A Business Case Analysis (BCA) provides a best-value analysis that considers not only cost but other quantifiable and non-quantifiable factors supporting an investment decision. This can include but is not limited to performance, producibility, reliability, maintainability, and supportability enhancements.
Definition: A Business Case Analysis is a Program Management tool used to evaluate potential business decisions for best-value determinations.
Purpose of a Business Case Analysis (BCA)
A BCA is a useful tool that assists in refining the myriad of decisions that go into determining the best value strategy. It follows an iterative process, conducted and updated as needed throughout the life cycle as program plans evolve and react to changes in the business and mission environment.
Business Case Analysis (BCA) use
A Business Case Analysis is used for the following:
- Is used in the initial decision to invest in a project.
- Guides the decision to select among alternative approaches.
- Is used to validate any proposed scope, schedule, or budget changes during the course of the project.
- Should also be used to identify the various budget accounts and amounts affected by the various product support strategies.
- Should be a living document ‘ as project or organization changes occur they should be reflected in updates to the business case.
- Should be used to validate that planned benefits are realized at the completion of the project.
- Makes the team consider all of the costs, risks, and benefits of making a decision
Business Case Analysis (BCA) Report Content
As a minimum, a BCA should include:
- Executive Summary: An overview of the BCA
- Introduction: An introduction that defines what the case is about (the subject) and why (its purpose) it is necessary. The introduction presents the objectives addressed by the subject of the case.
- Methods and Assumptions: state the analysis methods and rationale that fixes the boundaries of the case (whose costs and benefits are examined over what time period). This section outlines the rules for deciding what belongs in the case and what does not, along with the important assumptions.
- Impacts: The business impacts are the financial and non-financial business impacts expected in one or more scenarios.
- Risk assessment: show how results depend on important assumptions (‘what if’) and the likelihood for other results to surface.
- Conclusions and Recommendations: specific actions based on business objectives and the analysis results.
Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) BCA
DoD has promulgated the Guiding Principles for conducting a Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) BCA in USD(AT&L) Memorandum, Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) Business Case Analysis (BCA), 23 January 2004. OSD has issued guidance emphasizing the use of the Business Case Analysis as a fundamental tool to support PBL support strategic decisions.
Difference Between a Business Case and Business Case Analysis
They are the same regarding results, but a business case normally refers to the report, and business case analysis refers to the analysis.
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