring of the state of progress and planning developments for the feasibility studies co-financed under resolutions 106 and 135/1999, preparing periodic reports for the CIPE:

The First Report (pdf, 1.90 Mb), submitted to the CIPE on 24 October 2002 (monitoring data updated to June 2002)

The Second Report(pdf, 1.90 Mb), submitted to the CIPE on 29 September 2003 (monitoring data updated to June 2003)

In implementation of resolution 89/2002 (pdf, 14 Kb) and as part of the activities of the Evaluation Unit Network, UVAL coordinates two initiatives aimed at disseminating the feasibility method:

the creation of a database of feasibility studies, beginning with those funded under resolution 70/1998;

the preparation of technical, procedural, organizational and methodological documentation for the planning, implementation and monitoring of feasibility studies (for example, issue no. 3, 2005, of Materiali UVAL contained a study on “The market for evaluations: opportunity or constraint for public decision-makers?”).

UVAL also provides technical orientation services for the preparation and implementation of the advisory activities of Sviluppo Italia ( CIPE resolution 62/2002 (pdf, 16 Kb)) for the implementation stage of feasibility studies.