Overall Objective

The overall objective (Impact) to which this action contributes is to increase the competitiveness of the Albanian economy and to decrease of the social and environmental costs by bringing Albania’s policies and legislation in line with the EU policies and the EU acquis, and building administrative capacity to implement sector policies and the adopted legislation fully and effectively.

Summary of the Project

IPA 2022 (Annual Action Plan in favour of Albania for 2022) under the EU Integration Facility- Component 7 includes a TA to support for:
A) Development and implementation of Road safety strategy and action plan 2021-2030;
B) Continue implementing ARA reform Action Plan and support ARA to be restructured internally and ready to implement a tolling system.
The specific objective of this contract is an improvement of the road safety and of the reliability, accessibility and resilience of the national road network through the effective, efficient and data-driven management systems.

Activities

Task 1: Road safety planning methodology:
Sub-task 1.1.: Elaboration of the methodology;
1. At least two workshops, one at the beginning of the methodology elaboration and the second with the methodology drafted;
2. Report with the description of the methodology along with:
a. the data and tools requirements;
b. international benchmarks from EU member states in terms of legislation and regulations for road safety planning.

Sub-task 1.2: Stakeholders’ awareness and study visits:
1. Benchmarking report presenting differences and similarities between the current situation in Albania and visited countries along with the similarities and differences in respect to the proposed road safety planning methodology.

Task 2: Road safety management system gap analysis:
The contractor is required to carry out a gap analysis of the existing road safety management system and its capacities aimed at detailed assessment of practical use of the full potential of the proposed methodology.
Sub-task 2.1.: Analysis of the data and IT resources;
1. Report on the data and systems quality, adequacy and appropriateness for the practical use of the methodology.
2. Revision of the legislation and regulations concerning the road safety data management.

Sub-task 2.2: Analysis of the current road safety management processes
1. Report on the current road safety processes, practices and shares of responsibilities against the proposed methodology;
2. Revision of the legislation and regulations with regard to the road safety management;
3. Possible scenarios of the road safety governance and management within the public sector with SWOT analyses for each of the scenario and clear recommendation from the contractor side;
4. Workshop to consult the findings of the analyses and in regard to the recommended governance and management arrangements along with the relevant international benchmarks.

Sub-task 2.3: Analysis of the strategies in terms of their focus on road safety
1. Report on goals and objectives consistency between sectors and stakeholders;
2. Proposal of revised split of roles and responsibilities along with changes in relevant legislation and regulations.

Task 3: Embedment of the improved supply and demand management processes in the regulations, legislation and practice of the Albanian Road Authority:

Sub-task 3.1: Identification of indicators and variables reflecting goals and objectives set for the road network and for ARA as public entity;
1. Workshop for the relevant stakeholders (at least the Albanian Road Authority and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy);
2. Report with the variables and indicators rationale and justification along with data necessity and calculating methods for each variable/indicator;
3. Study visit in the EU Member States;
4. Implementation of the developed methodologies and indicators into the planning of activities on the road network based on the Road Asset Management System.

Sub-task 3.2: Feasibility assessment of practical use of identified variables and indicators;
1. Report on the adequacy and quality of the data, information, computing models in the Road Asset Management Systems and Road Traffic Monitoring and Control ITS System (RTMCS);
2. Support in the start-up of the RTMCS;
3. The road network management plan including safety, resilience and reliability with use of the available data including recommendations on the improvement of the data and systems’ capacity;
4. Revised and updated Service Level Agreement between the ARA and the MIE.

Sub-task 3.3: Elaboration of regulations regarding operational processes;
1. Map of the operational processes;
2. Workshops for each phase of the management process and for the supporting processes;
3. Revised regulations regarding the operational processes;
4. Report on the adequacy of the organisational structure;
5. Recommendations for the future improvements.

Sub-task 3.4: Elaboration of competence requirements and relevant job descriptions;
1. Report with the assessment of the adequacy of the current human resources;
2. Workshop and development plan for the human resources;
3. Competences requirements and job descriptions.

Sub-task 3.5: Assistance with the embedment and initial operations under revised regulations;
1. Workshops as necessary;
2. Internship for up to 3 members of the ARA staff in the road authority in the EU Member State (indicatively with max 2 weeks duration);
3. Report on necessary changes based on the practice.

Task 4: Preparation of the Road Safety Strategy and the Action Plan;

Sub-task 4.1: Analysis of the current situation and identification of the key objectives;
1. Inputs to the strategy defining most important road safety challenges and key objectives;
2. Description of the road safety governance and management model based on the scenario recommended under sub-task 2.2. including necessary competences and human resources;
3. Elaboration of the Road Safety Strategy document.

Sub-task 4.2: Identification of the decision making criterions and preparing of the Action Plan;
1. Action Plan with priority actions selected on the basis of proposed methodology and available data;
2. RASCI matrix;
3. Performance measures.

Sub-task 4.3: Monitoring, evaluation and assessment methodology;
1. Workshop on the monitoring, evaluation and assessment methodology;
2. Report with the description of the methodology and prerequisites (including data);
3. Preparation of the templates of the monitoring, evaluation and assessment reports.
4. Assistance to the engaged organisation in the monitoring, evaluation and assessment of the first Action Plan implementation.

Task 5: Elaboration of the masterplan for the financing mechanisms for the road network of national importance;

Indicative outputs:
1. Report on the effectiveness of use of available funds and impact factors;
2. Impact of the insufficient funding on the road safety and road network reliability and resilience from the cost, risk and performance perspectives;
3. Master plan for the improvements of financing mechanisms including revision of the toll collection strategy and terms of reference for its implementation.

Results

The expected outputs of this contract are as follows:
– Development of the Road Safety Strategy and the related Action Plan up to year 2030 including providing assistance for its implementation;
– Revision of the supply and demand management processes in the Albanian Road Authority and assistance in their embedment into relevant legislation, regulations, procedures and organisational structure.
– Strengthening of the capacity of the Road Asset Management System and Road Traffic Monitoring and Control System (ITS);
– Masterplan for the financing mechanisms’ and revenue management improvement for the road network of the national importance;
– Terms of Reference for the tolling system based on ITS architecture and analysis of revenues structure and its sources.