The The Program Design

ANAO Report No.11 2014–15 The Award of Grants under the Clean Technology Program 46 Figure 2.1: Information on merit assessment published in the customer guidelines Source: ANAO analysis of customer guidelines. ANAO Report No.11 2014–15 The Award of Grants under the Clean Technology Program 47

2.11 The

primary purpose of the departmental assessment was to present the relevant IA committee with a report that included:  an assessment of: the application against each of the merit criteria in the form of a score, with the scores summed to give the overall merit score; and the quality of the evidence supporting the application;  options to reframe the project to exclude any ineligible activities 54 or eligible activities that the department considered did not provide value for money;  additional commentary to highlight information that had the potential to significantly impact the final decision, but was not easily identifiable in the application; and • an assessment recommendation. Probity plan

2.12 The

CGGs also outlined that an important requirement in grant administration is ensuring probity and transparency, such that decisions relating to the granting activity are impartial, appropriately documented and publicly defensible. In this respect, the department did not develop a probity plan or engage a probity advisor. 55 Objective of the programs

2.13 Program

objectives that are clearly linked to the outcomes set by government were required by the CGGs. As such, it was important that the objective of the programs was consistent with the outcome set in the Clean Energy Future Plan, which was to reduce carbon pollution and assist manufacturers to reduce their exposure to rising energy costs. 56 54 The program guidelines identify that capacity expansion or productivity improvement projects with no improvement in energy efficiency or reduction in carbon intensity were not eligible projects for the purposes of the programs. 55 The department did, however, seek advice from the department’s legal section on:  the program guidelines;  the consistency between the program guidelines and supporting program documentation including the customer guidelines, program directions and delegations; and  a change to the funding ratios that was reflected in the program guidelines in June 2012. 56 Australian Government, Securing a clean energy future: the Australian Government’s Climate Change Plan, 10 July 2011, p. xi.