PurposeThis article develops a viable means of assessment of the suitability for disposal of hundreds of national government offices in Jakarta as a facet of the relocation of Indonesia's capital from Java to Borneo.Design/methodology/approachA “disposal assessment model”, based on multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and a bespoke model of office adaptation, is constructed and applied to the population of to-be-vacated public office buildings in Jakarta.FindingsIn this initial demonstration mode, the disposal assessment model is tested on a live dataset and found able not only to rank buildings for disposal against stated objectives but also to incorporate more complex variables and lead into other forms of business analysis.Practical implicationsA fit-for-purpose model is shown capable of assisting decision-makers involved in major asset disposal, while also accounting for the stances of project stakeholders.Social implicationsThe model offers the possibility to evaluate and, likely, optimise net social benefit for Jakarta and Indonesia both quantitatively and qualitatively.Originality/valueThe disposal assessment model builds on prior work in operations research and property management to develop a new construct applicable to a novel asset issue of massive proportions.