In fulfilling its legal mandate, NCSE intends to develop and approve the Guideline for elaboration of the feasibility study for disconnection of the thermal energy user installation from the district heating system in areas other than unitary heat supply systems.

Thus, in supporting the respective national authorities, Expertise France intends to acquire consultancy services to be provided by two qualified local consultants holding appropriate expertise and experience to carry out the following assignments:

1.       Development of the structural elements related to technical evaluation of the feasibility of disconnection of the thermal energy user installation from the district heating system in areas other than unitary heat supply systems, according, but not limited to the following:

a)       establishing a system boundary and, where appropriate, a geographical boundary for the planned intervention;

b)      applying an integrated and comprehensive approach to establishing options regarding heat demand and supply;

c)       describing the reference scenario – heat supply from the district heating system;

d)      identifying and describing alternative heat supply scenarios, based on a set of criteria and calculation assumptions;

2.       Development of the structural elements related to economical evaluation of the feasibility of disconnection of the thermal energy user installation from the district heating system in areas other than unitary heat supply systems, according, but not limited to the following:

e)      description of the method for calculating the economic feasibility of possible heat supply scenarios, based on the net present value;

f)        summary and description of the benefits and negative effects of all heat supply scenarios analyzed;

g)       description of the procedure and principles for coordinating the feasibility study.

Scope of Work and indicative list of tasks:

In order to carry out the assignments mentioned above, under the supervision of the team leader of the TA project implemented by Expertise France and in coordination with NCSE representatives, the consultants will be responsible for the following scope of work, in accordance with the indicative list of tasks as follows:

Assignment no. 1:

The consultant will outline a clear and concise hands-on:

ü  system analysis methodology for establishing the process boundary and geographical boundary. This structural element format will reflect a robust methodological framework for defining the system and geographical boundaries for the planned intervention. The envisaged methodological framework will be defined in a step-by-step guide on how to establish system and geographical boundaries for a given project. This could include practical tools like templates, checklists for data gathering, and real-world examples of how to define system boundaries for various scenarios;

ü  framework for identification, evaluation and comparison of different heat demand and supply options, ensuring a comprehensive and integrated approach. The respective framework will be formulated in a guideline format;

ü  template for the baseline section of a feasibility study. This shall consider the district heating system as the reference scenario. The template could include a checklist of all required data points and specific instructions on how to collect information from various sources. This section shall provide a clear and objective framework for documenting the existing situation;

ü  methodology to identify, describe and justify alternative heat supply scenarios based on a defined set of criteria and calculation assumptions, provided explicitly in this section upon preliminary coordination with NCSE.

The above list of tasks is indicative and could be subject to adjustments in coordination with delegated NCSE representatives during the implementation of assignment.

The estimated workload for the local consultant to complete the Assignment no. 1 is 30 man-days.

Assignment no. 2:

The consultant will outline a clear and concise hands-on:

ü  method for calculating the economic viability of different heat supply scenarios, based on the Net Present Value (NPV) method. The guideline will define all relevant economic variables, such as capital expenditure (CAPEX), operational expenditure (OPEX), and discount rates and will propose a detailed, step-by-step procedure for performing the NPV calculation. This could include a template spreadsheet with clear formulas and data input fields. This structural element should provide a practical tool that allows users to perform a reliable economic analysis of possible heat supply scenarios, without needing a deep background in finance;

ü  method for evaluating all potential outcomes—both positive and negative—of each heat supply scenario. It could be based on a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) framework. The guide will propose methods and examples on how to identify and explain both tangible effects (e.g., on energy bills, property value, maintenance costs) and intangible ones (e.g., air quality, energy supply reliability), aiming at ensuring a balanced and holistic evaluation that accounts for social, environmental, and economic factors. The method should propose a comparative table or matrix template (based on a checklist to avoid common omissions/errors in evaluation) that lists all scenarios and their associated benefits and negative effects;

ü  procedural framework of conducting a feasibility study, which will account for all necessary collaborative aspects and consider the application of project management and stakeholder coordination principles. This structural element shall outline the importance of a transparent process and how to document every step to maintain the integrity of the study. One should consider developing a step-by-step procedural guide for coordinating the feasibility study, including a template for a coordination plan that outlines how to engage with key stakeholders.

The above list of tasks is indicative and could be subject to adjustments in coordination with delegated NCSE representatives during the implementation of assignment.

The local consultant responsible for the Assignment no. 2 will also bear responsibility for final compilation of the structural elements developed under both assignments to form a single integrated version of the expected deliverable.

The estimated workload for the local consultant to complete the Assignment no. 2 is 30 man-days.

Expected deliverables and estimated timeline:

The implementation of the respective scope of work will be confirmed by the following deliverables:

Work management arrangements:

To complete the full scope of work within the estimated timeline, Expertise France will hire two local consultants. They will work as a team, with each consultant taking the lead on one of the two assignments. They will also coordinate their efforts to ensure all deliverables are completed on time.

One of the consultants shall assume the responsibility for overall coordination of the entire scope of work. This person will also be in charge for ensuring the finalization of the assignments and submission of the deliverable to the designated team members of the EF TAF project and NCSE.

The consultants will work under the supervision of the Expertise France project team leader and in coordination with representatives from the Ministry of Energy and NCSE.

Financial arrangements:

Payment for the services will be made in one installment upon presentation of the deliverable and confirmation of its acceptability by Expertise France, based on the beneficiaries' opinion.