Development of Environmental Infrastructure Audit and Affordability study

Montenegro is located in South-Eastern Europe at the coast of the Adriatic sea. According to the Montenegro Statistical office, the number of inhabitants in Montenegro by the end of 2015 was estimated at 622,000, with Podgorica being the largest city with population of 186,000. In 1991, Montenegro’s National Assembly declared the country to be an ecological State, committed to protecting the environment to the highest level.

In 2007 a European Partnership was adopted and the Stabilisation and Association Agreement was signed, and in June 2012 accession negotiations have started. Montenegro has been receiving financial assistance from the EU since 1998. Currently the country receives the assistance through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). The main objective of IPA is to help Montenegro to meet the challenges of European integration, to implement the reforms needed to fulfil EU requirements and make progress in the Stabilisation and Association Process.

Alignment with the EU acquis under Chapter 27 of the accession negotiations, as well as build up the necessary administrative capacity for the implementation and enforcement of the legislation continue to be a focus of the objectives of IPA support in the environmental sector. IPA Regional Development Operational Programme sets multi-annual framework for IPA Programming until 2020, based on a hierarchy of objectives from strategic priorities down to individual measures, linked to selection criteria and performance targets, as the basis for preparing and choosing projects for funding. Under this component, European Union financial assistance for the environmental protection sector is directed at fulfilling the conditions to achieve the prescribed standards and comply in order to comply with the EU acquis. Montenegro has significantly changed its legal and policy framework for the environment and sustainable development. A new package of laws and corresponding secondary legislation has been adopted in order to comply with the EU environmental acquis, and the strategic framework for environment and sustainable development has been further developed.

In order to achieve gradual and complete transposition and implementation of the entire EU acquis for Chapter 27 - Environment and Climate Change, Montenegro in 2016 adopted the National Strategy with Action Plan for transposition, implementation and enforcement of the EU acquis on Environment and Climate Change (the Strategy with AP) 2016-2020.

Global objective

The objective of the operation is to create a baseline for identifying the gaps in complying with the EU environmental acquis from the infrastructure point of view, as well as affordability of end users for cost recovery of investment.

Specific objectives

The specific objectives of the operation are to prepare:

• Inventory of the existing infrastructure in the sub-sectors of water management, waste management, air quality, industrial pollution, nature protection, horizontal legislation, and noise, with gap assessment for the compliance with the acquis;
• Affordability analysis at national and regional (North/Centre/Coast) level for identification of costs that can be recovered from the end users through tariffs and other charges.

Project Inception Phase (month 1)

• Organizing meetings and rapidly develop close working relationships with the key stakeholders: Head of Operating Structure, IPA III OS strategic coordinator, Directorate for communal development within MSDT, PIU Vodacom, PIU Procon;
• A full project review including log-frame and timetable will be carried out. It is vital that the timing, sequencing of activities is well planned and managed. Any risks and related mitigation actions must be identified;
• Analysis of the available information and necessary background documents;
• Prepare an Inception Report which will present the above-mentioned project review and will include the agreed actions, steps and time input schedule to realise the results/outputs of each project component.

Implementation Phase (month 2 – month 8)

• Data Collection and analysis;
• Development of the inventory of existing environmental infrastructure;
• Gap assessment of needed infrastructure including cost assessment and funding gap;
• Development of Affordability study;

• University level education at least Masters Degree in Environmental science or Environmental engineering or in other field relevant to the assignment, or in the absence of the Master Degree an additional 5 years of relevant professional experience above the general professional experience,
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken,
• Computer literacy.

General professional experience

At least 12 years professional experience in environmental sector out of which at least 4 years with EU pre-accession instruments.

Specific professional experience – absolutely required

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience related to the environmental municipal infrastructure,
• Experience as a project team leader on at least 2 projects in the environment sector,
• Experience in development or implementation of DSIPs will be considered as an advantage.

• University level education at least Masters Degree in Economics or Finance or in other field relevant to the assignment, or in the absence of the Master Degree an additional 3 years of relevant professional experience above the general professional experience,
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken,
• Computer literacy.

General professional experience

At least 6 years professional experience in economic or financial sector.

Specific professional experience

Professional experience in development of at least 4 feasibility studies with cost benefit analysis related to the environmental municipal infrastructure investment projects according to the EU Guide to Cost Benefit Analysis of Investment Projects.

• University level education in Environmental science or relevant field,
• Fluency in English and Montenegrin,
• Computer literacy.

General professional experience

At least 3 years professional experience in environmental sector.

Specific professional experience

Professional experience in development of at least one study related to environmental infrastructure.

• University level education in Economy or Finance,
• Fluency in English and Montenegrin,
• Computer literacy.

General professional experience

At least 3 years professional experience in economic/financial sector.

Specific professional experience

Professional experience in development of at least one feasibility study.