Challenge: To Improve Collaboration in Clean Energy Projects

Focus Area: Clean Energy Transition

Forum Virium Helsinki announces the opening of a call for the second round of innovative pilots as part of the FinEst Twins project. The clean energy transition challenge of the programme is To build and improve the collaboration of stakeholders involved in large clean energy projects.

Pilot hosts: Helsinki Partners, Business Finland

Successful large-scale clean transition projects require effective collaboration between the stakeholders in the energy sector (local residents in the region, regional development companies, municipalities and companies etc.) and enough skilled workforce. For the success of the projects, it is imperative to achieve commitment from the stakeholders and avoid conflict between them. Presently available practices and tools are not sufficient to avoid and solve the challenges arising in stakeholder collaboration and labour shortage is not accounted for. Often disputes in the stakeholder relations can halt the large-scale clean energy projects (i.e. engaging the local community, getting a greenlight to rezoning, environmental permits, lack of skilled workforce).

The challenge is:

• How can we develop innovative and practical solutions that will improve the collaboration of stakeholders in the energy cluster, and ensure sufficient workers to carry out the large-scale clean energy projects? 
• And how can we also increase information sharing about clean transition and clean investments? 

We are inviting energy sector actors, municipalities, regional development companies, and other experts involved in clean investments to join the challenge. The objective of the proposal is to create a “community engagement plan” –toolkit/playbook, that will help the energy sector actors to build and maintain strong stakeholder collaboration and will address the labor shortage question. The toolkit/playbook will be in English and will be freely accessible to all energy sector operators. The toolkit/playbook will include i.e.: instructions, models and example cases etc. You can join the experiment by offering your expertise, participating in the workshops and pilot projects and by sharing your experience and viewpoints. The toolkit/playbook must offer concrete processes and resources that will: 

• Help prevent and avoid risk: To recognize and assess the risks pertaining to stakeholder collaboration and build strategies to overcome them. 
• Strengthen trust: To build and uphold trust in the local community and other stakeholders. 
• Improve communication: Ensure open and transparent communication with all the stakeholders. 
• Promote cooperation: Create collaboration forums and platforms that will enable the stakeholder participation and impact. 
• Address the labour shortage question: Propose concrete and tangible ways to address the labour shortage in the energy sector. 
• Support decision-making: Offer knowledge and analysis that aid decision-making and promote sustainable solutions. 

Additionally the solution should:

• Strengthen the stakeholder know-how in the energy sector and opportunities in clean transition it has for Finland.
• Promote and further the development of innovative solutions, understanding and social acceptance for big industrial and clean investments. 
• Improve the prerequisite for success for large-scale energy projects. 
• Address the labour shortage question in the energy sector. 

Budget

10,000€ (VAT 0%) for one (1) solution. The budget can be used to cover costs related to testing, developing and distributing the winning solution.

Evaluation and selection process

The evaluation and selection of the winning solution will follow this call’s general evaluation process. The winner will be selected based on the general evaluation criteria.

Tenders for focus area clean energy transition are submitted using this specific form. In addition to filling in the form, each Bidder can submit a maximum of four (4) other attachments supporting their tender. Please note that in this focus area it is not mandatory to submit any attachments.

Forum Virium Helsinki, The FinEst Twins project’s experts and the selected members from each pilot host organisations will evaluate the tenders submitted by the deadline and select the best tenders based on scoring. The final selection in each challenge is made based on the general evaluation criteria. All participants in the tender competition will be notified of the results. The procuring entity has the right to decide not to carry out the procurement, considering factors such as the total funding available or the quality of the tenders submitted. 

Order of precedence: 

1. The information provided on the form

2. The information presented in the attachments to the tender

3. The information provided in the potential online event

Materials and information provided outside the form, its attachments, or the online event will not be considered as part of the tender.

General Evaluation Process

For the purpose of evaluation, tenders submitted will be evaluated based on the following quality criteria in accordance with the specified weightings: 1) feasibility (40 %), 2) novelty and innovativeness (30 %), 3) impact and sustainability (20 %), and 4) scalability (10 %). The maximum number of points is 100. Each challenge has a fixed price, which means that the price is not an evaluation criteria.

Each evaluation criterion is scored on a scale of 0–3 points. The maximum total score that a tender can receive is 100 points.

The scoring will be evaluated accordingly:

• 3 points: The criterion is met excellently.
• 2 points: The criterion is well met.
• 1 point: The criterion has been taken into account to some extent.
• 0 points: The criterion has been taken into account weakly or not at all.

General Evaluation Criteria

1. Feasibility, weight 40 % (0-21p equals max. 40 points)

• Equivalency: The proposal meets the specific challenge description. (0-3p)
• Clarity of the tender: The description of measures, goals, timetables and resources shows that the solution can be implemented in a high-quality and safe manner, within the agreed timeframe and at the location specified in the invitation to tender. (0-3p)
• Technical feasibility: The solution can be realistically implemented with current technology/data/resources available. (0-3p)
• Competence: The Bidder demonstrates that they have sufficient competence and resources to implement the service. Competence of the personnel assigned for the pilot project, e.g. CVs or other characterisations and support material. (0-3p)
• Restrictions: The Bidder has no limitations (e.g. policy issues, competitive setting, or other) to work in collaboration with the pilot hosts, stakeholders, and other operators being involved in the pilot programme. (0-3p)
• Economic viability: The solution is economically viable. Consider development costs, operating costs, and potential return on investment. (0-3p)
• Market viability: The solution has a market fit. (0-3p)

2. Novelty and innovativeness, weight 30 % (0-9p equals max. 30 points)

• Novelty: The solution is new to the industry or to the specific area it targets. (0-3p)
• Innovative qualities: The solution has innovative qualities which bring value for the challenge it solves. (Evaluation is carried out based on the personal competence and general and special know-how of the members of the evaluation panel selected by the procuring entity) (0-3p)
• Degree of change: The pilot project introduces more disruptive innovations than incremental improvements like new practices/solutions/perspectives compared to the existing similar solutions. (0-3p)

3. Impact and sustainability, weight 20 % (0-9p equals max. 20 points)

• Comprehensibility: The intended impact of the service and the method to verify the impact are described clearly. (0-3p)
• Positive impact: The solution demonstrates a clear positive impact on solving the identified challenge. (0-3p)
• User needs: The solution addresses a real need or solves a challenge. Innovations that are problem-driven are more likely to be successful. (0-3p)

4. Scalability, weight 10 % (0-9p equals max. 10 points)

• Replicability: The service can be replicated or reproduced in another environment. (0-3p)
• Scalability: The Bidder demonstrates that their solution has sufficient possibilities to be beneficial for wider usage (e.g. different audience or user groups, more organisations, other countries, or other factors) than only during the specified 6 month pilot period. (0-3p)
• Business value: The solution offers potential for new business. (0-3p)

Each criterion will be evaluated as a whole. Points will be awarded at a minimum interval of 0-100 points and expressed to 2 decimal places. Tenders evaluated to be of equal value may receive the same score. In a situation where multiple tenders receive the same total score, the deciding factor will be the highest score of the criteria starting from the first criteria of the top category feasibility to the last criteria of the last category in a numerical order. 

About Helsinki Partners and Business Finland

Helsinki Partners is a city marketing, investment and talent attraction company owned by the City of Helsinki. Whether you’re looking to set-up or expand your company, find quality deal flow and investment opportunities, the best location for your event or congress, visit or find your new career in Finland’s capital, Helsinki, we are here to help. https://www.myhelsinki.fi

Invest in Finland helps foreign companies identify business opportunities in Finland, produces information on Finland as an investment destination, and enhances and coordinates national efforts to attract investment by actively networking with regional and international entities. Invest in Finland also collects and updates information about foreign-owned companies in Finland. Invest in Finland is part of Business Finland.

Designed for businesses operating in Finland, Work in Finland is a service package that helps companies to recruit international professionals and develop multicultural organizations.

Learn more about Work in Finland services for companies on our new workinfinland.fi website. Work in Finland is also part of Business Finland.

Business Finland is the Finnish government organization for innovation funding and trade, travel, and investment promotion. Business Finland’s over 760 experts work in over 40 offices globally and in 16 regional offices around Finland. Business Finland is part of the Team Finland network.

Support provided during the pilot period

The selected company will receive support from pilot hosts like meetings, relevant contacts or data, feedback, and guidance for future development of the solution.

In case of any questions, please contact the organizer satu.reijonen@forumvirium.fi.

Important Links

Check the information about the mini-piloting programme.

Register to the info session!

Apply here to this challenge after the application period opens on 17 February at 12:00 (EET).

Photo: Vesa Laitinen