National Consultant - Solar Power Plant Project

UNICEF Belgrade is hiring a national consultant who will work on the Solar Power Plant Project. This is a home-based consultancy is in a duration of seven month with to sixty (60) working days within the period of 1 September 2024 - 31 March 2025.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, wellbeing

UNICEF Serbia is situated in a separate government-provided building. The address of the office is in Belgrade, Serbia – Svetozara Markovica 58. GPS coordinates are 44.80230968546473, 20.4617562647508.  The power situation is reliable meaning that UNICEF Serbia Country Office (CO) uses the GRID system for power supply. However, in recent years, the cost of electricity has risen and represents a significant cost for the office.

In 2017, the office conducted an Energy Audit of UNICEF Serbia premises with review and analysis of the existing situation and to verify potential energy cost reductions and/or reductions in CO2 emissions. Energy audit was conducted by CEEFOR for the UNCIEF Serbia premises. Based on assessment of facilities and identifying all major lighting, HVAC equipment, evaluation of the current baseline electricity consumption, questionnaire on energy consumers, energy usage patterns and analysis of available technical documentation the auditors recommended three measures:

• replacement of lighting system (measure #1)

• replacement of outdated air conditioners (measure #2)

• installation of PV solar plant (measure #3)

Measure 1 and 2 have been implemented; however, due to the lack of financial resources the office never implemented measure 3 – Installation of the PV Solar Power Plant. Recommended installation of 10kW solar photovoltaic panels, including roof mount racking and supplement equipment. However, since 2017 major changes on UNICEF facilities occurred in addition to changes at the global and local market related to design and installation of solar power system.

Solar energy can be generated in two forms, namely electricity and heat. Solar cells or “photovoltaics” are used to convert solar radiation into electricity. Photovoltaic systems release no greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and they do not even need direct sunlight to produce energy; they just need daylight, and this means they can operate even during cloudy and less bright days.

UNICEF Serbia CO is seeking to implement a more resource-efficient and sustainable way of office operations towards ‘greening’ initiatives.

In this context, UNICEF Serbia CO is planning to install around 20KW rooftop solar photovoltaic systems. The installation will be at UNICEF Serbia facilities rooftops.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The purpose of the assignment is to assist UNICEF Serbia in conducting an assessment necessary for the design of a Solar Power System.

This includes determining the size and scope of the solar power plant, evaluating available rooftop space for solar panel installation, projecting investment costs, preparing tender documentation including Bills of Quantities (BoQs), compiling required documentation for obtaining an installation license from the government of Serbia and relevant institutions, participating in the procurement and monitoring installation of the solar photovoltaic system.

Scope of Work and Work Assignment Overview:

Under the overall supervision of the Operations Manager, this consultancy will entail:

Task 1: Conducting assessment analysis for the Solar Power System for Serbia CO, determinate size, and scope of the solar power plan, evaluate available roofscape for installation of solar photovoltaic panels and forecast investment cost and electricity saving forecast to determinate investment pay-off period.

Deliverable 1: All detailed assessment report including:

• Potential for use of solar PV systems to supplement the current power requirements of the estate premises.

• PV system capacity optimization based on energy demand and load characteristics in the estate premises.

• Calculations relating to the whole solar PV system which demonstrate sizing methodology and calculations and calculations (consider both with battery back-up and without battery back-up solutions), cable sizing calculations, investment forecast, electricity saving forecast and investment pay-off period calculation. All efficiency losses are to be included and evident in the calculations.

• Provide strategic Operation and Maintenance Plan and cost for the same, as well manpower and skill requirement.

Task 2: Desing Polar Power Plant project including electro-wire installation and drawings and support UNICEF Serbia CO in preparing all required documentation required for obtaining an installation license from the Government of Serbia and Ministry of Energy and Mining.

Deliverable 2: Desing project for the obtaining the installation license from relevant authorities including:

• System schematic and engineering drawings:

- Conceptual schematic layout.
- Electrical single line diagrams.
- Mounting layout drawings.
- Cabling layout.
- Cable and interconnection scheme.
- Protection and Interlock requirements.
- Fault level calculations and relay settings.
- The project must be designed fulfilling international standards and requirements including Serbian standards.
- Coordination with local building and energy authorities (Ministry of Energy and Mining and Electro Distribution of Serbia – EPS)

Task 3: Prepare specification for major equipment (PV array, inverters, batteries, structures, electrical conductors and junction boxes, transformers, switch gears, system protection and online performance monitoring system)

Deliverable 3:  Support UNICEF CO in developing tender documentation for procurement and installation of the Solar Power System:

• Prepare Bill of Quantities (BoQs)

• Support Serbia CO in collection of the Proposals or Offers from licensed companies for installation of Solar Power System.

• Participate in selection panel for selection of service provider for procurement and installation of the Solar Power System.

Task 4:  Monitoring the works related to installation of the solar photovoltaic system.

Deliverable 4: Conduct a physical site visit (at least 4 visits) during the installation work to confirm that project is implemented according to detailed project and in accordance with specifications of the equipment listed in BoQs.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.