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Guide to Using the Project Complexity and Risk Assessment Tool


3. Organizational Capacity and Project Complexity and Risk

Management expectations and requirements for Government of Canada projects are set out in the following policy instruments:

  • Policy on the Management of Projects;
  • The Standard for Project Complexity and Risk; and
  • The Standard for Organizational Project Management Capacity.

The Policy on the Management of Projects stipulates that a deputy head is responsible for conducting:

  • An organization-wide capacity assessment in accordance with The Standard for Organizational Project Management Capacity; and
  • An assessment of each planned or proposed project in accordance with The Standard for Project Complexity and Risk.

The two scores resulting from the above assessments are compared to determine the appropriate expenditure authority (i.e., sponsoring minister or Treasury Board) and to inform the determination of Treasury Board oversight. The department is required by policy to seek Treasury Board approval of any project with an assessed risk and complexity level that exceeds the Treasury Board-approved Organizational Project Management Capacity Class of the department, or if the project is otherwise identified by Treasury Board ministers for their further consideration (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Treasury Board Authority and Oversight with Respect to Project Complexity and Risk and Organizational Project Management CapacityFigure 1: Treasury Board Authority and Oversight

Treasury Board Authority and Oversight with Respect to Project Complexity and Risk and Organizational Project Management Capacity - Text Version

Figure 1 illustrates how the relationship between the Organizational Project Management Capacity Class and Project Complexity and Risk Level determines the project approval limits of a department. For example, for a Treasury Board-approved Organizational Project Management Capacity Class of 3 – Evolutionary, any project that falls within the non-shaded area, e.g., Project A (Project Complexity and Risk Level 4 – Transformational), exceeds the Treasury Board-approved Organizational Project Management Capacity Class and requires Treasury Board approval and expenditure authority in order to proceed. Projects that fall within the shaded area, e.g., Project B (Level 2 – Tactical), have an assessed level of complexity and risk within the Treasury Board-approved Organizational Project Management Capacity Class and will likely be within the department's approval limit and be subject to minimal direct Treasury Board oversight.

Capacity should be commensurate with the level of risk and complexity of projects typically undertaken. For example, a high level of project management capacity and the associated costs may not be a suitable investment for an organization that undertakes few large and complex projects.



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