Utility Revenue Protection Expert

Job Description

USAID’s Palestinian Renewable Energy Project (PREP) aims to advance the Palestinian energy sector to support affordable and sustainable energy independence in the West Bank and Gaza. The project focuses to improve the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to modernize and diversify the Palestinian electricity sector. The project focuses on improving access to and reliability of electrical services by strategically incorporating renewable energy, which will increase the Palestinian Authority’s control of its electrical supply and improve affordability over time.

As part of project components, PREP will strengthen and commercialize the electricity distribution sector to improve collections, increase revenues, and enable uninterrupted payment to supplier. A focus of our working with the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) will also be to increase understanding and knowledge to integrate distributed renewable energy units and administer net metering schemes.

Objective of this Workshop

1. The objective is to learn about strategies, technologies and techniques for improving distribution utility performance that includes strategies for reducing non-technical losses, combatting electricity theft and meter tampering, including how best to integrate smart grid infrastructure, new information and data analysis technologies and advanced meters into the grid.
2. Palestinian DISCOs will benefit from international experts sharing their experience in losses reduction and revenue protection practices through dissemination of international best practices.

Scope of Work

The trainer will assist DISCOs in the West Bank to strengthen their commercial operations as they relate to revenue loss management, revenue protection and the combating of theft by sharing international best practices during a two-day training.

The two-day training course will offer the opportunity to learn more about the different revenue protection concepts and processes. The training will highlight the concept of revenue protection to managers that are indirectly involved in revenue protection or credit control. It will also teach the individual how to support the revenue protection division/operators in their tasks, or how to form an effective revenue protection unit. The learning processes must be conducted in a manner that will facilitate open discussion, promote case study analysis, paper exercises, videos and photos of relevant examples. The trainer will develop the materials necessary to conduct the workshop and host it.

Workshop Topics

The following topics were tailored to answer the needs of Palestinian DISCOs, though the consultant/trainer is requested to indicate the topics he/she is interested in including in his/her training course. The consultant/trainer is also encouraged to propose a comprehensive training plan to be implemented in the two days courses.

• Efficient smart meter operation and monitoring through smart control center solutions
• Integrating smart grid technologies
• Communication needs for smart meters
• Losses in electricity networks - strategy for losses
• Role smart metering systems can play in the process of minimizing revenue losses
• Combatting non-technical losses – billing and collection best practices
• Challenges with prepaid meters
• Deciding between prepaid and smart meters

• Revenue protection - an overview of the management and operational processes
• Revenue protection - auditing meters, remedial actions, guidelines and best practices

• Courts and networking with law enforcement
• Court processes – environmental
• How the court system works?
• Benefits of networking with law enforcements.
• Employees protection
• Chain of evidence
• What is evidence?
• Policies and the importance of chain of custody
• Packaging, documenting, and labeling
• Disposition of evidence, preserving evidence/photographs

D. Technical and non-technical electricity losses from a regulatory perspective

E. Developing a “team approach” to revenue protection through community and customer service engagement in loss reduction strategy.

F. Palestinian DISCOs successful stories in revenue protection and losses reduction. (This topic will be prepared by a Palestinian DISCOs – it’s not part of SoW.)

Deliverables

The Consultant shall produce:

• In conjunction with the Senior Utilities Commercialization Advisor, the necessary agenda and training material to host the training/workshop
• In conjunction with the Senior Utilities Commercialization Advisor, a two day training/workshop
• A follow up brief on the training session/workshop showing: the topics discussed, collecting presentations, names of participants/gender and final recommendations of the workshop.

Qualifications

• At least ten years of experience as a utility staff person or an embedded or close expert in a developing country utility with leadership roles in developing policies and implementing activities that improve human resource management, increase collections, reduce losses, and improve customer service and customer relations.
• Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of training approaches, systems, and technologies for improving the operational and financial performance of utilities.
• A university and/or college Degree in an interdisciplinary subject such as business administration, Engineering, Public Administration, Economics or a related field from an accredited university.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, excellent computer skills, especially Microsoft Office productivity tools (Power Point, Word and Excel).

Time Frame and Level of Effort of the Consultant

The total Level of effort of this assignment is up to ten days, with anticipated follow-up work.

About the Organization

AECOM is a premier, fully integrated professional and technical services firm positioned to design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets around the world for public- and private-sector clients. With nearly 100,000 employees — including architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and management and construction services professionals — serving clients in over 150 countries around the world, AECOM is ranked as the #1 engineering design firm by revenue in Engineering News-Record magazine’s annual industry rankings, and has been recognized by Fortune magazine as a World’s Most Admired Company. The firm is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, oil and gas, water, high-rise buildings and government. AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering customized and creative solutions that meet the needs of clients’ projects. A Fortune 500 firm, AECOM companies, including URS Corporation and Hunt Construction Group, have annual revenue of approximately $19 billion. More information on AECOM and its services can be found at www.aecom.com.

Government

AECOM’s Global Support Services (GSS) organization resides within AECOM’s Government business line and is comprised of three divisions — International Development, Operations and Mission Support, and Global Programs. GSS has the international presence, personnel networks and procurement infrastructure to deliver support for any mission, anywhere. We optimize the reliability, availability and sustainability of equipment, logistics systems and facilities for clients around the world. GSS supports the U.S. Government, non-U.S. Governments and industry clients with worldwide program management, planning, design, operations and maintenance, logistics, aviation services, security, international development, environmental and civil engineering and mission and intelligence support.

What We Offer

AECOM is a place where you can put your innovative thinking and business skills into high gear and work alongside other highly intelligent and motivated people. It's a place where you can apply your skills to some of the world's most challenging, interesting, and meaningful projects worldwide. It's a place that values the diversity of our areas of practice and our people. It's what makes AECOM a great place to work and grow. AECOM is an equal opportunity employer and Minorities, Females, Veterans, and Disabled persons are encouraged to apply. For further information, please click here to view the EEO Is The Law poster.