“Support to the monitoring and control of the OP HRD funded operations” MK10/IB/SO/01 TWL

Project Starting Date: 24 March 2014

Project End Date: 24 November 2014

Project Budget: € 250.000,00

Contractor: Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania, in consortium with Central Project Management Agency (CPMA) and European Social Fund Agency (ESFA)

Final Beneficiary: Ministry of Finance (MF), Ministry of Education and Science (MES) and Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP)

Overall objective:

To achieve efficient and sound management and implementation of the OP HRD (Multi-annual Operational Programme “Human Resources Development” 2007-2013) in the framework of decentralized management, in accordance with the IPA Implementing Regulation and the Financing Agreement concerning the OP HRD.

Purpose:

To further strengthen the system/institutional framework and the human capacities within the Operating Structure (OS) on monitoring and control of operations/ projects, in order to ensure efficient and effective implementation of the OP HRD in compliance with the relevant EU and national rules.

Expected Results and Key Activities Implemented:

Result 1: Increased capacity of the institutional set up for monitoring on project and programme level streamlined for ensuring sound financial management of the OP HRD

To achieve the aforementioned result, the following activities were implemented:

1.1 Revise the monitoring system defined in the Operational Agreements and Manual of procedures to ensure efficient monitoring function of the OS. The revision will encompass:

Division of labour and responsibilities between CFCD and line ministries;

Procedures, methods and tools for monitoring and control of all types of contracts under OP HRD;

Reporting, with special emphasis on the sources of information and the content of the reports;

Usage of the MIS;

Control environment procedure (risk management on a project and programme level and irregularities);

Transparency (information and publicity) and visibility requirements on project and programme level;

Procedures for retention of documents required to ensure an adequate audit trail.

1.2 Revise and improve the Guidelines for Grant Beneficiaries and in particular the rules for implementation of grant projects such as:

Rules for implementation of public procurement by grant beneficiaries;

Rules on visibility and transparency and templates according to the EU Communication and Visibility Manual;

– Financial management of grant projects.

1.3 Align the methodologies and procedures for monitoring the implementation of OP HRD with the principles and methodology of the Results Oriented Monitoring System of the European Commission.

1.4 Establish mechanism/tools for obtaining systematic feedback from the monitoring officers as an input for preparation of new operations.

Result 2: Capacity of the OS strengthened for monitoring of project and OP HRD in compliance with the EU regulations and the best practices

To achieve the aforementioned result, the following activities were implemented:

2.1 Guide the specialists for monitoring issues such as secondary procurements, on-the-spot visits/ checks, expenditure verifications of administrative, financial, technical and physical aspects of operations/all type of contract, irregularities, risks management, financial management on project level, analytical presentation of the output and outcome indicators, visibility and publicity rules, etc.

2.2 Assist OS staff to apply the principles and methodology of the Results Oriented Monitoring of OP HRD.

2.3 Introduce the tools for effective communication and cooperation between OS and Contractors/ Grant Beneficiaries and partners during every phase of the project life cycle.

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