Development of RCA Projects and Assessment Criteria.

1
Development of RCA Projects and Assessment
Criteria.

• Dr John F Easey

2
What are the Procedures for the Development of
RCA Projects?
3
Articles in the RCA Agreement Relevant to
Development of Projects

• Article II (2).
• The Meeting of Representatives shall have the
  authority
• (a) to determine a programme of activities and to
  establish priorities therefor
• (b) to consider and approve the co-operative
  projects proposed in accordance with paragraph 1
  of article III.
• Article III (1).
• Any Government Party may submit a written
  proposal for a co-operative project to the
  Agency, which shall, upon receipt thereof, notify
  the other Governments Parties of such proposal.
  The proposal shall specify, in particular, the
  nature and objectives of the proposed
  co-operative project and the means of
  implementing it. At the request of a Government
  Party, the Agency may assist in the preparation
  of a proposal for a co-operative project.

4
Procedures for Project Development

• The RCA Member States have agreed a set of
  Guidelines and Operating Rules that cover the
  operation of the Agreement, including the
  procedures for the initiation of Cooperative
  Projects and Cooperative Research Projects
  (CRPs).
• The procedure for Project Development will
  depend on the requirements of the sponsoring
  agency.

5
Cooperative Projects - Purpose

• Designed to meet the needs for development and
  practical applications of nuclear science and
  technology for peaceful purposes.
• Not primarily research projects but may contain a
  research component.
• Enable the RCA Member States to acquire
  well-established nuclear technologies to address
  socio-economic development problems.
• Provide tangible socio-economic benefits to the
  participating Member States (Impact).
• Essential to be in areas of development
  priorities of the participating Member States,
  who should have the physical infrastructure and
  human and financial resources to implement the
  project activities and to sustain the activities
  after the project is closed following completion
  of the delivery of the technical inputs.

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Cooperative Projects Technical Inputs

• The inputs shall be in the form of
• regional and national training courses
• meetings for reviewing the progress of the
  projects and planning future activities
• services of experts, and consultants
• award of contracts for specific tasks.
• Fellowships, Scientific Visits and supply of
  equipment are not input components for RCA
  projects.

7
Coordinated Research Projects - Purpose

• Coordinated Research Projects are essentially
  networks of national research institutions which
  work within an operational framework for research
  on a similar and well-defined regional theme or
  problem focus that is relevant to, or can be
  resolved through, nuclear science and technology.

8
Determining Project Priorities.
9
Guidelines Operating Rules - Priorities

• The following criteria are taken into
  consideration in deciding on the priorities
• the relevance to RCA Vision and Mission
• development needs of individual Member States
  (identified through consultations with relevant
  stakeholders) and the expected impact
• commitment at national level to maximize
  sustainability
• potential to benefit from the advantages of using
  nuclear techniques
• potential for regional cooperation
• potential for improving the utilization of
  established regional networks and resources and
  value addition to previous inputs to the project
  area
• Millennium Development Goals

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GOR Further Refined Adoption of the RCA
Medium Term Strategy (MTS) 2006-11

• Key features Strategic Plan
• Vision
• Mission
• RCA Core Values
• RCA Governance
• Strategic Context
• Critical Success Factors

11
GOR Further Refined Adoption of the RCA
Medium Term Strategy (MTS) 2006-11

• Key features Strategic Directions
• Ensuring Effective Management of the RCA
• Achieving Greater Impact for RCA Projects
• Developing Sustainable Capacity to Address
  Socioeconomic Needs
• Enhancing Uptake of Nuclear Technologies and
  Increasing Visibility of the RCA

12
GOR Further Refined Adoption of the RCA
Medium Term Strategy (MTS) 2006-11

• Strategic Context
• Millennium Development Goals
• IAEA Medium Term Plan TC Strategies
• Regional priorities and Policies agreed by MSs
  and new emerging priorities
• Development Income generating Opportunities
• International National Trends in Nuclear ST
• The need to create, manage, share exploit our
  knowledge more effectively.

13
GOR Further Refined Adoption of the RCA
Medium Term Strategy (MTS) 2006-11

• Critical Success Factors
• Projects should be needs driven benefit from
  regional cooperation
• Projects should be of sufficient size to achieve
  high impact and measurable outcomes
• High use of regional networks resources
• Build on adequate national resources,
  infrastructure and existing programmes
• Choose projects where a nuclear technique is high
  value adding and technology transfer a major
  focus
• Consistent with MDG and TC Strategy
• Ability to attract external funding

14
GOR Further Refined Adoption of the RCA
Medium Term Strategy (MTS) 2006-11

• Performance Indicators
• More active involvement of NRs in management of
  the programme
• Achievement of a reduced number but high impact
  projects aim for 10 projects/year by 2011
• Increase use of regional experts resources in
  addressing regional needs aim for 70 by 2011
• Increase exchange of information technologies
  between RCA MSs need fewer formal TCs
• Increased use of electronic networks enhanced
  level coordination within RCA all MSs provide
  information via RCA website
• Increase non-IAEA funding for RCA aim to double
  by 2011
• Establish partnerships between RCA and other
  Organisations at least 2 by 2011
• Increase awareness of the capabilities of RCA in
  the region recognised by requests to
  participate in international conference and donor
  meetings

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Timing Considerations in the Development of RCA
Projects.
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Timing of Key Actions in the Development of RCA
Projects

• Activity
• Priority areas for the RCA Programme are decided
  by the NRs at the NRM
• Identification of PLCs for the priority areas
• Drafting of the Concept Papers by PLCCs, in the
  priority areas identified by NRs in consultation
  with the other stakeholders
• Interaction with IAEA on Concept Papers
• Review of Concept papers and assignment of
  priorities by NRs at the GCM

• Time Frame
• NRM held in year N-2 (for projects to be
  implemented commencing in year N)
• At the above NRM
• 31st of July, year N-2
• July September, year N-2
• September, year N-2

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Timing of Key Actions in the Development of RCA
Projects

• Activity
• Submission of the approved Concept Papers to the
  IAEA by the RCA Chair
• Screening of the Project Concepts according to TC
  Criteria and technical feasibility by IAEA staff
• Detailed design of the projects selected for
  implementation by the PLCCs in conjunction with
  IAEA TO and in consultation with the relevant RCA
  Stakeholders.
• Review of detailed design by NRs and the NRM
• Refinement of the project designs by PLCCs

• Time Frame
• 31st of September, year N-2
• 30th November, year N-2
• December, year N-2 - February, year N-1
• March / April, year N-1
• April May, year N-1

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Timing of Key Actions in the Development of RCA
Projects

• Activity
• Review of project designs, preparation of
  budgets, decision on the projects / project
  activities that could be supported by TCF.
• Final approval of projects by NRs including
  discussion of proposed Agency funding
• Information on projects approved by the Board of
  Governors conveyed to the Member States
• NRs inform the RCA Secretariat of the project
  they wish to participate in along with the
  contact details of the appointed NPCs.

• Time Frame
• June - August, year N-1
• September, year N-1
• November, year N-1
• 31st of December, year N-1

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Fast Track Procedure for RCARO

• DIR-RCARO prepares a Concept Paper according to
  the standard RCA format.
• Submits this to the Standing Advisory Committee
  (SAC) together with a justification for the use
  of the fast track mechanism.
• The Chair SAC consults with the other SAC members
  on the suitability of the submission for
  fast-tracking and notifies the DIR-RCARO as
  quickly as possible and within 1 week of the
  SACs acceptance or rejection of the use of the
  fast-track mechanism.

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Fast Track Procedure for RCARO

• On acceptance of the use of the fast track
  option, the DIR-RCARO and the SAC jointly prepare
  a project proposal with explanatory text
  complemented by any necessary additional
  materials, and promptly distribute them to NRs
  for consideration and comment by a due date.
• The NRs will communicate to mutually agree a
  position and inform the DIR-RCARO through the SAC
  by the due date.
• Should any NRs not respond to the SAC by this
  designated time, they will be deemed to agree
  with the position adopted by the NRs who do
  respond.
• The fast-track decisions will not require formal
  endorsement at the next NRM following the due
  date. However the decisions should be appended
  to the NRM report to ensure full transparency.

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What are the Criteria used to Assess RCA Project
Proposals?
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Factors in the Review and Assessment of Project
Concepts

• Is there a detailed description of the problem or
  need that is being addressed?
• Are the objectives of the Project clearly stated?
  
• Each Project should have a broad objective and a
  much tighter focussed specific objective, which
  relates directly to the planned outcomes.
• Most Projects should have no more that two
  specific objectives. More usually implies that
  there is really more than one Project being
  attempted.
• There should be a clear linkage between the
  Specific Objective(s) and the problem/need to be
  addressed.

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Factors in the Review and Assessment of Project
Concepts (cont.)

• Technology transfer should be the major focus of
  the project
• Does the proposal duplicate efforts being
  undertaken using other mechanisms (national
  projects, non-RCA projects and other cooperative
  agreements) or duplicate previous RCA Projects?
• Is it an extension of a previously implemented
  RCA? If so what is the new dimension and is it
  important?
• Is the Project of sufficient size to achieve high
  impact?
• Does the Proposal have to have defined and
  measurable outcomes?

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Factors in the Review and Assessment of Project
Concepts (cont.)

• What is the nuclear technique being proposed and
  does it have demonstrated advantages over
  conventional methods ?
• What makes the concept a good proposal for an RCA
  regional project?
• Why is it important as an RCA regional project?
• What is the potential for TCDC?

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Factors in the Review and Assessment of Project
Concepts (cont.)

• Indicators of Regional Interest, Priorities and
  Capabilities
• How many RCA Member States have identified the
  concept area as a priority in their CPFs?
• How many RCA Member States have national projects
  in the proposed area?
• Which RCA Member States have the infrastructure
  and other resources necessary for implementation
  of the project?

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Factors in the Review and Assessment of Project
Concepts (cont.)

• Is the Concept Feasible?
• Can the problem/need be adequately addressed
  through the proposed project?
• Is the time scale realistic?
• Is funding requirement realistic?
• Is the nomination of participating countries
  appropriate?
• Is there sufficient technological capability and
  capacity in the MSs and support from the National
  Authorities to make the achievement of
  sustainability realistic within a reasonable time
  frame?

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Some Key Rejection Points

• The concept does not meet TC Strategy or MDG or
  MTS criteria.
• No essential nuclear component.
• Not needs driven.
• Inadequate applicability to RCA MSs stated
  priorities and needs.
• Duplicates projects carried out previously or
  being carried out under other mechanisms and
  arrangements.
• Unrealistic outputs/outcomes coming from the
  proposed inputs.
• No major regional cooperation driver.
• Low probability of achieving sustainability.
• No general commitment at a national level.

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What Key Factors need to be Considered in the
Development of the Concept into a Project?
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Further Enhancements in Project Design Introduced
in the 2009-2011 cycle

• Improvement of Progress Monitoring
• Ensuring all MSs appoint National Teams and adopt
  Work Plans
• Ensuring nominees for regional events are members
  of the project teams
• Ensuring availability of national resources for
  project implementation
• Ensuring sustainability of project outputs and
  outcomes

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Factors Enhancing Project Sustainability

• identify and transfer nuclear technologies, which
  are value-adding and address ongoing needs
• develop relevant technical expertise in nuclear
  institutions to increase self reliance
• provide support for effective regulatory control
  and safe and secure use of radioactive materials
• introduce mechanisms that provide for continuing
  exchanges and support to nuclear institutions
  following closure of specific projects as part of
  the project design
• enhance the ability of nuclear institutions to
  access funding from end users

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Adopted Recommendation WG on Implementation of
MTS

• .all projects designs for projects being
  implemented in the RCA programme for 2007 and
  beyond have milestones and performance
  indicators.

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THANK YOU!