The challenge
Workable developed a long-term property strategy for a Commonwealth Government agency managing a complex, multi-site portfolio supporting specialised and time-critical operations.
The portfolio comprised office, industrial, technical and operational facilities with differing lease arrangements, functional requirements and infrastructure dependencies. Ageing assets, capacity constraints, compliance obligations and approaching lease decisions had created a series of interrelated risks affecting cost, continuity and future service delivery.
Workable assessed the existing estate, defined the agency’s future property requirements and evaluated the relative merits of retaining, upgrading, replacing or consolidating its facilities.
The analysis considered operational continuity, market capacity, affordability, sustainability obligations, government approvals and delivery risk, establishing a clear basis for long-term investment and implementation planning.
What we delivered
Workable led a comprehensive feasibility study and needs analysis addressing the agency’s current portfolio, future operational requirements and long-term property options. The engagement included:
- Detailed assessment of the existing property portfolio, lease arrangements, asset roles and operational dependencies.
- Stakeholder engagement across executive, operational, corporate, property, technical and workforce functions.
- Analysis of workforce demand, utilisation, capacity and future accommodation requirements.
- Definition of functional, technical and operational property requirements.
- Assessment of infrastructure, compliance, resilience and capability gaps.
- Mapping of operational workflows and dependencies between facilities.
- Property market analysis and assessment of potential delivery models.
- Development of strategic portfolio options covering retention, adaptation, replacement and consolidation.
- Multi-criteria assessment across operational, commercial, financial, policy and delivery considerations.
- Capital and operating cost analysis.
- Whole-of-life financial modelling and scenario testing.
- Value-for-money assessment.
- Sustainability and government policy alignment.
- Risk assessment and mitigation planning.
- Governance, approval and procurement pathway analysis.
- Transition planning and staged implementation advice.
The final feasibility study integrated operational requirements, financial evidence, market conditions and government obligations within a single, structured framework for decision-making.
The outcome
The agency received a clear and defensible strategy for the future management and development of its property portfolio. The work:
- Defined the agency’s long-term property and infrastructure requirements.
- Identified the constraints, risks and opportunities within the existing portfolio.
- Established a preferred strategic property model.
- Quantified the whole-of-life cost of each major option.
- Assessed affordability, value for money and delivery risk.
- Identified key approvals, procurement requirements and commercial dependencies.
- Set out a staged implementation pathway aligned with critical lease and operational milestones.
- Provided a structured basis for future investment, procurement and delivery decisions.
The engagement enabled the agency to move from a complex set of property and operational issues to a clear, evidence-based pathway for long-term portfolio investment.
