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Our work

At Broadleaf we help our clients deal with uncertainty and complexity, from simple risk assessments and decision support to complicated analysis of options and challenging decisions. We can assist at all levels, from individual projects and isolated requirements through to organisational risk management frameworks and strategic capabilities.

Case studies

  • Implications of climate change for an agriculture agency

    The agency is a government department charged with supporting agriculture as well as regulation, disaster planning and recovery. The agency wanted to identify threats and opportunities associated with climate change to help it develop strategic and business plans. A qualitative risk assessment was undertaken in two stages. This case study illustrates the use of iterative analysis to cope with the complexity of climate change scenarios.

  • Supporting property development decisions

    This case study outlines how a property development company analysed uncertainty as an input to a Board decision. It discusses practical ways to simplify the structure of property development models to include uncertainty estimates in a reasonable way, to overcome problems associated with the inherent complexity of many of them. It also notes the importance of setting workshop agendas to make it easy for senior executives to participate.

  • Comparing bidders’ construction schedules

    This case study describes a simple, straightforward analysis of uncertainty in the proposed schedules for a port expansion submitted by bidders tendering for the work. It goes on to explain how the quantitative analysis contributed to the bid evaluation process.

  • Identifying failure modes in an oil refinery process unit

    Alkylation increases the high-octane outputs of an oil refinery to enhance the value of gasoline products. Alkylation reactions are catalysed by strong acids, hydrofluoric acid (HF) in this case. The dual hazards of flammable hydrocarbons and HF mean ensuring safety is more challenging in HF Alkylation units than in a refinery in general. We used Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) to help a refinery identify hazardous failure modes in its HF alkylation unit and agree priorities for attention.

  • Climate change strategy for a pharmaceutical company

    This case study describes a review of climate-related risks with an international pharmaceutical company that had sophisticated frameworks for governance, risk management and corporate social responsibility (CSG). It outlines how the approach was adjusted to take account of the focus on medium- and long-term effects of climate change and climate policy, the sophistication of the client team, previous risk assessments, and the need to generate an understanding of climate-related uncertainties to support strategic decisions.

  • Reliable power for a remote mine

    Broadleaf was engaged to facilitate a workshop to examine the risks related to the reliability of power supply to a mine. The mine generated its own power that supplied its facility as well as surrounding communities. A planned mine expansion meant that the power supply to the plant needed to be upgraded and its reliability improved. This case discusses the importance of tailoring the criteria for risk assessment, using several forms of analysis to set priorities, and the need for a broad perspective.

  • Bridge operations on a commuter road

    This case study outlines a risk assessment and treatment options for enhancing the reliability of an opening bridge on a commuter road, augmented by aspects of failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA). The case discusses the importance of site familiarisation, setting workshop agendas carefully, adapting the risk management process to enhance its effectiveness, using a flexible approach to setting priorities for management attention, and the value of templates for efficiency, effectiveness and due diligence.

  • Options for a pharmaceutical dispensary

    This case outlines how a structured process was used to evaluate options for a pharmaceutical dispensary, where the raw material for prescription and other medications are prepared for manufacturing. The focus on company objectives and criteria helped to achieve consensus among internal stakeholders with slightly different requirements and priorities.

  • Land use near a major hazard facility

    When a proposal to build an aged care facility was received by a local council, a nearby major hazard facility lodged an objection to it. The council asked Broadleaf to investigate whether or not the objection was justified, and to be an expert witness in a formal public hearing. Our expertise in land use safety planning and regulatory requirements was useful in this process. In particular, we were able to guide the council to ask the right questions of the owner of the refinery to achieve a satisfactory planning outcome.

  • Cost uncertainty in a cable-laying contract

    This case study describes a quantitative risk analysis undertaken with a construction company that was preparing a bid to design and construct fibre optic broadband infrastructure in a regional area. The purpose was to understand the uncertainty in the initial cost estimate for the activity, and to contribute to the company’s decisions about whether to bid and at what price. The case demonstrates the role of quantitative analysis of uncertainty as part of a contractor’s bid development process.

  • Strategic program to expand a portfolio of health products

    This case describes how an international pharmaceutical company used risk management to examine a significant long-term strategic agreement with another organisation in a complementary medical sector, for the purpose of developing improvement actions to enhance its success. The case discusses how the process was planned and conducted, and how the company’s enterprise risk management processes were tailored for the specific strategic and implementation decisions that were involved. It also discusses how the company made sense of the large amount of information generated in a series of risk-related workshops, to develop a practical and manageable set of improvement plans.

  • Breaking decision paralysis

    A client wished to increase the ventilation capacity of an underground mine to allow the working area to be expanded. A prefeasibility study had become bogged down with disagreements about major design criteria and trade-offs. Broadleaf was engaged to facilitate a quantitative risk assessment of the initial plans. The process exposed the important decisions that had to be settled before a firm plan could be developed. This helped to break the deadlock so the study could proceed.

  • Pre-bid risks for a large construction contract

    This case shows how qualitative and quantitative assessments of uncertainty were used when preparing a response to a large, complex request for tender. The aim was to assist the bidders to understand the risks they would face and the implications for their businesses if their tender were accepted, and to develop a realistic view of the budget and contingency they would need. This helped them to develop a negotiating strategy, and to set an appropriate bid price.

  • Fire safety for a gas drainage plant

    This case describes an investigation into the fire safety requirements of a plant processing methane-rich waste gas from nearby mines. It demonstrates the value of tailoring the fire safety advice for the circumstances. In this case, instead of a detailed quantitative assessment of all possible fire scenarios, a comprehensive qualitative review of the fire scenarios and the general principles for their management was undertaken.

  • Replacing a high-voltage power line

    This case study examines a quantitative risk analysis of the capital costs of a high-voltage power enhancement project. It illustrates the value of integrating quantitative analysis into project workflows, and how the outcomes from the analysis can assist in allocating contingencies to cost items for project cost control. It also demonstrates that the assumptions about the shapes of the distributions used in quantitative analyses may not always be important in terms of their impacts on the outcomes from the analysis.

  • Identifying and addressing fraud in procurement

    This case study outlines risk management activities associated with potential fraud and corruption in the procurement function of a public-sector entity. The aim was to identify and determine the priority of risks associated with fraud and corruption, and to ensure that appropriate controls were in place or identified for future treatment. While this case is set in the context of a government agency, most of the lessons are relevant to any organisation.

  • Upgrading control systems in an oilfield

    This case describes a risk assessment associated with a technical program to upgrade equipment and control systems across a major oilfield. It demonstrates the relationships between program, project and headline risks, and the value of generic key elements for structuring risk management activities. It also notes that a program risk assessment may help to identify and focus attention on improvements to broader aspects of organizational performance, far beyond the program that initiated the discussion.

  • Options for mine ventilation

    This case describes a fast, high-level review of mine ventilation options. It used Kepner Tregoe analysis to focus on the ability of the options to achieve project goals, providing clarity and a sound rationale for management decisions. If straightforward approaches are sufficient, then there is no need to over-complicate the process or invest effort in greater detail.

  • Gas-fired power station cost and schedule uncertainty

    This case study outlines an analysis of the contingency associated with building a new gas-fired power station that was well into the delivery phase. The analysis drew attention to areas where additional effort was needed to ensure longer-term success. The case demonstrates the importance of addressing schedule uncertainty when estimating the capital costs of a project.

  • Spatial modelling of pandemic influenza

    This case outlines the development of a powerful and flexible simulation environment for modelling epidemic and pandemic influenza, aimed at helping policy makers explore a range of scenarios and interventions for the control of an outbreak. It allows public health epidemiologists and disease managers to study the spread of disease in an urban population, evaluate ways of limiting virus transmission, and examine strategies for avoiding an exponential explosion in cases that would overwhelm public health resources.

  • Coronavirus protection strategy for a university college

    It is particularly difficult to protect students at a university from a pandemic disease, and especially those who live within colleges and halls or residence. This case describes work we conducted for the management team of a university residential college in March 2020. It describes how a simple yet rapid vulnerability analysis helped them to develop a comprehensive protection strategy when confronted by an evolving coronavirus threat.

  • Providing water for a mine

    A preliminary hazard and operability (HAZOP) study of a mine expansion project identified potentially major risks associated with a large water pipeline near a village. A simple scenario-based risk assessment, conducted quickly by a small team, generated a range of improvement options for pipeline design and construction. Simple approaches can generate excellent results when used appropriately. It is important not to short-cut the risk management process by eliminating any of the steps, but the steps themselves can be tailored according to the project’s scope and need.

  • Climate change in a rural shire

    This case study outlines a risk assessment that examined the effects of climate change on a rural shire in Australia. It demonstrates the use of climate scenarios, and risk assessment over short-term, medium-term and long-term time horizons. It uses an extended risk analysis template as a continuing record of important supporting information for justifying treatment responses, some of which may relate to risks with impacts only in the far distant future but that require action in the short term to avert problems or to build resilience.

  • Upgrading refineries for clean fuels

    This case illustrates the value of qualitative and quantitative risk analyses in refinery upgrades that had to be completed within the strict time constraints imposed by tight shutdown windows. Schedule impacts drove the qualitative assessment, and a quantitative analysis of uncertainty associated with the schedule was completed. Several forms of sensitivity analysis were used to highlight where additional project effort might be worthwhile.

  • Tailoring risk assessment for a port expansion project

    This case describes a simple project risk assessment undertaken to initiate formal risk management on a large expansion program for a port that handled bulk commodities for export. It demonstrates the value of tailoring the risk assessment for the circumstances. In this case, a modified pre-mortem process was used for risk identification, and the corporate scales for operational risk analysis were adjusted to better suit the project.

  • Review of shift resourcing

    This case concerns the effects of reducing the number of personnel allocated to each shift at three industrial plants. The reduction was proposed in response to cost savings imposed on the wider business by the need to remain competitive. Detailed preparation and close stakeholder involvement were important factors in developing useful outcomes.

  • Concept-stage assessment of new technology in locomotives

    We conducted a risk assessment of new technology intended for fuel management in locomotives. The assessment was held at an early stage of the design, ensuring stakeholders’ concerns were captured and acceptance for the technology was gained before the company made a major investment in production.

  • Supporting option choice and project approval decisions

    This case study describes risk assessment activities to support a large capital project, first to assist in selecting a technology option and later as an input to the Board’s decision on granting formal project sanction and Notice to Proceed. It demonstrates the value of comparative risk assessment, a staged approach to setting priorities for addressing uncertainty, and the role of risk management in supporting project decisions.

  • Quantitative risk-based comparison of options

    This case study describes a range analysis of the cost of two options for the acquisition and implementation of an asset management and maintenance system for a utility business, under an agile delivery approach. It demonstrates a straightforward quantitative approach to comparing options that generated far more insight than could be obtained from a simple comparison of the initial quotes from software vendors.

  • Due diligence for a strategic acquisition

    This case describes Broadleaf’s assistance to an international oil company in assessing the opportunities and threats associated with the acquisition of a significant stake in a business in a developing country. The purpose was to contribute to the company’s due diligence, submissions and approvals process. There was a specific objective of generating input for an imminent meeting of the Executive Committee.

  • Extending an airport runway

    We conducted a risk assessment for an extension to the runway of an international airport. Features of the assessment were the involvement of key stakeholders in the process, including important funding agencies, and sufficient time for probing discussions. With the help of effective facilitation, this gave the stakeholders confidence that nothing important had been overlooked.

  • Software integration for ship chartering

    This case describes a business risk analysis and planning exercise for a ship chartering company (CharterCo) and its in-house IT team to consider the Cargo Plus Project. It describes a relatively simple process that clarified everyone’s understanding of the project and its objectives, identified key risks, and helped the project team set priorities for the next phases of the work.

  • Delivering a new payroll system

    Broadleaf conducted a review of the implementation program for payroll systems in a group of six related service-delivery networks. Simple Excel structures were used to model the schedule and the uncertainty associated with it. The outcomes provided a structure for activity and manpower planning, as well as a basis for liaison and coordination between the implementation company and the networks.

  • Climate change and its effects on a food production business

    An international food processing company needed to make strategic decisions about the effects of climate change on its operations and the value of its business. A risk management process was tailored for the specific context of climate change, using scenarios and climate-change drivers to structure the assessment. The case demonstrates the value of sound preparation, comprehensive briefing material and good facilitation for dealing with long-term risks and environmental uncertainty.

  • Modelling schedule uncertainty in a tunnel development

    Tunnelling presents challenges not found in other forms of construction. Analysis of uncertainty in tunnelling schedules may require a different approach from that used for the analysis of a process plant construction, for instance. In some situations, existing schedule modelling tools lack the means to represent particular features of tunnelling developments. However, these can be addressed, with appropriate expertise, using two modelling tools and exchanging information between them.

  • Wind turbines for a residential building

    Our client was the owner of a portfolio of high-rise residential buildings. It planned to install wind turbines on several of its buildings. The aim was to enhance its reputation for sustainability by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, offsetting energy use from other sources and striving for a ‘zero carbon’ outcome. The risk assessment we facilitated provided a comprehensive understanding of the challenges the project would face and how they were related to one another.

  • Coal to urea plant construction bid

    This case illustrates a simple quantitative analysis of uncertainty, undertaken over a period of a few days to support a commercial bid. It provided a sound understanding of the assumptions and uncertainties associated with the work, a basis for the commercial team to plan their negotiating approach as they finalised their formal tender response, and a valuable input to the commercial decision about the price at which to pitch the bid.

  • Remediating an urban reservoir

    This case describes the implementation of risk management for a project to remediate and upgrade an urban reservoir. It demonstrates a continuing project risk management process, with a focus on regular risk assessments, formal risk treatment planning, sound monitoring and review, and a project risk management plan that is comprehensive and kept up-to-date through the life of the project.

  • Bio-solids treatment and reuse contract

    This case illustrates a simple risk assessment to support the development of a bio-solids strategy for a wastewater treatment plant and the approval to renew a contract for bio-solids processing and reuse. It highlights factors that enabled successful outcomes to be obtained, despite commercial and operational constraints limiting the time available for preparing and conducting the assessment.

  • Bidding to construct an electricity sub-station

    A contractor was preparing a commercial bid to construct a 220/110 kV electricity sub-station. This case describes a quantitative analysis conducted to provide an estimate of the effects of potential events on project cost outcomes, as an input to the commercial bid pricing decision.

  • Framing strategic options for a large resource project

    Project framing is an important value improving practice. This case describes how project framing was conducted for a large resource project. Exploring the strategic options, and their associated risks, allowed the project team to concentrate its efforts on those aspects of the pre-feasibility study where strategic decisions were required and where reducing uncertainty would best contribute to those decisions.

  • Strategic options for dealing with methane in coal seams

    Managing the methane in coal seams is important for mining companies: to maintain operational safety, as a potential source of energy and to minimise greenhouse gas emissions. This case outlines how a coal company examined strategic options for dealing with the gas associated with mining. It illustrates a structured process for collecting and classifying information, identifying the components of decisions and developing options for subsequent evaluation.

  • Amalgamating government departments

    This case illustrates the use of risk assessment to assist with a major reorganisation as two government entities were amalgamated. It provided a space in which concerns could be raised and assessed to understand their importance and decide how to address them. A sound process for establishing the context was an important factor in the successful outcomes that were obtained.

  • Learning lessons where organisations intersect

    Root cause analysis is successful because it imposes a structure on thinking about what, when and where a success or failure has occurred, and it generates actions that lead to future improvements. This case study concerns the construction of road tunnels close to an underground railway. Its focus is on the interface between the construction activity and existing railway assets as well as the inter-relationships between the organisations involved.

  • Qualitative risk assessment for an urban toll road

    This case study describes a risk assessment for an urban toll road, to be delivered as a public private partnership (PPP). Only a high-level view was required, so detailed risk identification was not needed, but understanding was critical. The case illustrates a simple risk assessment process, with an extended risk analysis stage that supported more detailed control assurance. It generated increased confidence and understanding in the project and the work that had been undertaken so far.

  • Stakeholder analysis to develop consequence criteria for risk analysis

    In many circumstances, stakeholders are given only a small amount of attention, as just one of the topics to be noted as a risk management process is implemented. This case concerns a treatment plant close to a suburban community. Many individuals and organisations had an interest in its operation, so stakeholder analysis was an essential part of our risk management activity. The case illustrates the approach used to the develop criteria for analysing the consequences of risks.

  • What can we learn from a new procurement strategy?

    A government transport agency wished to learn lessons by ‘looking back’ at the tendering process for a recent highway project to be procured as a public private partnership (PPP), an approach the agency had not used before. Two workshops were conducted: one to learn lessons and one with a focus on how risks should be managed in PPPs in the future, consistent with the agency’s established risk management framework. The case demonstrates how root cause analysis can support new or innovative initiatives.

  • Cost and schedule risk analysis for a large resources project

    This extended case study describes a cost and schedule risk analysis for a multi-billion dollar resources project. It illustrates: structures for quantitative modelling of cost and schedule, incorporating drivers of uncertainty in quantities, rates and productivities; deriving input data for the models to minimise estimating biases; integrating cost and schedule uncertainty; and sensitivity analysis for better understanding of the effects of uncertainty and the allocation of contingency amounts.

  • Multiple perspectives for a highway project

    An urban road authority planned to extend its arterial road network with a major toll road, using a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) procurement strategy. The construction contractor in a joint venture consortium wanted to identify the risks it faced in its own activities to improve the quality of its tender. It also wanted to understand how the road authority might perceive the risks, to enable it to take the authority’s views into account in its submission and adopt a proactive approach to managing the authority’s concerns.

  • Addressing compliance for regional waste water treatment plants

    A regional local authority engaged Broadleaf to facilitate a workshop to resolve outstanding operational and compliance concerns raised by state government regulatory agencies relating to the upgrade of two sewage treatment plants (STPs). The case shows the value of a sound risk assessment process, demonstrable controls and structured communication among the stakeholders.

  • Risk-based monitoring of human services delivery

    An agency with responsibility for the oversight of child care services wished to develop a risk management approach to monitoring the compliance of service providers with the regulations. This had to be done in the face of competing expectations: judicial and community demands for additional regulatory measures to protect children in child care, and industry and community requirements for more services and more affordable care. The lessons apply to the delivery of human services more widely.

  • Joint risk assessment to enhance contract delivery

    This case study outlines a risk management activity that was conducted jointly by a project sponsor and a contractor, shortly after contract signature. The aim was to reduce risk exposures for all the parties involved and generate better project outcomes. There were significant benefits in terms of a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other’s perspectives, as well as a cooperative approach to risk management in the project.

  • Stress-testing the strategic plan

    The Executive of a government transport agency had been implementing a refined strategic management process progressively for some years. As part of the programme planning step, the Executive wished to undertake a risk assessment of its proposed strategy. The purpose of the risk assessment was to identify and set priorities for the major risks in the corporate strategic plan, in other words to stress-test the plan and identify anything that might hinder or enhance the achievement of the plan's objectives significantly.

  • Scoping risk assessment for an Olympic velodrome

    This case study describes the conduct and outcomes of an initial scoping risk assessment of the Sydney Olympic Velodrome, undertaken in 1994 in the early stages of Olympic facilities planning. The intention was to facilitate a short brainstorming session, involving the main Government stakeholders in the development of the velodrome, to provide input to a subsequent value management study.

  • Strategic context for a horticulture business

    This case study illustrates the similarities between the risk management step of 'establishing the context' and the strategic planning process of 'environmental scanning'. It outlines the business context for a horticulture company, developed as part of its strategic planning process. The company has been established for many years. It produces, packs and markets fruit, with a focus on premium fruit for the retail market. It owns substantial apple, pear and stone-fruit orchards and packing facilities. The context work was a precursor to a strategic risk assessment for the company, which is not described here.

  • Risks and treatments for an LNG regasification facility

    This case study concerns the construction of an import terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG), planned as a conventional onshore receiving LNG terminal with storage tanks and regasification facilities. An enhanced risk assessment process was used and treatment options were developed.

  • Target construction cost for an alliance contract

    This case study concerns an alliance established to deliver a road improvement project with substantial civil works. An estimate of the uncertainty in the cost estimate was required, expressed in dollar terms. This was needed to enable a realistic ceiling price to be set for the project for funding purposes. It was also used to develop a target cost for the contract that would generate appropriate incentives for all the alliance parties and support an appropriate sharing of risks and rewards between them.

  • Upgrading a major urban sewer

    This case concerns the upgrade of a large sewer serving hundreds of thousands of people across a catchment covering suburban areas and a central business district. The objectives were to identify and set priorities for the risks associated with the project and to develop action plans for treating the most important ones. The value of the risk assessment lay in setting priorities that allowed the project team to focus on the important matters first and develop plans that were expected to achieve appropriate benefits quickly. It is pleasing to note that the new sewer tunnel is now in operation and achieving the desired outcomes.

  • Scenarios for medium-term risks in a gas supply contract

    Investments in long-life assets involve significant uncertainty about the availability of inputs to sustain the commercial operation of the assets and of markets for their outputs. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants are like this, with capital costs in billions of dollars and operating lives exceeding 20 years. This case shows how a simple set of scenarios was used to help an LNG seller to anticipate what might happen in the future so it could draft appropriate terms and conditions, including conditions precedent, for a long-term contract.

  • Team building for an integrated power project

    An international consortium was the preferred provider for a new power plant, a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) project over 20-years. We facilitated a workshop to develop understanding among the stakeholders and create a project risk register for the combined team. Strong communication and a shared understanding was created between the seven international stakeholder organisations, laying a valuable foundation for successful project implementation.

  • An index of the stability of business forecasts

    A client concerned about the reliability of project forecasts wanted a way to assess how stable they were over the life of a project. If a profit forecast is reliable, the cash flow of the business can be managed to take advantage of it. While most people can see the difference between a steady forecast and one that moves up and down erratically from month to month, a purely subjective assessment can be challenged, making it difficult to hold people to account for this aspect of their management performance. Broadleaf developed a simple mechanism to introduce objectivity into the process.

  • Risk modelling to support commercial decisions

    For many years, Broadleaf has worked with the commercial construction company Buildcorp to help understand the risk associated with uncertainty in project costs and contract cash flows. Models of cost risk and net present value have become valuable components of Buildcorp’s bid preparation and commercial decision-making. In addition to generating useful quantitative assessments, these models provide a framework for important conversations about the quality and reliability of cost estimates and the commercial challenges of managing cash flows and achieving acceptable margins. (updated August 2016)

  • Valuing carbon in a plantation investment

    A forestry company sought to compare the risk profiles of returns from sequestered carbon and timber arising from a typical first-rotation softwood plantation investment. We produced a model that compared the values of future cash flows associated with carbon and timber. The model highlighted uncertainties in the market returns from the products and allowed them to be compared over a 33-year rotation.

  • Strategic risks for a scientific research organisation

    This case study describes a series of workshops to identify the main strategic opportunities and threats for a scientific research establishment. The organisation is a niche institute that is in the top 1% of research institutions in the world in its chosen fields. Because of the strategic focus of the workshops, a particular effort was made to identify opportunities as well as threats.

  • Estimating the capital cost of a new dam

    A state-owned corporation proposed to build a new water supply dam to augment existing sources. We helped the company to examine the construction cost estimate for the new dam, and to identify and quantify the sources of uncertainty in the estimate. We prepared a quantitative risk model and generated a range of realistically likely construction cost outcomes, to assist in determining the confidence that could be placed in any specific cost target, budget or contingency.

  • Business risks in an oil refinery

    We conducted a risk assessment for the management team at an oil refinery. The primary objective was to identify risks to the refinery as a business and develop an agreed priority listing of them. A subsidiary objective was to expose the management team to the risk management process. The management team wanted confidence for themselves and their major shareholders that the main risks to the business had been identified and were being managed well.

  • Lessons learned from a major plant shutdown

    Broadleaf was commissioned to conduct a root cause analysis workshop to help a global mining group learn lessons after a major plant shutdown and refurbishment. This involved a one-day workshop with company employees and representatives from several contractors. Over 62 separate lessons were generated. The group developed actions to prevent failures and encourage successes in future similar projects.

  • Simplifying and optimising controls in the finance sector

    A company in the finance sector asked us to help them review their risks that related to legal and compliance matters. Their aim was to simplify the current controls where it was cost-effective to do so. The review built on the considerable risk management work that had been undertaken already across the business.

  • Risk management for a GTL proposal

    A multi-national consortium was in the early stages of investigating a proposed gas-to-liquid (GTL) project. We facilitated workshops to identify and analyse the main uncertainties associated with the project. There were several objectives: to contribute to the tollgate submissions and approvals processes of the consortium partners; to enhance the quality and focus of bid preparation; and to provide a forum for communication and enhanced understanding between the partners.

  • Evaluating and enhancing risk management in an international business

    At the request of the board, Broadleaf carried out an independent review of the current framework, strategy and process for managing risk in a major international commercial organisation. We were asked to provide our professional opinion on the current situation and to give advice on any further steps that should be taken to enhance and improve the foundations for risk management.

  • Enhancing HV power distribution

    A joint venture company was developing a new mine in a remote area. The mine and processing plant would require far more power than could be supplied through the existing high voltage (HV) transmission network. The enhancement of the regional HV network was to be delivered as a turnkey project. We undertook a quantitative risk analysis of the capital cost of the project on behalf of the power engineering contractor.

  • Post-investment review of an oil and gas development

    We were asked to assist in the post-investment review of a large oil and gas development that had started operation. We conducted root cause analyses to understand how the investment performed in relation to the expectations set at the time it was approved, extract lessons and develop actions that would lead to improved outcomes in future investments.

  • Root cause analysis of environmental incidents

    One of our clients operates sites that must comply with local environmental legislation that requires any releases of waste above threshold levels to be reported promptly to the regulator. Several small releases had resulted in the regulator imposing minor penalties. The company wanted to examine the root causes for a small selection of incidents, with the aim of identifying general lessons from them and specifying areas in which the business could improve its performance.

  • Construction costs for a portfolio of buildings

    A national construction company was part of a consortium bidding for a public private partnership. The winning bidder would have to deliver a large number of dwelling units at sites across Australia, and maintain them for an extended period. We worked with the contractor to develop quantitative models of the uncertainty in the design and construction costs for the project, taking into account common features, common sources of uncertainty and regional variations.

  • Updating risk management in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal

    Broadleaf was engaged to review and update the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal’s organisational risk management process. VCAT staff and Members were engaged in a comprehensive risk assessment focused around three workshops: establishing the context, risk assessment and treatment planning. This was integrated with VCAT's strategic planning process and changes arising from the transition to the newly-established Court Services Victoria administration.

  • Achieving the life-of-mine plan

    The operator of a large gold province needed to update its Life-of-Mine Plan (LMP) and to incorporate risk and uncertainty in it. The LMP formed the base for a simplified model of the mine operations over a multi-year period, and it was an important input to the analysis of future capital investments in the mine for both the operator and the owners. The modelling exercise we conducted generated a forecast of NPV, and it encouraged managers to think in detail and with some numerical precision about their areas of responsibility.

  • Risk assessment of a mine development strategy

    A coal company had just completed a strategic review of a proposed mine development. The company wanted to conduct a risk assessment to identify and understand any risks to the development strategy that could effect business outcomes and develop a risk register to assist in decision making and in implementing the strategic project plan.

  • Risk assessment for a sporting association

    Broadleaf was engaged by a sporting association to facilitate a workshop to assess strategic, business and operational risks involved in its management and operation. The objective was to give Board members the opportunity to plan for and take appropriate actions to reduce the likelihood and consequences of adverse events.

  • Helping a JV decide whether to submit a bid

    A joint venture consortium was considering whether or not to proceed to a full evaluation and a commercial bid for the development of a coal resource and a long-term coal supply agreement. This would have required a significant investment of time and resources by the JV partners. We helped them examine the issues surrounding the bid and its commercial implications before they committed themselves.

  • Exploring synergies in an organisational merger

    Two property services organisations, one with a corporate structure and one a partnership, had agreed to merge their businesses into a new corporate entity. An opportunity and threat workshop was conducted, as part of a larger team-building process.