Technical support tot the project cycle management of nuclear safety project s (JRC)

The responsibility for implementation of the programmes of the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) - lies with a Directorate General of the European Commission. During the time of implementation of the project Tareg01/09, DG AIDCO (EuropeAid Cooperation Office) was merged with parts of the former Directorate-General for Development and Relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific States forming The European Commission's Directorate-General for Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid (DG DEVCO). 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 contracted or organised by the Commission, 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 Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC), the new funding instrument replacing TACIS for Nuclear Safety matters, the Commission decided to continue the services entrusted to DG JRC for the provision of professional, technical and scientific support to the implementation. Since projects programmed in the final TACIS Action Programme (AP2006) were still in progress, this Administrative Arrangement was applied to both instruments (TACIS and INSC). These services concerned the provision of technical and scientific expertise, know-how and other forms of technical support to AIDCO A4/DEVCO B5 for the project cycle management of TACIS/INSC nuclear safety projects

The specific tasks executed by JRC under this contract (inter-DG Administrative Arrangement) are described below.

Task 1: Assistance in preparing the technical basis of the implementation planning

The JRC assisted AIDCO/DEVCO in preparatory work for the implementation planning of the TACIS and INSC programmes.

Task 2: Selection of projects and reviewing/upgrading of Action Fiches (AF)

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 AF were also assessed in terms of relevance to nuclear safety, background, scope and technical consistency.

Task 3: Drafting / Reviewing Terms of Reference (ToR) and Technical Specifications (TS) and Evaluation Criteria for the procurement of works, services and supplies

JRC drafted and reviewed the ToR of selected projects. JRC joined AIDCO A4/DEVCO B5 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 4: Technical support for the tendering of projects

JRC assisted AIDCO A4/DEVCO B5 in Tender evaluation by participating in Shortlisting and Tender Evaluation Committees.

Task 5: 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. JRC also reviewed progress and administrative reports of ongoing projects.

Task 6: Technical assessment of project results

JRC provided technical assessment of the results and technical deliverables of projects, including the assessment of the methods and approaches and the identification of any shortcomings and areas needing clarification or further action.

Task 7: Dissemination of the project results

For TACIS and INSC projects that were finalised during the implementation period of this Administrative 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 8: Support to maintain the library of technical documents in JRC, Petten

JRC maintained the library and archive of TACIS/INSC documents, including archiving newly received documents and updating of the electronic catalogue of the archive.

The contract was signed on 12 November 2009, initially for a period of three years. On 25th of October 2012, the contract was extended by one year. The resulting Administrative Arrangement had a final duration of 48 months, from 12 November 2009 until 11 November 2013.

The tasks to be executed within the framework of TAREG 01/09 were 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 the contract.