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NSW Government
Digital NSW

Digital Assurance

Digital Assurance helps government agencies deliver successful digital projects. Supporting NSW Government agencies by:

  • Prioritising ICT and digital investments
  • Assisting teams to deliver projects on time and on budget
  • Ensuring ICT and digital investments are aligned with whole-of-government priorities
  • Enhancing transparency and accountability

Digital Assurance

The Digital Assurance is an approach to delivering independent oversight of NSW Government ICT projects worth $5 million or over, or that are of strategic importance or high risk. Assurance includes Gateway reviews and periodic health checks at key points in a project's lifecycle. Its core focus is to support identifying the right projects, delivering them on-time and on-budget and eliminating risks. The digital Assurance is a risk-based approach to ICT investment. This means higher risk projects attract higher levels of assurance.

Key benefits

Digital Assurance offers a range of benefits for projects:

  • Consistent whole-of-government approach to investor assurance for digital projects
  • A portfolio level view of the government's digital investment to drive strategic whole-of-government opportunities
  • A regular level of due diligence that reflects the level of budget risk and complexity for each project
  • Increases transparency regarding project development/delivery risks and progress
  • Fosters the sharing of skills, resources, experience and lessons learned within and across the government sector

Outcomes

Expected outcomes include:

  • Improved service delivery for NSW citizens
  • Value to the NSW Government
  • Greater return on ICT and digital investment
  • On-time and on-budget delivery
  • Standardised metric-driven project status

Read about the principles and arrangements for the Digital Assurance Framework (PDF, 1.11 MB).

Getting started with Digital Assurance

While Digital Assurance is mandatory for projects worth $5 million or over, it is recommended for all projects that are of strategic importance or high risk.

Registering

If you would like to discuss your digital project, please email our team: ICTAssurance@customerservice.nsw.gov.au. Once you've met with the team, you'll be given access to register your project via the ICT Assurance Portal. After entering your project's information into the Portal, you will receive a risk score. The score will enable you to assess the minimum level of assurance required for your project.

After registration, what can I expect?

Once you register your project, we will validate the project risk tier and proposed project assurance plan.The project assurance plan will set out the schedule of Gateway Reviews and health checks for your project. Depending on its risk tier, all or some of the following Gates may apply.

Gate 1 – Strategic alignment

  • Evaluate that business needs align with strategic imperative, investment principles and enterprise architecture
  • Focus on value for money
  • Ensure preventative measures for potential risk

Gate 2 – Business case

  • Evaluate the current business case
  • Focus on plans to realise benefits
  • Ensure optimum project strength before the next phase

Gate 3 – Pre-execution

  • Evaluate the procurement approach
  • Focus on warning signs early in the project
  • Ensure business plans are defined and agreed

Gate 4 – Tender evaluation

  • Evaluate solutions prior to fund commitment
  • Focus on business milestones
  • Ensure readiness for next phase

Gate 5 – Pre-commissioning

  • Evaluate further measures to achieve planned benefits
  • Focus on service delivery
  • Ensure strength of management

Gate 6 – Post-implementation

  • Evaluate the anticipated benefits and their delivery
  • Focus on ongoing improvements and value
  • Ensure plans for future provision