Developing the evaluation and monitoring capacity of the public institutions involved in the implementation of the National Programme for Rural Development 2014-2020

Smart Integration in partnership with AESA-Agriconsulting Europe and IRIS support the Management Authority in elaborating the mandatory assessment provided by European regulations and ad hoc evaluations.
Through this project we aim to improve the system of monitoring and evaluation at the level of MAs and paying agencies as well as at the level of Local Action Groups through specific activities meant to strengthen evaluation and monitoring capacity.

Context of the project
Compared to the previous period, implementation of the rural development programmes is more oriented to achieving results, and the European regulations provide mandatory evaluations of these programmes.
Under these circumstances, the role of the evaluations in analysing efficiency, efficacy and impact of the NPRD 2014-2020 it is even more important as evaluations will help improve the quality of programme implementation.

Objective
Strengthen the administrative capacity needed to evaluate the NRDP 2014-2020, through actions aimed at ensuring a qualitative level of experience and knowledge in the field of evaluation among the actors involved in the implementation of the National Rural Development Program, as well as increasing the awareness regarding the role of evaluation among these actors.

Results
→ Analysis of the current system of evaluation-monitoring and elaboration of proposals for improvement;
→ A plan on evaluation and monitoring capacity that will identify training needs and will present the activities needed to strengthen the capacity;
→ An intensive assessment-monitoring course regarding the RDP;
→ At least 12 training sessions on evaluation and monitoring;
→ At least 3 study visits in EU member states;
→ 14 meetings of the Evaluation Coordination Committee;
→ Support for the evaluation and monitoring activities carried out by the Managing Authority for the NRDP;
→ Support in developing specifications that require specific/high expertise in order to carry out procurement procedures for selecting evaluators responsible with program evaluations;
→ Contribution to the elaboration of an operational guide to assessing the implementation of local development strategies by the LAG;
→ Presentations on the evaluation and monitoring activities carried out during the project;
→ Translation of the main guidance documents on the evaluation and monitoring of rural development programs developed by the European Commission together with the European Assessment Network for Rural Development;
→ One conference for presendting the project’s results programed in 2021.

Authority
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Estimated value (without VAT)
1 448 213,47 Lei

Implementation period
December 2017 – February 2022

This contract is funded by EAFRD (community funds), through the National Programme for Rural Development 2014-2020, Measure 20 Technical Assistance.