The BEIS ICF Technical Assistance Programme aims to:

1. Contribute to the reduction of Colombia’s emissions and poverty reduction by improving the capacity and capability of key institutions (national, subnational, non-state).

2. Support demand-led technical assistance that prioritises implementation and helps raise climate ambition, by addressing barriers, constraints and areas of opportunity at different levels of government based on the country’s political and economic context and sectoral priorities.

The programme has the following themes:

a. Diffusion of non-conventional renewable energy sources to ensure an affordable, resilient, and low emissions energy system

b. Addressing key policy, finance and technical barriers to scale up the energy efficiency market

c. Financial and non-financial incentives (existing and new) and better access to innovative finance instruments, combined with a more comprehensive and coherent policy and regulatory framework, to accelerate the deployment of low emission vehicles

d. Improving energy access through decentralised renewable energy generation models in areas that complement other UK forests and land use programmes

e. Sustainable tourism and scientific research as a strategy to protect forests, ensure sustainable rural development and consolidation of peace in areas that have been affected by conflict

Crosscutting themes are:

a. Implementation of Colombia’s Green Growth Policy to consolidate long-term GHG emission reduction and sustainable economic development

b. Improved understanding of investment opportunities and risks in green growth and support implementation of Colombia’s roadmap to establish a green bond market

c. Operationalisation of Colombia’s MRV system for mitigation action, including a transparent registry, to track progress and ensure NDC implementation

Call for proposals (C4P)

BEIS ICF has allocated up to £2 million for technical assistance activities in Colombia through an open, competitive call for proposals. Funds are available for projects of up to one year in length.

This C4P request implementation partners to submit concept bids for the following project types:

1. Year 1 projects should require funding from the ICF of between £250,000 – £500,000 (indicative), for up to one year of activity from the point of signing the grant agreement. The total project budget may exceed the amount requested from the ICF with co-funding and exceed the timescale of one year, if the activity applied for is an initial phase or component within a larger multi-year project.

2. Skill share projects should require funding from the ICF of between £25,000 – £100,000 (indicative), for up to one year of activity from the point of signing the grant agreement.

3. Early transition activity projects should require funding from the ICF of between £25,000 – £100,000 (indicative), for up to six months of activity from the point of signing the grant agreement. Projects funded through this bidding round must:

• relate to one or more of the themes of the call for proposals
• require funding of between £25,000 – £500,000 (indicative), for up to one year length of activity from the point of contracting, based on the project types described in the ICF Colombia Call for Proposals Strategy and Guidelines.
• be compatible with Official Development Assistance (ODA) criteria
• facilitate the exchange of policy and commercial expertise. Good proposals will demonstrate substantial collaboration and involvement on implementation between Colombian and UK and/or international partner
• explain how the project has sufficient buy-in from Colombian stakeholders to deliver the expected outcomes. Further information on our programme work can be found in the attached publication (links below)

Bidding round stages

The ICF Technical Assistance Programme in Colombia is coordinated by the British Embassy in Colombia. The bidding process is split between a concept stage and a full proposal stage.

Stage 1: Concept bid development. Implementing organisations develop concept bids in consultation with the Embassy, and submit by the deadline (using the Project Concept Bid form provided).

Stage 2: Approval of concept bids. Concept bids are assessed on five criteria: strategic fit, potential for transformational impact, value for money, additionality, and deliverability. Implementers successful at this concept stage will be invited to develop full bids.

Stage 3: Development and approval of full bids. Successful implementing organisations are invited to submit full bids, which are assessed by a Programme Board. Successful projects will then begin from Autumn 2018.

Proposed timetable

Submissions should be sent to both ICF.Colombia@fco.gov.uk and ICF.Colombia@beis.gov.uk, based on the following deadlines:

The timetable is subject to change, at the discretion of the Colombia TAP Team.

Attachments to download

• 
  ICF Colombia Call for Proposals Strategy and Guidelines (English Version)
  (PDF, 716KB, 14 pages)
  

• 
  ICF Colombia Call for Proposals Strategy and Guidelines (Spanish Version)
  (PDF, 760KB, 15 pages)
  

• 
  Technical Assistance Project Concept Bid template
  (MS Word Document, 149KB)
  

• 
  Technical Assistance Project Concept Bid Guidance
  (PDF, 486KB, 4 pages)
  

• 
  Technical Assistance Project Concept Bid Checklist
  (MS Word Document, 115KB)
  

• 
  Frequently Asked Questions
  (PDF, 356KB, 4 pages)
  

• 
  Answers to questions derived from Colombia Workshop (Webinar)
  (PDF, 476KB, 12 pages)
  

If proposals are accepted at the concept stage, implementers will be required to submit a more detailed bid form and more detailed activity-based budget (ABB). The Colombia TAP Team will provide the template documents for full proposals to successful implementing organisations in due course.

Colombia TAP Team contact details

For further details on the call for proposals, please contact the Colombia TAP Team by email at ICF.Colombia@fco.gov.uk and ICF.Colombia@beis.gov.uk

Implementers briefing workshops

The Programme team will host two workshops for potential implementers in Colombia and London (to be delivered in English).

The workshops will:

• brief on ICF Technical Assistance Program, including Colombia strategy
• explain the requirements for the bid form
• provide opportunities for potential implementers to make questions on the C4P process

Colombia Workshop will take place Wednesday 18 July, 2018 from 15:00 to 16:30 (GMT) / 9:00 to 10:30 (COL time).

Registration deadline: by 13:00 on Monday 16 July 2018 (GMT)

Venue: WebEx virtual room to be confirmed

Register form:

Colombia TAP Registration Form
(MS Word Document, 15.5KB)

If you are interested in attending the workshop, please send an email, fill in the relevant form above and send to ICF.Colombia@fco.gov.uk before deadline, with “Colombia workshop” in the subject field. The programme team will send to all registered organisations a confirmation with details for connection.

London Workshop will take place on Thursday 02 August.

Registration Deadline: by 9:30 on Friday 27 July 2018 (GMT)

Venue: 1VS Conference Centre, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET

Register form:

London TAP Registration Form
(MS Word Document, 15.4KB)

If you are interested in attending the workshop, please send an email, fill in the relevant form above and send to ICF.Colombia@beis.gov.uk before deadline, with “London workshop” in the subject field. The programme team will send to all registered organisations a confirmation including date, time and venue.

Around 200 stakeholders learned of the progress being made in decommissioning and cleaning up the legacy left from the earliest days of the UK’s civil nuclear industry.

The event, which also welcomed representatives from the communities around the NDA’s 17 sites, featured innovative technology being developed by the nuclear supply chain.

Some of the remote and robotic technologies that have been put into action on the NDA’s sites were showcased.

It was held at the South Gloucestershire College Berkeley Green Campus – formerly the Berkeley Centre – and played a vital research role for the UK civil nuclear industry.

NDA Stakeholder Summit 2018

David Peattie, NDA CEO, spoke about the importance of the event:

Maintaining productive relationships with our stakeholders is a vital part of the NDA’s work and the Stakeholder Summit is an extremely helpful way of explaining the progress we’re making in our decommissioning mission.

Hosting this annual event at the former Berkeley Centre, which has been converted from an operational nuclear site to a leading University Technical College, is a great example of the NDA delivering its mission.

The Stakeholder Summit aimed to encourage discussion about the NDA’s work in delivering its mission focussing on progress in R&D, waste management, skills and socio-economic sustainability.

An exhibition was set up highlighting how the NDA and its business units work together, while workshops saw delegates learn more about the UK’s decommissioning challenge.

The second day was devoted to discussing support for the socio-economic initiatives and the NDA’s partnerships with its communities.

This year the Summit welcomed international guests from a number of local authorities in Europe with nuclear sites in their areas. They learned how the NDA interacts with its communities and its world-leading work in civil nuclear decommissioning.

Professor Melanie Brownridge, Head of Technology at the NDA, spoke at the event and said:

The Stakeholder Summit gives us an opportunity to communicate with people how R&D is helping us to deliver our mission and how the technology that we’re deploying on our sites is helping us to achieve this mission safer, faster and cheaper.

Around 200 stakeholders learned of the progress being made in decommissioning and cleaning up the legacy left from the earliest days of the UK’s civil nuclear industry.

The event, which also welcomed representatives from the communities around the NDA’s 17 sites, featured innovative technology being developed by the nuclear supply chain.

Some of the remote and robotic technologies that have been put into action on the NDA’s sites were showcased.

It was held at the South Gloucestershire College Berkeley Green Campus – formerly the Berkeley Centre – and played a vital research role for the UK civil nuclear industry.

NDA Stakeholder Summit 2018

David Peattie, NDA CEO, spoke about the importance of the event:

Maintaining productive relationships with our stakeholders is a vital part of the NDA’s work and the Stakeholder Summit is an extremely helpful way of explaining the progress we’re making in our decommissioning mission.

Hosting this annual event at the former Berkeley Centre, which has been converted from an operational nuclear site to a leading University Technical College, is a great example of the NDA delivering its mission.

The Stakeholder Summit aimed to encourage discussion about the NDA’s work in delivering its mission focussing on progress in R&D, waste management, skills and socio-economic sustainability.

An exhibition was set up highlighting how the NDA and its business units work together, while workshops saw delegates learn more about the UK’s decommissioning challenge.

The second day was devoted to discussing support for the socio-economic initiatives and the NDA’s partnerships with its communities.

This year the Summit welcomed international guests from a number of local authorities in Europe with nuclear sites in their areas. They learned how the NDA interacts with its communities and its world-leading work in civil nuclear decommissioning.

Professor Melanie Brownridge, Head of Technology at the NDA, spoke at the event and said:

The Stakeholder Summit gives us an opportunity to communicate with people how R&D is helping us to deliver our mission and how the technology that we’re deploying on our sites is helping us to achieve this mission safer, faster and cheaper.

Although there has been a gradual improving trend in environmental performance over recent years, the industry is not doing enough to reduce serious pollution incidents and comply with permits. Last year saw a rise in the most serious pollution incidents, with ‘Category 1’ incidents at 11. Previous reductions in serious (Category 1 and 2) incidents have also plateaued continuing at around one incident per week.

The Water and Sewerage Companies’ Environmental Performance Report rates how well the big nine water and sewage companies (operating mainly or wholly in England) managed their impact on the environment in 2017. This is done across a wide range of measures – including pollution, managing sewage and complying with permits – and also compares individual company performance.

For the third year running, United Utilities and Wessex Water were the top performing water companies, and now Severn Trent Water has joined them. These companies received the top 4 star rating.

While the majority of companies delivered a ‘good’ or ‘leading’ performance, there are some poorer performers – the report reveals an urgent need by South West Water and Northumbrian Water to improve their performance which has seen them rated lowest this year. South West Water are the worst performer on pollution incidents and Northumbrian Water on permit compliance.

This comes in the face of record fines for the sector – in total more than £21million were issued as a result of 16 successful prosecutions by the Environment Agency. This has been driven by changes in Sentencing Guidelines. Earlier in the year, Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, called for fines for the most serious pollution incidents to be proportionate to the turnover of water companies.

Despite some good performances, the report demands far greater progress in 2018 and subsequent years. The Environment Agency has recently set out a more ambitious programme of environmental improvements which water companies will have to make between 2020 and 2025 – totalling £5billion of investment.

Toby Willison, Executive Director of Operations for the Environment Agency, said:

The leading companies in this report show that reducing their environmental impact can be done, so we look to companies to share good practice and improve quickly. But one serious pollution incident is one too many. We will always work closely with companies who want to do the right thing but we will take action against those who don’t.

Over the last 30 years there has been a significant improvement in water quality and this has happened not only thanks to the industry’s massive investment but also the Environment Agency’s strong regulatory role

The environment will benefit from a further £5billion of investment from the water sector by 2025. We expect to see a clear and continued focus on environmental performance in the next round of water company business plans to be submitted in the autumn.

The report concludes with a reminder about the pressures on water quality and supply – with a growing population and climate pressures on the water environment, and increased public and legal expectation, water companies need to further rise to the challenge and improve promptly. The Environment Agency will work with and regulate the companies to help achieve a better environment.

Although there has been a gradual improving trend in environmental performance over recent years, the industry is not doing enough to reduce serious pollution incidents and comply with permits. Last year saw a rise in the most serious pollution incidents, with ‘Category 1’ incidents at 11. Previous reductions in serious (Category 1 and 2) incidents have also plateaued continuing at around one incident per week.

The Water and Sewerage Companies’ Environmental Performance Report rates how well the big nine water and sewage companies (operating mainly or wholly in England) managed their impact on the environment in 2017. This is done across a wide range of measures – including pollution, managing sewage and complying with permits – and also compares individual company performance.

For the third year running, United Utilities and Wessex Water were the top performing water companies, and now Severn Trent Water has joined them. These companies received the top 4 star rating.

While the majority of companies delivered a ‘good’ or ‘leading’ performance, there are some poorer performers – the report reveals an urgent need by South West Water and Northumbrian Water to improve their performance which has seen them rated lowest this year. South West Water are the worst performer on pollution incidents and Northumbrian Water on permit compliance.

This comes in the face of record fines for the sector – in total more than £21million were issued as a result of 16 successful prosecutions by the Environment Agency. This has been driven by changes in Sentencing Guidelines. Earlier in the year, Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, called for fines for the most serious pollution incidents to be proportionate to the turnover of water companies.

Despite some good performances, the report demands far greater progress in 2018 and subsequent years. The Environment Agency has recently set out a more ambitious programme of environmental improvements which water companies will have to make between 2020 and 2025 – totalling £5billion of investment.

Toby Willison, Executive Director of Operations for the Environment Agency, said:

The leading companies in this report show that reducing their environmental impact can be done, so we look to companies to share good practice and improve quickly. But one serious pollution incident is one too many. We will always work closely with companies who want to do the right thing but we will take action against those who don’t.

Over the last 30 years there has been a significant improvement in water quality and this has happened not only thanks to the industry’s massive investment but also the Environment Agency’s strong regulatory role

The environment will benefit from a further £5billion of investment from the water sector by 2025. We expect to see a clear and continued focus on environmental performance in the next round of water company business plans to be submitted in the autumn.

The report concludes with a reminder about the pressures on water quality and supply – with a growing population and climate pressures on the water environment, and increased public and legal expectation, water companies need to further rise to the challenge and improve promptly. The Environment Agency will work with and regulate the companies to help achieve a better environment.