program-contract.md

# Milestone Facilities Grant — Program Agreement

**Program:** Milestone Facilities Grant
**Effective:** 1 July 2026
**Administering body:** Regional Development Office

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## 1. Purpose

1.1 This Agreement governs the administration of capital facilities grants awarded
under the Milestone Facilities Grant program.

1.2 Awards are made to providers for the construction, renovation, or fit-out of
community facilities, and are disbursed against verified milestones rather than as
a single payment.

## 2. Definitions

2.1 "Award" means an approved allocation of funds to a single provider under this
program.

2.2 "Milestone" means a discrete, verifiable stage of works identified in the
provider's approved schedule of works.

2.3 "Tranche" means the portion of an Award released against a single certified
Milestone.

## 3. Lifecycle of an Award

3.1 Upon approval of an Award, the Program Officer may release the first tranche.
An Award moves from *approved* to *tranche pending* at the point of release.

3.2 No tranche shall be released against an Award whose value is zero or negative.

3.3 A provider may hold no more than one tranche in flight at any time.

3.4 Once funds have been transmitted to the provider, Finance shall record the
disbursement, and the Award moves from *tranche pending* to *evidence review*.

3.5 The provider shall furnish evidence of completion for the Milestone against
which the tranche was released.

3.6 Where the Program Officer accepts the evidence furnished, the Award moves from
*evidence review* to *paid*.

3.7 Where evidence is rejected, the Award returns to *evidence review* and the
provider shall be notified within two working days.

## 4. Authorisation and controls

4.1 Every Award shall be approved by a Program Officer prior to any release of
funds.

4.2 Any disbursement in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) shall require
the counter-signature of the Chief Financial Officer, recorded prior to release of
funds.

4.3 The counter-signature required under clause 4.2 may not be given by the same
individual who approved the Award.

4.4 Records of all authorisations shall be retained for a period of seven years.

4.5 Where an Award carries one or more Milestones, evidence of completion shall be
recorded against the Award before it may be marked as paid. Evidence shall be
furnished as a durable link to the provider's documentation.

## 5. Timeliness

5.1 The administering body shall process Awards without undue delay.

5.2 Providers shall be notified of approval within five days of the decision.

5.3 Evidence submitted by a provider shall be reviewed within fifteen days of
receipt.

5.4 Funds shall be released to the provider within ten (10) days of the tranche
being authorised. Where seven days have elapsed without release, the matter shall
be escalated to the Finance lead.

## 6. Closure

6.1 An Award shall be closed by the Program Officer once all Milestones have been
paid and all evidence has been accepted.

6.2 Closed Awards may be reopened only by written direction of the administering
body.

## 7. Reporting

7.1 The administering body shall publish an annual summary of Awards made under
this program.