Specific objective

To strengthen the OPRD beneficiaries’ capacity for successful participation in OPRD implementation and absorption of SF financial resources.

Operation rationale

Taking into consideration the experience of the pre-accession instruments and the analysis of beneficiaries’ capacity it becomes evident that the real challenge is the implementation of the OPRD and it is the MA’s responsibility to ensure that the beneficiaries (municipalities, NGOs, central government institutions and agencies) are well-prepared to perform their tasks adequately.

Thus using the technical assistance facility this operation will support activities that address the difficulties of beneficiaries in prioritizing their needs, the deficiency in project preparation, identification and justification and the lack of maturity of proposals. An important gap to be also address is the tendency to propose smaller “isolated” rather than strategically or operationally integrated projects. 

Furthermore, the analysis of beneficiaries’ training needs performed under the UNDP assessment of capacity showed that according to the beneficiaries they are “overtrained” with general trainings and little specific training is given to them. As the general trainings on SF management, implementation and control procedures (including public procurement, audit trail, verification of expenditures, financial management and control, horizontal principles, etc..) will be covered by OP “Technical Assistance”, operation 5.3 will support the strengthening of the existing capacity of OPRD beneficiaries by providing training activities related to its specifics and technicalities. Concerning the methodology of the training, priority will be given to programmes, which are of practical nature, carried out in the form of workshops and in which the training activities are complemented by professional mentorship.

For some time it has been recognised that regional and local development in Bulgaria cannot be successfully promoted solely on the basis of individual municipalities. Not only is there some need for inter-municipal co-operation, especially involving smaller municipalities, but there is also a need to promote more cohesive, partnership-based joint working process among municipalities. To ensure effective participation in and commitment to regional development actions, a more integrated development approach is needed. Inter-municipal, practical partnership is a challenge for development: a “cooperation spirit” among potential partnering municipalities with similar problems will be of crucial importance for OPRD absorption.

To address the gaps in inter-municipal partnership the operation will support training and consulting activities facilitating and establishing co-operation models and networks, especially for the smaller municipalities.

In addition to this a special Decree adopted by the Council of Ministers envisages hiring of experts for managing infrastructural projects thus supporting the beneficiaries’ capacity in preparing, technical, administrative and financial management and implementation of EU funded projects.  

List of indicative activities to be supported

• Assessment of training and consultancy needs;
• Elaboration and implementation of action plans for strengthening the administrative capacity of OPRD beneficiaries on the basis of the conducted assessments; 
• Consultancy assistance for identifying project ideas and elaboration of OPRD relevant proposals, development and maintenance of a pipeline of “ready-for-funding” projects;   
• Elaboration and implementation of training programmes (hiring experts, organization of trainings, teaching materials, etc.) specifically designed for and related to facilitating the implementation of OPRD operations like:

- training programme for capacity building in elaboration and implementation of integrated urban regeneration plans/strategies,

- training programme for capacity building in using the JESSICA instrument in relation to OPRD,

- training programme for capacity building in implementing energy efficiency measures and using the potential of the renewable energy sources,

- training programme for capacity building in preparation of preliminary studies, feasibility studies, assessment of demand and feasibility, social-economic and financial appraisal, as well as other kinds of technical documentation necessary for preparation of projects to apply for funding under the OPRD operations,

- training programme for capacity building in environmental issues concerning OPRD projects as Environmental Impact Assessment, SEA, NATURA 2000 issues and their integration in OPRD projects preparation and implementation, etc.

• Partnership building activities aiming at the improvement and facilitation of cooperation among  smaller municipalities in project preparation and implementation, development of partnership actions with socio-economic, regional, NGOs and other relevant partners, development of integrated solutions;
• Development and strengthening the networking between municipalities (exchange of innovations, experience and best practices ).

Beneficiaries

Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works(MA and its regional departments).

Ministry of Health; Ministry of Culture; Ministry of Education, Youth and Science; Social Assistance Agency; Employment Agency; Ministry of Interior; Road Infrastructure Agency; Executive Agency Electronic Communication Networks and Information Systems; Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism.

Final recipients of the support are all OPRD beneficiaries (municipalities, NGOs, central ministries and agencies, district authorities) as identified under all priority axes.

Last modified: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 4:28 PM