The assessment mechanism is a tool to support Member States in the process of implementing big infrastructure projects, by checking and advising on whether their planned procurement procedures comply with EU law. The assessment mechanism should help reduce delays in the planning phase of big infrastructure projects and minimise the risk of infringements once the project has been launched. This initiative is linked to the Investment Plan for Europe, and in particular the objective to improve the business environment. The 29 November 2016 Communication 'Investment Plan for Europe: evaluations give evidence to support its reinforcement' foresees the preparation in the course of 2017 of a 'one-stop-shop' for all Member States, bringing together all responsible Commission services – including its Representation offices in the Member States – in a single investment policy team”. This one-stop-shop concerns all relevant EU rules and procedures, e.g. EU funding, public accounting rules, environmental permits and public procurement.

In this context, the Commission intends to introduce an ex ante assessment mechanism for the public procurement procedures of large infrastructure projects. This would consist of three elements: 1) a helpdesk for specific questions on public procurement for these large-scale infrastructure projects. The helpdesk should help Member States clarify public procurement issues upfront and in general before the project is mature enough to be notifiable under the mechanism described in 2) below. It can play a particularly important role in helping to find mutually-acceptable solutions for projects that span a national border.

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The helpdesk could also provide advice throughout the implementation of the project. 2) a notification mechanism. This is intended to reassure those responsible for the project that their procurement strategy and planned procedures are in line with EU rules. Once the project is mature enough, but before irreversible decisions are taken, the Member State will be able to notify the project to the Commission using a specific procedure. 3) a mechanism for exchanging information on projects between Member States and/or project promoters so that the promoters, the Commission and the Member States’ authorities can learn from each other’s experience.

The aim will be to build up reference classes of similar projects and to share experiences. The information exchange mechanism will also serve as a platform for comparing different aspects related to the projects such as: • the type of procurement procedure; • the costs of similar projects; • the stages in developing the project; • the problems in implementing the project. Member States will be encouraged to submit information on large-scale infrastructure projects to the information exchange mechanism. The ex ante assessment mechanism would apply to projects that operate in transport, energy and ICT with an estimated value exceeding €700 million. A project, in the context of this action, should be understood as the totality of works (and services) procurement procedures, needed to achieve a single well-defined overarching goal related to the provision of infrastructure.

For example, this could be the development of a piece of linear transport infrastructure such as several adjacent sections of a highway aiming at connecting two nodes, or the totality of works related to a single energy construction such as a power plant and its connections to the national grid. This initiative to introduce an ex ante assessment mechanism is especially opportune as EU public procurement rules have been substantially reformed with the entry into force of new directives in the field of public procurement (classical procurement, utilities and concessions). Member States had to enact the directives into national law by April 2016. Introducing a mechanism to help assess large-scale infrastructure projects will be a flanking measure to develop good practices in the implementation of the new directives. Objectives The consultation will cover all three elements of the proposed preliminary assessment mechanism.

Its goal is to clarify the most complex aspects of the mechanism.

Ashley Christiani, MD, is Clinical Professor, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles; Angela L. Hudson, PhD, FNP‐C, is Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles; Adeline Nyamathi, ANP, PhD, FAAN, is Professor, School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles; Malaika Mutere, PhD, is Project Director, School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles; and Jeffrey Sweat, PhD, is Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin‐Stout, Stout, WI. PROBLEM: Major barriers to care included a lack of culturally competent, accessible care despite the proximity of numerous health service agencies serving homeless youth. METHODS: A qualitative approach using semistructured focus groups was used to assess the perspectives of 54 homeless and drug‐using youth, aged 18–24 years, recruited from street‐ and shelter‐based settings.