Projects

NSW Energy Accounts Payment Assistance review and program design

Client.
NSW Energy
Services
Review, Design

Improving response times through streamlined processes to assist households experiencing hardship

01.
Client issue

The NSW Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) program assists households in financial crisis to pay energy bills. The program was delivered through third-party providers had been through a review. Our client wanted to see sound program administration, particularly simplifying provider guidance, having in place clear and proportionate program administration and offering an interface that set out the fundamental expectation of program providers.

02.
Our approach

We took a comprehensive approach to the program, from objectives through to deliverables. Activities included:

  • Working collaboratively with the team to develop ensure a clear understanding of required changes
  • Updating program guidelines, using simplified language and clear workflows, and giving effect to review findings
  • Developing a comprehensive brief for a training module and reviewing the outputs of a third-party training provider
  • Developing a template ‘agreement’ between the Department and providers to re-baseline expectations
  • Delivering a comprehensive program manual including process flows, control and audit framework, updated delegations, templates, lifecycle processes for assessing new providers, and more.

03.
Result

The project delivered immediate program improvements including:

  • Streamlined processes, which eliminated errors, increased fidelity and reduced effort
  • Clear documentation of the processes to support migration to a new software system
  • Single source of truth for program rules and procedures.

Our analysis also uncovered anomalies where the funding was being spent in ways that were not aligned with the intent of the program; our client was able to address these through updates to the program rules.

Our work also informed significant second stage program delivery overhaul.

04.
Key learnings

  • Collaborative approaches can rapidly test whether a proposed improvement is capable of being implemented.
  • Standardised service delivery through multiple third-party providers requires clear, unambiguous and simple guidelines, with minimal discretion.
  • Sound processes, linked to clear program parameters, are essential as part of good public administration.

“You aren’t like other consultants: you really get what we do.”

Director
NSW Energy