Lead Quality Engineer (Energy Management and Efficiency) - retainer position

Nordic Support for Progress of North Macedonia

A) The Government of Norway has decided to fund a sub-regional programme “Nordic Support for Progress in North Macedonia” to be implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The project consists of a socio-economic development support to the more undeveloped parts of the country and also envisages support to the Macedonian authorities responsible for leading the renewed efforts on the EU accession process. 

The Government of Norway has allocated funding for the implementation of the Project in North Macedonia during 36 months.

The Overall Objective is to contribute to a more balanced socio-economic development and contribute to the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement and EU accession negotiations priorities. 

Specifically, the programme has objectives at the local and national levels i.e. locally, to increase employment opportunities, support social cohesion as well as to enhance local infrastructure in the less developed areas with a focus given to the inclusion of youth, women and vulnerable groups in the labour market. Nationally, the programme aims at supporting the government to improve its capacity for EU integration and government reform agenda in the accession process



All Project activities will be undertaken in partnership and cooperation with national and local institutions, with the aim of allowing them to adopt/adapt the legal requirements and, where relevant, EU accession criteria. This will ensure national ownership and support the development of national capacities.

B) The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency has decided to fund a project “Support to progress in North Macedonia - Government reform agenda in the EU-accession process” to be implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The objective of the project supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) is to support the enhancement of the EU integration capacity of the Republic of North Macedonia by providing technical assistance to government institutions during the accession period. 



SIDA has allocated funding for the implementation of the project in North Macedonia during 32 months.



The Overall Objective of the SIDA support is to contribute to, and effectively communicate to the public, the implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, accession negotiations and government reform priorities in the Republic of North Macedonia. 



Project interventions are aimed towards communicating the benefits of the EU accession process to the general population, as well as to involve the civil society and media throughout the accession phases. All project activities will be undertaken in partnership with the Government of North Macedonia, in cooperation with the national institutions, with the aim of allowing them to adopt/adapt the legal requirements and, where relevant, EU accession criteria. 



This will ensure national ownership and support the development of national capacities.



Background Information – relevant for the assignment

 

The purpose of Result 3(1) “Supporting the government reform agenda in the accession process” is to provide support to relevant national institutions in charge of alignment of national legal acts with the EU acquis and to contribute to further building of capacities of the central coordination structures and relevant national structures for successful carrying out of the screening process (explanatory and bilateral screening). The overall process is coordinated by the Secretariat for European Affairs (SEA), as main coordination body in the accession negotiation process.

The National Programme for Adoption of the Acquis (NPAA), as key strategic and planning document in the accession negotiation process is planned, monitored and updated on a regular basis. The NPAA is prepared and monitored by established 33 working groups, for each chapter of the acquis.

The NPAA comprises a comprehensive analysis of the EU Acquis, listing the short- and medium-term priorities in the planning reforms, policies and strategies, plan and schedule for harmonization of national legislation with the Acquis, administrative structures for implementation of legislation in terms of capacity building, establishment new/or restructuring the existing, human resource development and training needs, as well as financial resources. The NPAA is revised every year, taking into account the European Commission Country Reports and possible updates of the EU acquis. The NPAA is a good base for the preparation of the administration for the screening process and preparation of negotiation positions in the negotiation process.

The Ministry of Economy (ME) is, among the other, responsible for the national energy policy and it is leading the approximation process for Chapter 3.15 Energy of the EU acquis and the Energy Community Treaty with the support of various international cooperation and development partners. 

The Republic of North Macedonia is a Contracting Party of the Energy Community Treaty and as such it has an obligation to implement key European Union (EU) energy law, including the EU acquis pertaining to energy efficiency, as stipulated in Annex I to the Treaty and article 1 of the Decision of the Council of Ministers 2015/08/MC. Furthermore, the 2020 EC Country Report notes that the country should adopt and implement the Energy Efficiency implementing legislation as a short term priority.

On 20 Feb 2020 the Assembly of Republic of North Macedonia adopted the new Law on Energy Efficiency, transposing the 2012 EU energy efficiency directive (Directive 2012/27/EU). The ME needs now to develop secondary legislation to operationalize and implement the Law on Energy Efficiency. 

A pillar of such “secondary legislation package” is the Rulebook on Energy Audits of Large Enterprises (hereinafter simply referred as the Rulebook). Article 15 of the new Law explicitly imposes an obligation to large energy users /enterprises to conduct mandatory energy audits every four years or to implement an energy or environmental management system. This Rulebook will more closely define several components of the energy auditing process, based on best practices set out in relevant EU and international standards (please see Annex 1).   

The Rulebook on Energy Audits of Large Enterprises Rulebook will have to define and regulate: 

⦁ How energy audits will be performed

⦁ Who will be qualified to become an authorised Energy Auditors (EAors) of Large Enterprises (LE), and under which conditions

⦁ Curricula for energy auditors training and continual professional development

⦁ Requirements for legal entities willing to provide training for EAors or carry out energy audits of LE

⦁ All administrative processes and forms needed for application, issuance, review and revoke of certificates and authorizations to energy auditors and licensees

The Rulebook will be developed taking in due account best practices set out in relevant EU and international standards, in particular EN 16247-1, 2, 3, 4, 5; ISO 50001:2018 and relevant family standards.  Other standards will be considered where appropriate.  The Rulebook will also take into due account current capabilities and service offers of North Macedonia’s market for energy audits and energy efficiency in industry and other economic sector, and try to build on such capabilities and services, including existing relevant professional training and qualification programmes.  In NPAA 2020– 2025, the Rulebook on Energy Audits of Large Enterprises  is envisaged to be adopted in Q3 2021.

Also, ME has to draft the Rulebook on Tariff in relation to energy audits of large enterprises. The Rulebook on Tariff in relation to energy audits of large enterprises will have to define and regulate ways and methodologies to calculate cost of energy auditor training, cost of exams, fees of energy auditors performing energy audits, costs of energy audits to large enterprises and other aspects. The Rulebook on tariff in relation to energy audits of large enterprises is envisaged to be adopted in Q3/2021 as envisaged in In NPAA 2021– 2025.

For drafting of the above stated two Rulebooks a team of four experts (experts team) will be recruited as follows:



⦁ Lead Quality Engineer (Energy Management and Efficiency) via/through Nordic Support for Progress of North Macedonia; 

⦁ Lead Quality Engineer (Energy Management) via/through Nordic Support for Progress of North Macedonia; 

⦁ Legal Specialist (Energy Efficiency) via/throughout Nordic Support for Progress of North Macedonia; 

⦁ Austrian Energy Agency via/through UNIDO



 The overall coordination and final supervision of the work for the development of the two Rulebooks will be ensured by the ME.

For more information and to apply, please look at the ToR below.