- Status
- Closed
Background
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 DGIA through SCR and then DG AIDCO (EuropeAid Cooperation Office). Under 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 DG-AIDCO with 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 such as the on-site Consultants at NPPs, the Regulatory Authorities Management Group (RAMG), OSA Peer Group and dedicated support Consultants contracted by the Commission, all of which together provide 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 2003 programme, the Commission decided to continue and extend the services entrusted to DG JRC for the provision of professional support to the implementation of the TACIS programmes. These services concerned the provision of expertise, know-how and other forms of technical assistance for the preparation and implementation of the nuclear safety project cycle management in the areas of nuclear regulatory assistance, industrial radioactive waste management and safeguards and support to the information strategy of TACIS projects.
Objectives
The specific tasks to be executed by JRC/IE under this contract (inter-DG Administrative Arrangement) are dedicated to the project cycle management of the various contracts related to nuclear regulatory assistance and industrial radioactive waste management in the CIS (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and others) and other countries covered by the INSC. The present Arrangement followed on from the work performed under the previous Administrative Arrangements TAREG 03/99 (see Contract 26955) and TAREG 03/00 (see Contract 26956).
Task 1: Reviewing / Upgrading of Project Definition Sheets (PDS) proposed by TACIS or INSC Beneficiaries in view of their considerations in an annual programme
The task included evaluation of the Beneficiary proposals for a given annual programme according to the implementation potential of the proposed project under the given priorities, rules and procedures in force. The PDS were also assessed in terms of relevance to nuclear safety, background, scope and technical consistency. JRC proposed a list of evaluation criteria, upon request of AIDCO A4.
Task 2: Drafting / Reviewing Terms of Reference (ToR) and Technical Specifications (TS) of Supply Contracts
JRC drafted and reviewed the ToR of selected projects. JRC joined AIDCO A4 Project Managers in missions for project definition and project development purposes.
JRC drafted and reviewed Technical Specifications of selected supply projects and assisted in preparing the technical parts of the tender dossiers.
Task 3: Participation in Tender evaluation for supply contracts
JRC assisted AIDCO A4 in Tender evaluation by participating in Evaluation Committees and assessing technical documentation used in tenders to evaluate compliance with the technical requirements of the tender dossiers.
Task 4: Technical follow-up of on-going projects
JRC experts participated in inception meetings, final meetings and selected progress and task meetings connected with major project phases or production of key technical reports..
Task 5: Technical assessment of project results
JRC provided technical assessment of the results and deliverables of projects, including their technical achievements, assessment of the methods and approaches as well as evaluation of the results and identification of the shortcomings, areas needing clarification or further action.
Task 6: Contribution to the dissemination of the project results
For TACIS and INSC projects that were finalised during the implementation period of this Administratve Arrangement, the JRC prepared a summary of project objectives, activities and major achievements of each project in English and in Russian, for publication on the JRC TACIS-INSC dissemination website. Translation to Russian language of project dissemination summaries were sub-contracted to a specialised technical translation company.
Task 7: Participation on specific missions to be conducted by AIDCO
On AIDCO A4 request JRC attended meetings or conducted missions of a fact-finding or exploratory nature, including several missions to participate in the regulatory projects advisory group to the Commission (RAMG), missions to working meetings of the IAEA in Vienna or specific technical meetings in partner countries (Russia, Armenia and new INSC countries).
Task 8: Support to the implementation of the computerised management of TACIS or INSC nuclear safety projects/contracts
JRC had a task to improve its database “dissemination” and web application to allow the dissemination of results of TACIS and INSC projects. DG AIDCO contracted the database development to the external company. JRC has purchased a server, installed the new web-based database application and started to populate it with TACIS and INSC project information in cooperation with DG AIDCO.
Task 9: Support to maintain the library of TACIS and INSC technical documents in JRC, Petten
JRC maintained the physical library of technical reports covering TACIS and INSC nuclear safety projects/contracts of preceding years. Technical documents were placed in the library upon arrival from AIDCO or other stakeholders.
JRC also updated and maintained computerised catalogue and retrieval system of the archive.
Results
The contract was signed on 14 August 2006, initially for a period of three years. On the 4th of August 2009, the contract has been amended, mainly to extend the contracting period from 36 months to 60 months and to include INSC (in addition to TACIS) cooperation within the scope of the project. The resulting Administrative Arrangement had a duration of 60 months, from 14th August 2006 until 13th August 2011.
The tasks to be executed within the framework of TAREG 06/03 have been implemented according to the requirements of the contract. JRC was systematically requested to provide two experts to participate as voting members in all tender evaluation committees for the projects. The review of Technical Specifications and Evaluation Criteria for equipment supply projects was a major element of the work performed in the framework of this contract.
More than 300 documents were produced and 441 man days of mission were carried out in support of EuropeAid in the technical preparation and assessment of nuclear safety projects in the regulatory, decommissioning and waste area. This includes 128 summaries of TACIS projects which were drafted in English. A total of 333 summaries were translated into Russian.
The library on TACIS and INSC technical documents was maintained and expanded.