Funders, boards and contracting officers want to know one thing before they commit money: are the benefits worth the cost? A cost-benefit analysis answers that in numbers they can rely on. GERC prepares cost-benefit analyses (also called benefit-cost analyses, or BCAs) for grant applications, public agency decisions and government proposals.
Our work is led by Dr. Shirley Ayangbah, who holds a PhD in International Economic and Financial Law and an MA in Economics.
Cost-Benefit Analysis for Grants, Public Agencies and Government Contractors
Grant applicants
Federal infrastructure, transportation and resilience programs often require a benefit-cost analysis as part of the application. We build the analysis to the funder’s own guidance and tools, so reviewers can follow every assumption and score it.
Cities, counties and special districts
Before a council or board approves a capital project, a program or a new contract, we compare the alternatives, including doing nothing, and show which one delivers the most public value.
Nonprofits and tribal governments
We turn program outcomes into a clear return on investment for foundations and government funders, which strengthens both new applications and renewals.
Prime contractors and teaming partners
We write the cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness and economic impact sections of federal, state and local proposals, so your technical approach is backed by numbers evaluators can score.
What Our Cost-Benefit Analysis Includes
- Project scope and alternatives. A clear baseline and the options being compared.
- Full cost estimate. Capital, operating, maintenance and replacement costs over the life of the project.
- Monetized benefits. Safety, travel time, emissions, avoided damages, jobs, health and other outcomes, valued with accepted methods.
- Discounting. Net present value, benefit-cost ratio and payback period, using the discount rate the funder requires.
- Sensitivity analysis. How the answer changes if key assumptions move.
- A reviewer-ready report. A plain-language narrative, tables and a documented workbook you can submit with the application.
Economic Analysis Services We Offer
- Cost-benefit and benefit-cost analysis (BCA)
- Cost-effectiveness analysis
- Economic impact analysis
- Return on investment (ROI) and social return on investment (SROI)
- Feasibility studies
- Market research and industry analysis
Why Work With GERC
GERC is a woman-owned firm in San Bernardino, registered in SAM.gov under CAGE code 11SD2 and certified by the State of California as a Small Business (Micro) and a Small Business for Public Works (SB-PW). We serve clients across the Inland Empire, Southern California and nationwide. Because we also write grants and proposals, your analysis is built to fit the application it supports, not added at the end.
Cost-Benefit Analysis FAQ
What is a cost-benefit analysis?
A cost-benefit analysis (CBA), also called a benefit-cost analysis (BCA), compares the full costs of a project with the value of the benefits it produces, expressed in today’s dollars. The result is usually a benefit-cost ratio and a net present value, which tell a funder whether the project is worth the investment.
Which grants require a benefit-cost analysis?
Many federal infrastructure and resilience programs do, including U.S. Department of Transportation discretionary grants and FEMA hazard mitigation grants. State agencies and foundations increasingly ask for one too, especially for large capital requests.
What is the difference between a cost-benefit analysis and a feasibility study?
A feasibility study asks whether a project can work: market demand, operations, financing and risk. A cost-benefit analysis asks whether it is worth doing by putting a dollar value on its costs and benefits. Many funders want both, and we often prepare them together.
How long does a cost-benefit analysis take?
Most projects take two to six weeks, depending on how much data is already available and which federal guidance or tool the funder requires.
Can GERC support a prime contractor’s proposal with economic analysis?
Yes. We write cost-benefit, economic impact and cost-effectiveness sections for primes and teaming partners responding to federal, state and local solicitations.