Introduction

The Development Assistance Centre (DAC) provides assistance to clients from concept stage to approval of their development projects.  

In addition, the DAC tracks the progress of projects submitted for approval to enable monitoring of the approval process so as to be able to highlight issues requiring action by the appropriate agency to keep the process flowing smoothly.  

The rationale for the establishment of the DAC was the promotion of inter-agency collaboration and coordination of the development approval process together with improved communication and assistance to applicants.

 

DAC Project Overview

The Development Assistance Centre Project (DACP) is an initiative of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC). The project was charged with the establishment of a one year pilot Development Assistance Center (DAC) within the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).  

The JCC Project Team had the task to develop a conceptual framework for establishing a vehicle through which assessment, advice and recommendations could be made on major projects prior to application for approval. After two years, in which Research, Business Process Analysis, preparation of a Concept Paper, a Study Tour of best practice sites in the United States and consultations were undertaken, the Prime Minister directed in 2008 that a pilot DAC be established in the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) to give assistance to large projects.

The pilot DAC is to provide oversight to the project applications process for select projects with a view to improve the service delivery in the development approval process. It is anticipated that deficiencies in the present system may be minimized by engaging clients in pre-consultation to determine the completeness of project applications. Further, interagency collaborations and coordination would also be pursued to mitigate the lengthy timelines involved with applications moving back and forth between agencies.

The Development Assistance centre after a successful pilot was formally opened on March 2011 and was formally established/approved as part of NEPA structure in September 2011.