Services · Step 2

Comprehensive Bankability Assessment

Find out why lenders will say no — before you submit.

Price
Scoped after your Diagnostic
Timeline
3–6 weeks
Deliverable
Bankability Assessment Report
Credit
Applied to the Build-Out

Who it's for

Sponsors serious about raising, who want a thorough senior assessment before going to market — and sponsors whose project has already stalled in a financier's process without a clear explanation.

What it is

A rigorous review across five core pillars, designed to surface deal-killers early, shorten due diligence and accelerate financial close.

The difference from the earlier steps is what is being judged. The free Health Check records what you report is in place. The Diagnostic is a fast read of five core documents. The Assessment examines the full document set and judges quality and completeness against lender and DFI standards — not merely whether a document exists.

This is full diagnosis, not preparation. Building what the Assessment finds missing is the Financing Readiness Build-Out.

The five pillars we assessScope
Pillar 01

Financial Model & Cash Flow Integrity

Stress-testing debt service coverage (DSCR), macro assumptions and model integrity against lender sizing criteria.

Pillar 02

Contractual & Commercial Structure

Assessing EPC, O&M and offtake agreements for bankable risk allocation and creditworthy counterparties.

Pillar 03

Sponsor, Equity & Site Control

Verifying committed equity, sponsor track record, and clean, assignable land and site rights.

Pillar 04

Feasibility & Market Dynamics

Reviewing technical inputs, supply chains and demand assumptions against independent benchmarks.

Pillar 05

Governance, Permitting & E&S

Testing approvals and permits against DFI environmental and social standards, including the IFC Performance Standards and the Equator Principles.

Across all five

Judged on quality, not presence

Every pillar is tested the way a credit committee tests it — against what international lenders actually require.

What you receive

The Bankability Assessment Report, comprising:

  • Red Flag Matrix — the critical gaps that would cause lender rejection today.
  • Structural Remediation Plan — actionable steps to re-engineer contract risk, model inputs and the debt/equity stack.
  • Lender Readiness Score — a defined index you can put in front of co-investors, equity partners and lenders.
  • A costed roadmap to financial close.

The Assessment fee is credited in full against the Financing Readiness Build-Out, provided you proceed within 60 days.

The engagement ladderWhere this sits
Each paid step is credited in full against the next, provided you proceed within 60 days.
Questions about this stepFAQ
What is a bankability assessment?

A bankability assessment evaluates whether your project is structured, documented and risk-mitigated to a level where international lenders, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) or equity investors can actually deploy capital.

Rather than reviewing technical or financial figures in isolation, it looks at the project across five core pillars: commercial structure, technical feasibility, financial modelling, governance, and regulatory and ESG compliance. It identifies the exact red flags or missing documentation that would cause a lender's credit committee to reject or delay the deal.

What's the difference between a bankability assessment and technical due diligence?

Technical due diligence answers the question: will the engineering and technology work safely, reliably and as designed? It is typically performed by engineering firms.

A bankability assessment answers a broader, commercial question: is this project structure legally, financially and risk-wise secure enough for a bank to lend against?

Technical feasibility is one pillar of bankability. Our assessment connects those technical inputs to your offtake agreements, tariff structures, debt sizing, FX exposure, governance and legal enforceability. Lenders need both, but technical soundness alone will not get a deal closed.

What is a Lender Readiness Score, and what do lenders do with it?

The Lender Readiness Score (0 to 100) is a weighted benchmark measuring how close your project package is to international project finance standards.

Lenders, DFIs and private equity sponsors use it to gauge project maturity quickly, before spending time and legal budget on formal due diligence. A high readiness score signals to a credit committee that the sponsor has done the heavy lifting, reducing transaction risk and shortening time to first drawdown.

What does “DFI-grade preparation” actually mean?

Development Finance Institutions such as the IFC, AFC and EBRD, and international project finance lenders generally, apply rigorous global standards. DFI-grade preparation means your financial models, offtake structures, supply contracts, political risk mitigation and environmental and social practices align with frameworks such as the IFC Performance Standards and the Equator Principles.

Preparing to this level means the deal can withstand the strictest institutional credit committees, particularly in emerging or complex markets.

More questions answered on the Services page.

Know the answer before the credit committee does.

Most sponsors reach the Assessment through a Diagnostic. If your project is already advanced, you can start here.