1. Reference is made to the Balancing and Settlement Code for the Electricity Industry in Great Britain and in particular, to the definition of “BSC Procedure”.

2. This is BSC Procedure BSCP513, relating to Bulk Change of NHH Supplier Agent.

3. This BSC Procedure is effective from 18 July 2022.

4. This BSC Procedure has been approved by the Panel.

1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose and Scope of the Procedure

This BSC Procedure (BSCP) defines the processes that Suppliers¹ ² will use to initiate changes of Supplier Agent(s) in respect of multiple Non Half Hourly (NHH) Supplier Volume Allocation (SVA) Metering Systems, where the number of Metering Systems involved exceeds a threshold established by the BSC Panel (the Panel)³. This threshold will be published on the BSC Website. This BSCP is not intended for use in the event of a failing Supplier Agent and will not be used where there is a coincident change of Supplier and Supplier Agent. It describes the method by which Suppliers will submit an application for such a change of agent(s) (hereafter referred to as a bulk change of agent) to BSCCo for consideration by the Panel and the process by which the Panel will make its determinations and communicate its decisions to the Supplier. The purpose of this BSCP is to ensure that bulk changes of agent are only carried out where the Panel is satisfied that the Supplier, Supplier Agents and Supplier Meter Registration Agents (SMRAs) involved can undertake the necessary procedures in a controlled and competent manner without adversely impacting their daily operations and other Suppliers within the Supplier Meter Registration Service (SMRS); thereby protecting the integrity of Settlement. For the avoidance of doubt, appointment of SVA Meter Operator Agents (MOAs) is not in scope for this BSCP as these appointments will take place in accordance with the Retail Energy Code (REC) Metering Operations Schedule.

1.2 Main Users of Procedure and their Responsibilities

This BSCP should be used by Suppliers, who will be required to liaise with the affected SMRAs and Supplier Agents (old and new) in order to collate all the necessary information that the Panel requires in order to make its determination.

BSCCo will be responsible for administering the bulk change of agent application and will liaise with the Supplier and the Panel³. The Panel will be responsible for making a determination on the bulk change of agent application. In so doing, the Panel will take into consideration the original or revised application or any other requirements that must be fulfilled by the Supplier (e.g. a test run or a reduction in the volume of SVA Metering Systems affected by the bulk change of agent).

Having obtained approval from the Panel on the basis of its application, a Supplier shall be responsible for overseeing the activities of the Supplier Agents in the subsequent bulk change of agent using a number of related BSCPs, and for the resolving of any issues that arise during the process. Following completion of the bulk change of agent, the Supplier will notify the Panel.

1.3 Use of the Procedure

The remaining sections in this document are:

Section 2 – Not Used

Section 3 – Interface and Timetable Information: this section defines in more detail the requirements of each business process

Section 4 – Appendices: this section contains supporting information.

1.4 Balancing and Settlement Code Provision

This BSCP has been produced in accordance with the provisions of the Balancing and Settlement Code (the Code). In the event of an inconsistency between the provisions of this BSCP and the Code, the provisions of the Code shall prevail.

1.5 Associated BSC Procedures

BSCP501	Supplier Meter Registration Service
BSCP504	Non-Half Hourly Data Collection for SVA Metering Systems Registered in SMRS
BSCP505	Non Half Hourly Data Aggregation for SVA Metering Systems Registered in SMRS

1.6 Acronyms and Definitions

1.6.1 Acronyms

The acronyms and terms used in this BSCP are defined as follows. Any other capitalised terms in this BSCP have the meanings given to them in Section X of the Code.

BSC	Balancing and Settlement Code
BSCCo	Balancing and Settlement Code Company
BSCP	BSC Procedure
DA	Data Aggregator
DC	Data Collector
ID	Identifier
MPID	Market Participant Id
NHH	Non Half Hourly
SMRA	Supplier Meter Registration Agent
SMRS	Supplier Meter Registration Service
SVA	Supplier Volume Allocation
SVA MOA	SVA Meter Operator Agent
WD	Working Day

1.6.2 Definitions

‘Agent’

Where Agent is referenced in this procedure, it refers to each discrete instance of SVA NHHMOA, NHHDC and NHHDA.

‘bulk change of NHH Supplier Agent’ or ‘bulk change of agent’

The process initiated by a Supplier where the number of SVA NHH Metering Systems involved exceeds the threshold level set by the Panel, and where an application to the Panel has been approved.

‘bulk change of agent transfer date’

The date upon which the information stored in the relevant SMRS and Supplier Agent systems is updated in preparation for the effective date of the bulk change of agent.

‘Data Transfer Service Provider’

As defined in the BSC.

‘Managed Data Network’

As defined in the BSC. Also known as the Data Transfer Network (DTN).

‘Total Daily Processing’

As defined in BSCP501.

2 Not Used

3. Interface and Timetable Information

3.1 Bulk Change of NHH Supplier Agent Application³

REF	WHEN	ACTION	FROM	TO	INFORMATION REQUIRED	METHOD
3.1.1	Prior to submitting a bulk change of agent / revised bulk change of agent application.	Liaise with Supplier Agent(s) and SMRA to put together the bulk change of agent application / revised application. Further detail on the Supplier and SMRA obligations applicable to section 3.1.1 are set out in Appendix 4.2.	Supplier.	Supplier Agent(s), SMRA.	Determine the information to be provided in the bulk change of agent application. Appendix 4.2.	Verbal/Email.
3.1.2	Prior to next Panel meeting and sufficiently in advance of bulk change of agent transfer date⁴.	Submit bulk change of agent application / revised application.	Supplier.	BSCCo.	Complete form BSCP513/01 Part A in accordance with Appendix 4.1.	Post/Email.
3.1.3	Within 1WD of receipt of 3.1.2.	Acknowledge receipt of application.	BSCCo.	Supplier.	Date of receipt of application.	Fax/Email.
3.1.4	At next Panel meeting.	Verify that all information required has been provided in 3.1.2 and determine whether or not to approve bulk change of agent application.	Panel.		Information provided in accordance with Appendix 4.1, and any previous experience Supplier has in bulk changes of agents.	Internal Process.
3.1.5	Following Panel meeting.	If necessary, request additional information from Supplier in support of bulk change of agent application.	BSCCo.	Supplier.	Request for additional information, as necessary.	Fax/Email.
3.1.6	If required, within 2WD of 3.1.5.	Submit additional information.	Supplier.	BSCCo.	Additional information as requested.	Fax/Email.
3.1.7	Within 1WD of 3.1.4 or 3.1.6, as the case may be.	Notify Supplier of determination.	BSCCo.	Supplier.	BSCP513/01 Part B, including details of Panel decision, reasons for decision and any other requirements that must be met by Supplier (e.g. a test run or a reduction in volume).	Fax/Email.
3.1.8	If application refused.	If required, return to 3.1.1 and submit revised bulk change of agent application.	Supplier	BSCCo.	Complete form BSCP513/01 Part A in accordance with Appendix 4.1.	Post/Email.
3.1.9	If application approved, at same time as 3.1.7.	Publish notice of approval of bulk change of agent application.	BSCCo.	BSC Website users.	Details of application as submitted in 3.1.1.	BSC Website.
3.1.10	If application approved, following 3.1.9.	Proceed with bulk change of agent on an SMRS by SMRS basis, in accordance with BSCP501, BSCP504 and/or BSCP505 (as the case may be) and any additional requirements specified in 3.1.7. Further detail on the Supplier and SMRA obligations applicable to section 3.1.10 are set out in Appendix 4.3.	Supplier.		Appendix 4.3.
3.1.11	Within 5WD of processing the bulk change of agent.	Provide status of bulk change of agent.	Supplier.	Panel.	Status of bulk change of agent including: Confirmation that bulk change of agent completed. The number of Metering Systems that have successfully transferred. The number of Metering Systems that have failed. Remedial action to address failures.	Fax/Email.

4. Appendices

4.1 Information required in Bulk Change of Agent Application

Suppliers wishing to initiate a bulk change of agent must submit a written application from a company director to BSCCo using form BSCP513/01 Part A, and must ensure that the documentation and information listed in this Appendix is provided in the application.

Information Required

An outline of the following:

each SMRA affected by proposed bulk change of agent, including their contact details;
each Supplier Agent affected (both old and new), including their contact details; and
the total number of SVA Metering Systems involved in the process.

An outline of a process timetable to include proposed dates for:

the bulk change of agent transfer date;
the effective date of the agent appointment registration change(s) (i.e. Effective from Date {SVA MOA} and / or Effective from Date {DCA} and / or Effective from Settlement Date {DAA}) in SMRS(s);
a confirmation date (subsequent to the effective date of the appointment registration change(s)) that the bulk change of agent has been completed; and
the extent of the resolution period for resolving any issues arising during or after the bulk change of agent.

Supporting documentation to include:

written confirmation, at company director level, that the Supplier has sufficient resources and expertise in place to administer the bulk change of agent without adversely impacting operations;
separate written confirmation from the relevant Supplier Agent(s) and SMRA(s) that they can proceed with the bulk change of agent without adversely impacting their day-to-day operational activities; and
a methodology statement for managing implementation and issue resolution.

4.2 Scheduling a Bulk Change of Agent

While this procedure does not set out specific processes in section 3.1.1 for scheduling a bulk change of agent, since this will largely depend upon the operating procedures for a particular SMRA and the methods, volumes and dates agreed, the principles in the following paragraphs should be applied.

The SMRA shall use reasonable endeavours to ensure that all messages of any one type are processed in the order they are received. This is to be considered when the SMRA determines how the bulk change of agent updates are to be scheduled into the processing for its SMRS, since these instructions are excluded from the Total Daily Processing obligations set out in BSCP501 and this procedure allows for the bulk change of agent to be scheduled outside of Total Daily Processing.

The D0205 ‘Update Registration Details’ flow via the Managed Data Network is the standard method by which a Supplier notifies the SMRA of a change of agent. If the agreed method of providing the bulk change of agent is via the Managed Data Network, the Data Transfer Service Provider shall be informed. Nothing in this BSCP shall preclude an SMRA from processing bulk change of agent instructions with other D0205 updates within the Total Daily Processing window in BSCP501, provided that all reasonable endeavours are undertaken to ensure that the additional volume of instructions does not adversely affect the processing of notifications of registrations or updates that any other Suppliers have sent to that SMRA on that Working Day.

Confirmations (D0172 flow) and rejections (D0203 flow) from the SMRA, and any notifications to an NHHDA (D0209 flow), or NHHDAs if appropriate, of the revised NHHDC and/or NHHDA Id may be automatically sent to the SMRA’s gateway for delivery to the recipient’s gateway. Therefore, due care should be taken to ensure that there will not be a detrimental effect on the Managed Data Network and/or the Supplier’s or NHHDA’s gateway for the proposed volume of files generated after processing the bulk change of agent.

Where processing of the bulk change of agent will result in the notifications of confirmations/rejections from the SMRA being delivered to the relevant gateway(s), the Supplier shall inform the Data Transfer Service Provider of the proposed date(s) and volume(s) of bulk change of agent file/instructions (which will be assumed to be indicative of the consequent volume of confirmations/rejections). Where the Data Transfer Service Provider identifies issues, the relevant Supplier and SMRA shall use reasonable endeavours to resolve these issues.

4.3 Implementing a Bulk Change of Agent

In order to proceed with the implementation of a bulk change of agent, a Supplier shall have received authorisation under this BSCP to proceed with the proposed bulk change of agent. The Supplier shall confirm to the SMRA in writing that this approval has been received, and the SMRA shall not implement a bulk change of agent where this confirmation has not been received.

This BSCP requires the BSCCo, when a bulk change of agent has been authorised by the Panel, to publish details of the application on the BSC Website. In addition, the successful application will be noted in a relevant BSC communication.

Upon approval of the proposed bulk change of agent by the Panel, the Supplier shall provide the bulk change of agent instructions to the SMRA according to the schedule and procedure previously agreed between the relevant Supplier and the SMRA.

In implementing the bulk change of agent, an SMRA shall ensure that its validation procedures, and the requirements set out in BSCP501, will be applied to the instructions. Existing rejection reasons will be supplied for any rejection of either the entire file or any of the instructions within the file.

4.3.1 Rejection of Bulk Change of Agent Instruction Files

An SMRA may reject an entire file of bulk change of agent instructions where the file has not been received in accordance with the agreement made with the Supplier, or if the file cannot be processed. In either case, the SMRA shall notify the Supplier of the rejection and the reasons for that rejection, which notification shall include a revised period during which the Supplier may re-submit the file.

Where the Supplier does not re-submit files within the timescales necessary to adhere to the bulk change of agent schedule agreed with the SMRA, a new schedule should be agreed between the Supplier and SMRA. Where this impacts the overall bulk change of agent plan notified in the Supplier’s bulk change of agent application, this should be reported to BSCCo.

4.3.2 Rejection of Individual Bulk Change of Agent Instructions

Upon acceptance of the file of bulk change of agent instructions by an SMRA, where an instruction within that file to update the SVA MOA Id, NHHDC Id and/or NHHDA Id, as applicable, for a particular Metering System, is rejected by the SMRA, then the rejection and the reasons for that rejection shall be conveyed to the Supplier. Any rejections of instructions shall be resolved using processes set out in BSCP501, except by mutual agreement of the Supplier and SMRA as part of the agreed bulk change of agent method.

The Supplier shall ensure that, where instructions require re-submission following rejection, the total number of new and re-submitted instructions does not exceed the daily limits previously agreed with the SMRA. In the event that the overall schedule agreed between the Supplier and SMRA needs to be extended, or daily limits increased, to accommodate the re-submission of rejected instructions, then the Supplier and SMRA shall agree a new schedule and the Supplier shall notify BSCCo.

4.3.3 Completion of Supplier and SMRA Interactions in Bulk Change of Agent

The Supplier and SMRA elements of the bulk change of agent process set out in section 3.1.10 of this BSCP shall be considered complete when all change of agent instructions have been processed successfully in accordance with the pre-agreed schedule and:

All relevant instruction files have been accepted for processing by the SMRA or have been rejected by the SMRA; and
Confirmation or rejection of the instructions has been notified to the relevant participants by the SMRA or its SMRS.

4.4 BSCP513/01 Bulk Change of Agent Application Form⁵

BSCCo Use Only

Ref No

Bulk Change of Agent Application

Form

PART A: SUPPLIER

To: BSCCo

Applicant Details

Supplier ID:

Company Name:

Proposed scope of bulk change of agent

Please give details of the following:

SMRA affected by bulk change of agent:

Each Supplier Agent affected by bulk change of agent:

Total number of SVA Metering Systems involved:

Proposed Timetable

Please enter the proposed dates for the following milestones in the bulk change of agent process:

Bulk change of agent Transfer Date (Calendar Day): ………………………….

Effective date for registration(s) in SMRS(s):

SVA MOA appointment ………………………….

(ie. Effective from Date {MOA})

NHHDC appointment ………………………….

(ie. Effective from Date {DCA})

NHHDA appointment ………………………….

(ie. Effective from Settlement Date {DAA})

Confirmation date of successful bulk change of agent: ………………………….

Deadline date for resolution of any issues: ………………………….

Attached Documents

	Tick
Written confirmation that Supplier is able to administer the proposed
bulk change of agent

Written confirmation from relevant SMRA that they are able to proceed


Written confirmation from relevant Supplier Agent(s) that they are able to
proceed

Methodology statement for processing bulk change of agent

Declaration

I confirm that to the best of my knowledge the evidence provided in this application is true, and I accept that I shall be responsible for all liabilities with regard to the completion of the bulk change of agent.

Name: ……………………………. Company:……………………………

Signature: ………………………... Date: ………………………….

PART B: BSCCo

To: Supplier

Application Status: ACCEPT / REJECT/ DEFER (delete as applicable)

Agreed transfer date: ………………………... (for accepted applications only)

Reasons for rejection / deferral (if relevant):

Additional information attached for consideration by Supplier? Y / N (delete as appropriate)

Name: ………………………...

Signed: ………………………... Date: ………………………...

AMENDMENT RECORD – BSCP513

Version	Date	Description of Changes	CPs Included	Mods Panel Ref
1.0	17/02/03	Incorporates changes for P63.	P63	SVG/20/251 SVG/21/256
2.0	23/02/05	SVA February 05 Release and BETTA 6.3	P159, BETTA 6.3, CP1091	SVG/47/004
3.0	01/09/21	1 September 2021 Non-Standard Release	P420	P316/05
4.0	18/07/22	18 July 2022 Non-Standard Release	P436	P325/05

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1 A Supplier considering initiating a bulk change of agent may choose to initiate a test run with the affected SMRAs and / or Supplier Agents.

2 In order to address any data quality issues, the Supplier may choose to instruct its Supplier Agents to cleanse their records prior to submitting a bulk change of agent application; therefore reducing the potential for issues to arise once the bulk change of agent has been initiated.

3 All obligations on the Panel within this BSCP may be delegated to an appropriate Panel Committee.

4 When submitting the bulk change of agent application / revised bulk change of agent application, the Supplier will take into account, wherever possible, any changes that are in progress or will be in progress by the bulk change of agent transfer date.

5 If multiple SMRAs affected by the bulk change of agent, a separate form must be completed for each SMRA affected.

CONTENTS

BSCP513 - BULK CHANGE OF NHH SUPPLIER AGENT