Period: 2005

The main objective of this project was to facilitate in Bulgaria and Romania the improvement of the Quality Assurance capability of the administrative entities responsible for the implementation of ISPA (EU/Pre-Accession Structural Instruments) and future Cohesion Funds for the whole Project Cycle Management (PCM). Both countries, within their respective implementing bodies, should have an appropriate number of trained people that can effectively manage the full project cycle for ISPA and future Cohesion Funds with particular emphasis on:

• Identification of project needs consistent with the respective policy framework;
• Selection of projects that are in line with national priorities and which contribute to the implementation of Community policies for the Environment and Transport sectors;
• Preparation of project documents for submission to the Commission for financial assistance. Establishment of the details of the project on the basis of feasibility studies. Financial and cost-benefit analysis. Environmental impact assessment. Examination of all other factors that will assure the effective implementation of the project in compliance with the appropriate EC Regulations;
• Evaluation of completed application documents in order to confirm compliance with required standards for submission to the European Commission (EC);
• Implementation: focused on tendering, contracting, monitoring and meeting project deadlines (improving time management and risk management).
• Ex-post Evaluation: quality assurance of ex-post evaluations of projects, evaluation methodology, drafting ToR’s for evaluations, policy lessons of evaluations.