The Joint Stock Company “Elektromreža Srbije” (“EMS ad”), has received a financing from Agence Française de Développement ("AFD"), and intends to use part of the funds for payments under the following project Service Provider for the Digitalisation of Pančevo 1 substation.
Background
In Serbia, EMS is the national transmission system operator, TSO. This state-owned company, founded in 2005, is in charge of operating the transmission system of Serbia, which is interconnected with the neighbouring countries. EMS is also responsible for developing the transmission system, at least cost taking into account the security and the reliability to satisfy the customer demand and ensuring the functioning and the development of the electricity market in Serbia. EMS was split from the national electricity utility EPS, which is still in activity as a main generation company in Serbia. The voltage levels used for the transmission grid in Serbia are 400 kV, 220 kV and 110 kV.
The installed capacity, in 2021, was about 8000 MW, for an annual energy generated of about 34 800 GWh and an annual consumption of about 31 100 GWh. The generation is mainly thermal with about 60% of the generating units coal fired.
EMS has launched the Serbian Transmission Grid Digitalisation Project, as part of this project EMS decided to launch a pilot project in 2020, with the support of the French Development Agency, AFD. This pilot project concerns the digitalisation of the Pancevo 1 substation. The related feasibility study has been carried out in 2020, the final report was delivered in early 2021. This study concluded that for the implementation of the pilot project, a staged tendering strategy is well adapted. This strategy requires to contract an Service Provider, who will assist EMS for among others: the finalisation of the detailed design and the Tender Document, the selection of the contractors and their coordination, the supervision of the works of the contractors, the quality control of the equipment, the control of the site tests, the assessment of the training program, the preparation of the final completion report and the support to EMS during the warranty period.
The Services of the consultant shall consist of three phases:

• Phase 1: Updating the feasibility study in accordance with the adopted Terms of Reference, which defined the scope of the Project, preparation of the technical part of the tender documentation, development of conceptual solutions that will be the basis for the preparation of the Conceptual Design (CD) in accordance with legal regulations, review of the project documentation, consulting and advisory services for Conceptual Design (CD) and Basic Design (BD).

• Phase 2: Assistance to EMS in the tender phase: clarifications to bidders during the tender period related to the technical part of the specification, bid evaluation, participation in the technical part of contract and procurement negotiations.

• Phase 3: Professional (site) Supervision in accordance with the Law on Planning and Construction, participation in the control and examination of the performed works until commissioning and EMS assistance during the warranty period. The Service Provider should provide qualitative and quantitative monitoring and supervision of the production of equipment and materials, in certain time frames, including: Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), preparation of FAT reports, and if necessary, the Service Provider may propose additional tests, with the consent of EMS. The Service Provider must check whether the contractors provide test certificates in accordance with the technical specifications of the Tender Documentation. The Service Provider shall also supervise the Site Acceptance Tests (SAT) to ensure that the on-site equipment complies with the technical specifications.

The expected duration for the full completion of the Project without the warranty duration is 48 months.