Research Data Scotland – Full Business Case

Appendix Two – Benefits Realisation Plan

A draft benefits management framework has been developed as a stand-alone document that can be handed to the incoming RDS staff and Board. Part of this framework is a risks management plan, which sets out the benefits of RDS.

The benefits from RDS are not centred on financial returns and, instead, are more focussed on enhancing the current situation, and developing the RDS service so that Scotland no longer has a competitive disadvantage and, consequently, incurs an opportunity cost.

The current draft benefits plan is as follows:

Benefit Information

Financial Benefits

Ref: RDS B01

Benefit Description

Quicker and Clearer processes for researchers and investment in linkage ready data meaning linkage projects can be processed more efficiently

Owner: RDS CEO

Non Financial Benefits

Ref: RDS B02

Benefit Description

Scotland is missing out on research opportunities: investment that could be secured in Scotland is currently going elsewhere. A benefit of RDS will be to secure a higher proportion of research opportunities.

Owner: RDS CEO

Ref: RDS B03

Benefit Description

Quicker and clearer processes for researchers and investment in linkage ready data meaning linkage projects can be processed more efficiently. This leads to greater economic value to Scotland.

Owner: RDS CEO

Benefit Delivery

Financial Benefits

Measure

The FBC assumed a single 20% efficiency saving in FY22/23 that was then sustained. This is likely to be a prudent assumption with further efficiency savings in future years. It is assumed that the quicker throughput would allow a higher number of projects to be completed pa, with an increase in fee levels.

Start

Apr-22

End

Mar-26

Non Financial Benefits

Measure

Measured through an increasing share of UK research programmes, by value

Start

Apr-22

End

Mar-26

Measure

The FBC assumed a single 20% efficiency saving in FY22/23 that was then sustained. This is likely to be a prudent assumption with further efficiency savings in future years. It is assumed that the quicker throughput would allow a higher number of projects to be completed pa, with an increase in teh derived economic value to Scotland.

Start

Apr-22

End

Mar-26

Predicted Benefits Profile

Financial Benefits Profile

Baseline £	2022/23 £	2023/24 £	2024/25 £	2025/26 £
652,258	809,793	860,541	931,149	1,019,468
£ 652,258	£ 809,793	£ 860,541	£ 931,149	£ 1,019,468

Non Financial Benefits

Baseline £	2022/23 £	2023/24 £	2024/25 £	2025/26 £
TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC
23,263,703	28,455,585	29,791,966	31,760,014	34,258,545