Frequently Asked Questions: Project Tracker

Follow these steps to estimate the average time to receive a project review report (PRR):

1. Navigate to the Project Tracker and scroll to the “Average Processing Times and Targeted Service-Level Agreements for VCS Project Requests” section.
2. Select a table based on when the relevant case was submitted, or to view the average service-level agreement (SLA) is for a given request.
3. Identify the right table for your project type: either “Natural Climate Solutions (NCS)” or “Energy and Industry (E and I),” depending on which category applies to your project activities.
4. Identify the applicable request type (i.e., registration, verification, registration and verification, pipeline listing, withdrawal, or exemption) and the corresponding row.
5. Add the following numbers to calculate the average number of business days it has taken for project proponents with similar requests to receive a PRR
   • If your project is in the first review round, add together the numbers in the columns “Admin Review,” “In Queue,” and “Technical Review.”
   • If your project is in the second or third review round, add together the numbers in the column for “Response Queue” and “Technical Review.”

If you are requesting a crediting period renewal, please reference the row for “Registration”.

Example: For an NCS project requesting registration where the project is in the first review round, the calculation of the average time to receive a PRR might be as follows (the numbers in the example below are hypothetical; please refer to the Project Tracker for the current numbers):

Days for “Admin Review”: 5

+ Days for “In Queue”: 24
+ Days for “Technical Review”: 37
= 66 business days to receive a PRR

Note: The Project Tracker has display options for NCS and E and I tables for the targeted service level agreement (SLA) processing times (“Targeted SLA”) and the three-month rolling average processing times (“Requests Received After Nov 1, 2024” and “Requests Received Before Nov 1, 2024”). The average processing times show the project request review times at each stage for VCS cases closed in the last three months and indicate whether they are within or exceed the SLA (indicated by the use of green or red colors, respectively).

This information is meant to help proponents estimate when they can expect their PRRs. We cannot predict exact dates.

A review round consists of a project going through the Admin Review, In Queue, and Technical Review stages. It ends when a project review report (PRR) documenting Verra’s review findings is sent to the validation/verification body (VVB) or when the review is closed.

If findings remain open when Verra reviews the PRR again (i.e., if not all concerns have been addressed or not all questions have been answered), the project goes through the Response Queue and Technical Review stages.

If there are open findings after three review rounds, the project may be denied.

The review stages of Verra’s review processes vary by project request type as follows:

• Request for pipeline listing (under development) includes the following review stages: Review Requested, Undergoing Administrative Review, and Closed.
• Request for pipeline listing or public comment period (under validation and/or verification) includes the following review stages: Review Requested, Undergoing Administrative Review, Public Comment Period Open, and Closed.
• For projects in the CCBS, SD VISta, and Plastic Programs, a public comment period occurs at verification.
• Requests for registration, verification, crediting period renewal, registration and verification, or crediting period renewal and verification include the following review stages: Review Requested, Undergoing Administrative Review, In Queue for Technical Review, Undergoing Technical Review, and Closed
• Other request types, including exemption and withdrawal, include the following review stages: Review Requested, Undergoing Administrative Review, In Queue for Technical Review, Undergoing Technical Review, and Closed.

Verra may request additional or revised information from the project proponent and/or authorized representative during the Administrative Review stage (resulting in the review stage “Pending Project Proponent Input”). If Verra identifies non-conformities during its review during other review stages, it will send them to the VVB (resulting in the review stage “Awaiting VVB Responses”).

When the non-conformities identified by Verra are addressed and the PRR (and revised documents, if applicable) are returned to Verra, the request enters the review stage “Response Received.” When a Verra reviewer is available, the request will progress to “Undergoing Technical Review.” Where the findings are addressed to Verra’s satisfaction, Verra approves the request and notifies the project proponent (or authorized representative) and validation/verification body, if applicable.

Verra corresponds with the relevant entity – project proponent and/or authorized representative or VVB – regarding requests for any exemptions or project withdrawal.

The following factors impact project review timelines: project type, project size, methodology used, and the quality and completeness of the submitted project documents.

Joint requests from projects using both the VCS and CCBS Programs are processed separately, but their results are combined into one project review report, which is then sent to the VVB. Requests submitted separately for each program are also processed separately.

Projects for which review requests are closed are not automatically displayed in the Project Tracker. Please check the “Include Closed Cases” box in the top left-hand corner of the Project Tracker’s project list to view these projects.

If you experience any problems finding a project in the Project Tracker, please email secretariat@verra.org.