INITIAL REVIEW OF QUALIFYING PROJECT PROPOSAL.

(a) The commission staff shall conduct an initial review of each qualifying project proposal submitted to the commission and provide to commission members a summary of the review, including an analysis and recommendations.

(b) Subject to Subsection (c), the commission shall use a value for money analysis in evaluating each qualifying project proposal to:

(1) conduct a thorough risk analysis of the proposal that identifies specific risks shared between this state and the private partner and subjects the risks to negotiation in the contract;

(2) determine if the proposal is in the best long-term financial interest of this state; and

(3) determine if the project will provide a tangible public benefit to this state.

(c) If commission staff determine that a value for money analysis is not appropriate for evaluating a specific qualifying project proposal, the staff shall submit to the commission a written report stating the reasons for using an alternative analysis methodology.

(d) The commission shall coordinate with the commission's office of internal audit for review and receipt of comments on the reasonableness of the assumptions used in the value for money analysis or alternative analysis methodology used to evaluate a qualifying project proposal under this section.