NTA Cost Management Guidelines (Updated 2024) & NTA Inflation Bulletin

National Transport Authority Cost Management Guidelines

Cost Management Guidelines

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PDF
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– 488 KB

 

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is the “Approving Authority” for public transport projects in the metropolitan areas of Dublin, Cork Galway, Limerick and Waterford, as well as urban active travel projects nationwide. Projects funded by the NTA are generally proposed by the NTA’s partner organisations known as Sponsoring Agencies. To fulfil our statutory duty to secure the provision of public transport infrastructure on a value for money basis, the NTA requires that Sponsoring Agencies follow these Guidelines with respect to cost estimation, cost profiling, cost reporting and the general management of costs.

Sponsoring Agencies are required to follow these CMG’s in implementing these processes, ensuring that the NTA is informed on all cost related issues and that at each milestone in the development of a project the NTA is consulted and sufficiently informed about the developing project costs to make informed decisions in relation to the application of exchequer monies.

The NTA Cost Management Guidelines have been designed to assist Sponsoring Agencies with the development of appropriate scheme budgets in line with the requirements of the NTA Project Approval Guidelines (PAG’s Phase 1-7). The Guidelines are broken into three cost bands, Band 1 – €0-€500k, Band 2 – €500k – €10m, and Band 3 – €10m and Above, and have been structured to allow Sponsoring Agencies easily identify processes, primary cost management deliverables and minimum cost reporting requirements.
** originally published on 14th March 2023, Updated on 23rd February 2024

Please see below template appendices relating to these guidelines:

These templates have examples of completed forms and spreadsheets

Download Documents / spreadsheets below

Templates:

These templates have blank forms and spreadsheets.

NTA Cost Management Templates

Band 2 (€0.5 to €10m)

 

NTA Cost Management Templates

Band 3 (Exceeding €10m)

The bulletin intends to provide insights to Consultants in the preparation of their cost estimates to better inform their project estimates in which the NTA is the approving authority.

The bulletin will be updated annually, or earlier if the macroeconomic conditions continue unstable.

The latest version of the bulletin was published in February 2024, replacing the May 2023 bulletin and October 2023 supplementary note.  It should be used to provide guidance to Sponsoring Agencies on the treatment of future inflation from February 2024 onwards.

For more information on it, please contact capitalprogrammeoffice@nationaltransport.ie

Main document:

Support documents:

Download documents

2024 NTA Inflation Bulletin Card

File type
PDF
File size
- 251 KB

Inflation Bulletin - User Guide

File type
PDF
File size
- 223 KB

2024 NTA Inflation Full Report

File type
PDF
File size
- 2 MB
Schedule of Rates

The NTA has developed a Schedule of Rates (SoR) that can be used by Sponsoring Agencies in the development of cost estimates for projects where the NTA is the Approving Authority. The SoR has been developed to assist Sponsoring Agencies, however Sponsoring Agencies are not obligated to use the information in this Schedule (for example, where they have more reliable data sources, have undertaken market testing or have carried out first principle pricing).

Schedule of Rates_Disclaimer

File type
PDF
File size
- 197 KB
  • The booklet is published to assist Sponsoring Agencies involved in Active Travel infrastructure to determine accuracy in their cost estimate at Grant Application Form (GAF) stage (NTA phase 1). The booklet contains completed sample projects which is recorded on a database for the 31 Local Authorities.
  • Costs provided are final out-turn costs based on works completed by Sponsoring Agencies (Local Authorities) and funded by the National Transport Authority across the country. Costs include, construction costs / design team fees / utility provider costs / value added tax (VAT). Costs do not provide for Land costs unless otherwise stated in the key features. Examples also include schemes (bridges) funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and co-funded schemes with European Regeneration Development Fund (ERDF).
  • Sponsoring Agencies who require further information (drawings / specifications) on a particular scheme are to liaise with their regional NTA Programme team.
  • Costs included within the booklet have been adjusted for inflation to 2024 costs (indices).
  • Cost ranges include Lower-Median-Upper. For classification purposes, the NTA note:
    • Lower would be a scheme in a rural location.
    • Median would be a scheme in a Town or village.
    • Upper would be a scheme in a very busy environment – typically a City with heavy traffic disruption and or schemes with complexities e.g., environmental or engineering challenges.
  • In all cases before a Grant Application Form (GAF) is submitted to the NTA – the Sponsoring Agency should discuss the cost band (Lower-Median-Upper) together with the proposed project scheme with their regional NTA Programme Manager for agreement.