Evaluation of the Electricity Demand Reduction Pilot Scheme.

Descriptions

Research and development services and related consultancy services. Test and Evaluation. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (“DECC”) wishes to appoint a Supplier to undertake an evaluation of the Electricity Demand Reduction (EDR) Pilot scheme. The purpose of the Pilot is to examine the viability of EDR in the capacity market and learn lessons for Government and wider stakeholders on the delivery of the EDR scheme.The supplier will undertake the evaluation of the Pilot using theory-based evaluation techniques tested by research/analysis as appropriate to answer the evaluation questions. Quantitative research with industrial, commercial and public sectors is likely to be required. In addition, the supplier is likely to draw on research and analytical methods from the range of analytical disciplines including, but not limited to: social research, economic methods (e.g. cost benefit analysis), modelling and simulation methods, and statistical analysis.We are looking for a collaborative partner who will bring creative thinking and innovation along with the skills to deliver the evaluation. Consortium bids are welcomed.Contractors are invited to propose evaluation design, methodologies and techniques and where appropriate any innovative approaches to addressing the evaluation questions. The evaluation questions will be challenging to address robustly, and so creative and innovative approaches are actively encouraged. A significant amount of data will be collected through participants and administration of the scheme which will be available to the evaluation team.All packages should state their importance to the evaluation – necessary (and consequences if not available), important (will improve robustness of evaluation considerably and how), and nice to have (will improve robustness of evaluation and what it will add, but can draw reasonable conclusions without it), and whether/how they might be scalable. The bid should be disaggregated by project, and breakdowns should be supplied of staff time, grade and day rates allocated to each project.For Phases 3-6 contractors should consider what they will need to do in those phases, suggesting work packages to achieve the outcomes in the specification in the ranges of GBP 550k to GBP 765k. Again packages should state their importance to the evaluation with breakdowns of staff time, grade and day rates. Contractors should also provide spending profiles for each Phase at the upper and lower pricesBid Clarification DayTo ensure that potential bidders have an opportunity to discuss our requirements for this contract and to find out more about the policy and delivery aspects of the area, we will be holding a bidder clarification session on the afternoon of 20.8.2014. The event will be held in London at the BIS Conference Centre. Exact timings will be notified via BIP DELTA. Information following this event will also be uploaded onto Delta to ensure suppliers that cannot attend the bid clarification day are kept informed of all Q&A.Bidders should note that exact project requirements and funding will be agreed with the successful contractor as the evaluation develops, however, this will be based on the rates and pricing schedules set out in the response to the ITT. The Department may select options from the winning proposal's proposed additional work packages. Additional projects will be based on the rates listed in the winning bidder's pricing schedule.New projects may also be added into the evaluation contract that do not currently form part of the bid but which emerge throughout the course of the evaluation. This may require scaling back in other areas if additional funding is unavailable.For background information, the full specification and further information on this project please see the ITT.The successful bidder will need project management expertise to deliver the evaluation, in particular because a significant proportion of the core funding for this project is allocated to the financial year 2014-15. Break points will be built into the contract.