The ORET programme is a Dutch tied-aid development programme The objective of  the programme is to support the economic development of developing countries through the contracting of development related export transactions in social and physical infrastructure. Under the programme grants may be given to private firms entering into commercially not viable but development and environmentally relevant export transactions with clients in developing countries - as guided by OECD regulations concerning tied aid mixed credit schemes.

Since 1994, ECORYS has appraised grant applications for a wide variety of transactions involving power and drinking water supply, solid waste disposal and waste water treatment, road and port infrastructure, agroprocessing and textile manufacturing equipment, large scale telecom facilities, tugboats, dredgers, etc. For a number of project appraisals, missions were fielded when field checks were deemed necessary.

Appraisals of applications under the ORET-programme include the following tests:

• Cash-flow analysis of commercial viability, financial sustainability, and economic viability;
• Environmental impact assessments;
• Assessment of institutional viability of both project implementation and end-user’s capacity;
• Technical quality assessment (sub-contracted);
• Calculation of Dutch aid content in the transaction; and
• Price / quality and market conformity assessment (sub-contracted).

Annually, 40 applications are appraised by ECORYS, including 40 independent technical evaluations and at least 10 extensive price evaluations.