Nuclear Safety Programmes Russia Component

The responsibility for implementation of the TACIS programmes - and the follow-on programmes of the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) - lies with a Directorate General of the European Commission. Over time this has changed from DG1A through SCR, DG AIDCO and then DG DEVCO (EuropeAid Cooperation Office). In carrying out this responsibility, the regulations covering the implementation of the instruments allow for Community financing to cover expenditure associated with various kinds of assistance for the preparation, follow up, monitoring, auditing and evaluation activities directly necessary for the implementation of the programmes and the achievement of their objectives. This may include, for example, studies, meetings, information, awareness-raising, training and publication activities and any other administrative or technical assistance that the Commission may require for the management of the programmes.

Due to its status as a DG of the European Commission, DG-JRC is able to provide scientific and technical advice in support of programme implementation that is completely independent and free from any commercial interests. This support is complementary to various other support mechanisms, and together with them provides the elements that allow programme and project preparation to proceed in a quick and effective manner, project tendering and contracting to be carried out efficiently and successfully and problems arising during project implementation to be managed and solved effectively.
In the framework of the TACIS 1996 programme, DG1A decided to entrust DG JRC with the provision of services for professional support to the implementation of the TACIS programmes in Ukraine (see Contract 24865) and Russia (this Contract - 24866). These services concerned the provision of expertise, know-how and other forms of technical assistance for the preparation and implementation of the activities, projects and programmes in the field of nuclear safety.

The objective of this contract was the provision of technical support to the DGIA for the contracting and implementation of projects of the TACIS Nuclear Safety programme in Russia.
This support involved the following activities:

Project contracting

The following activities were expected:

• Drafting Terms of Reference (ToR) for projects, including the discussion of the ToR's with the beneficiaries up to their final endorsement;
• Evaluating tenders using the EC assessment criteria; participation in Evaluation Committee meetings and preparation of evaluation reports;

Project implementation

The following services were included:

• Assessment of technical reports and final reports of contracts and providing evaluation reports;

The contract was signed on 19 September 1997 for a period of 16 months. The work was performed in accordance with the above objectives on the basis of specific requests from DG1A.