Background Information

The Integrated Business Review (IBR) is the process designed to address the regional cost review portion of the Regional Dialogue Policy. The Regional Dialogue Policy states that:

• BPA will, in a separate process, establish a regional cost review cost control process which will, among other things, address agency capital and expense costs (replacing Capital Planning Review (CPR), Power Function Review (PFR), and Transmission’s Programs in Review (PIR)) and examine major anticipated policy decisions that affect costs and explore potential alternatives; and
• BPA is committed to ensuring regular access to clear and transparent financial information and frequent opportunities for meaningful input into BPA cost and program decisions

The development of the regional cost review process was prompted by customer requests for an approach that provides useful and detailed information before decisions on program levels are made and by BPA’s desire to assure its decision-making is open and transparent.

The process is intended to afford BPA the opportunity to make its decision-making on program costs open and transparent and to take input from stakeholders.

BPA will revisit the IBR process at least every five years to review whether it is meeting the needs of BPA and its stakeholders.

Overview of Structure: The Integrated Business Review

The IBR structure will be made up of two processes. The first part of the IBR is the Integrated Program Review (IPR), which will address proposed program costs prior to their inclusion in a rate case, and will replace the CPR, PFR and PIR. The second part of the IBR is the Quarterly Business Review (QBR). This will focus on cost trends and implications for expense and capital programs.

Both sub-processes will be open to interested parties. However, stakeholders may choose to appoint spokespersons who would be committed to participate in the process, including making recommendations to BPA.

BPA has dedicated two sections of the BPA web site to hold QBR and IPR materials. Additionally, any appropriate announcements to alert customers to updates and program changes will be posted there.