The role of the DOE

Designated operational entities (DOEs) are engaged to validate small-scale project activities.

To carry out the validation, the DOE must verify that the project meets certain basic eligibility requirements, consult with stakeholders, and finally provide a request for registration to the Executive Board in the form of a validation report which attaches the project design document (PDD).

The role of the DOE for small-scale projects is set out in full in 4/CMP.1, Annex II, paragraph 23:

The designated operational entity shall:

a.        Prior to the submission of the validation report to the Executive Board, have received from the project participants written approval of voluntary participation from the designated national authority of each Party involved, including confirmation by the host Party that the project activity assists it in achieving sustainable development;

b.        In accordance with provisions on confidentiality contained in paragraph 27 (h) of the CDM modalities and procedures, make publicly available the project design document;

c.        Receive, within 30 days, comments on the project design document from Parties, stakeholders and UNFCCC accredited non-governmental organizations, and make them publicly available;

d.        After the deadline for receipt of comments, make a determination as to whether, on the basis of the information provided and taking into account the comments received, the project activity should be validated;

e.        Inform project participants of its determination on the validation of the project activity. Notification to the project participants shall include either:

                                 i.            Confirmation of validation and date of submission of the validation report to the Executive Board; or

                                ii.            An explanation of reasons for non-acceptance if the project activity, as documented, is judged not to fulfil the requirements for validation.

f.         Submit to the Executive Board, if it determines the proposed project activity to be valid, a request for registration in the form of a validation report including the project design document, the written approval of the host Party as referred to in paragraph 23 (a) above, and an explanation of how it has taken due account of comments received;

g.        Make this validation report publicly available upon transmission to the Executive Board (4/CMP.1, Annex II, paragraph 23).

In addition to validation and verification DOEs must also, as set out in EB 44, Annex 3:

h.      Undertake voluntary pre-assessment of new baseline and monitoring methodologies in accordance with paragraph 14 of the report of the twenty-first meeting of the CDM Executive Board;

i.       Identify and submit requests for deviation in accordance with paragraph 66 of the  report of the twenty-first meeting of the CDM Executive Board.

For small-scale projects, a single DOE may carry out validation, verification and certification. This is unlike the position for large-scale projects, where a DOE engaged to provide validation services cannot also provide verification and certification services, unless specific permission is obtained from the Executive Board:

A single designated operational entity may perform validation as well as verification and certification for a small-scale CDM project activity or bundled small-scale CDM project activities (4/CMP.1, Annex II, paragraph 20).

DOEs must follow the requirements outlined in the Validation and Verification Manual (VVM) in EB 44, Annex 3 to ensure quality and consistency in verification and validation reports.