For the National Development Authority MA Executive Meeting

Presentation

Of the Evaluation Plan for 2007-2009

Evaluationis thejudgement on the value of a (usually) public intervention with reference to criteria and explicit standards (e.g. its relevance, efficiency, sustainability, equity etc.). The judgement usually concerns the needs which have to be met by the intervention, and the effects produced by it. „Evaluations shall aim to improve the quality, effectiveness and consistency of the assistance from the Funds and the strategy and implementation of operational programmes with respect to the specific structural problems affecting the MemberStates and regions concerned, while taking account of the objective of sustainable development and of the relevant Community legislation concerning environmental impact and strategic environmental assessment.[1]”

Documents listed in the Information Notice regulate the NHDP evaluation system.[2] The evaluations are primarily financed by Priority 2 of the Implementation Operational Programme: in accordance with the approved IOP Action Plan, the total 9-year framework of „Priority2 – system of tools required for the high standard use of support” is equivalent to 27.1 billion HUF, out of which framework 9.2 billion HUF has been allocated for 2007-2008. Out of this amount, 1 billion HUF has been earmarked in 2007-2008 for scheme 2.3 – evaluations and studies. Foreseeable necessary evaluations must be registered in a 3-year evaluation plan (reviewed every two years).

The present document sets out evaluations for 2007-2009 concerning the NHDP and its background. We recommend that the MA executive meeting

support the approval of the evaluation plan for 2007-2009;
request information on a quarterly basis on the implementation of evaluation tasks defined for the given year;
request the submission of the evaluation plan for 2009-2011 by October 2008.

INFORMATION NOTICE

The following documents regulate the Hungarian evaluation system (date of entry into force specified in brackets):

Council Regulation (EC) No.1083/2006 (11 July 2006)
Monitoring and Evaluation chapter of the implementation provisions of all operational programmes (7 August 2007)
Chapter III.8 – Evaluation Activities of the Operational Manual for the implementation of NDP II (April 2007)
NHDP Technical Assistance Rules of Procedure: Chapter I.3.2.4 on IOP Priority 2 projects (May 2007)

Council Regulation (EC) No.1083/2006 stipulates the following:

Evaluations must be carried out prior to, during and following the programming period;
Operational programmes must be put through ex-ante evaluation;
Member states must carry out SEA;
Member states must carry out evaluation if the monitoring system indicates significant deviation in relation to original OP objectives, or before the member state initiates re-allocation among OPs, priorities. The results of these evaluations must be sent to the European Commission and the Monitoring Committee;
Member states must compile an evaluation plan in connection with the „convergence” objective.

Commitments assumed within the framework of OPs:

Operation of an on-going evaluation system,
Compiling a 3-year evaluation plan; annual review of the plan,
Carrying out certain evaluations, such as:
Carrying out action plan ex-ante evaluations for the periodic planning of action plans,
General OP evaluations:
Every two years from 2008 in the case of horizontal objectives,
Interim evaluation of OPs in 2009-10,
Follow-up evaluation in 2015.
Evaluation of NDP I measures running within the framework of action plans,
Evaluation of innovative operations that were not implemented in Hungary earlier following a period of 2 years,
Carrying out a minimum of 1 scheme evaluation per year within the framework of each OP from 2009 on.
Ensuring relevant resources from IOP and building and maintaining suitable human resource capacities in the MAs.

On the grounds of the above, it is plausible to state that carrying out evaluations is on the one hand an EU expectation, whilst on the other is also in our very own interest.

Division of tasks in connection with evaluation

Task / Responsible / Remark
Recommendation on the definition of areas (priority, scheme), topics, aspects to be evaluated) / OP MA, Coord MA, Department for Strategy and Evaluation / Any organisation unit may make recommendations on evaluation up to 30 September each year
Task / Responsible / Remark
Elaboration of the evaluation plan and submission to the Presidential meeting / DSE / In unison with the OP MAs and Co MA and having requested the opinion of the OP Monitoring Committees
Elaboration of the definition of tasks(ToR) for the given evaluation / Organisational unit proposing the evaluation / If DSE elaborates the definition of tasks, the Dept. reconciles with the concerned MA(s).
If the MA elaborates the definition of tasks, the Dept. reconciles with DSE
Acceptance of definition of tasks / DSE, by integrating the concerned MA(s)
Public procurement implementation, contracting / DSE, by integrating the concerned MA(s) / Selection of the winning bidder (public procurement decision) in collaboration with the concerned MA
Technical management for evaluation / DSE, by integrating the concerned MA(s)
Project management, making decisions, approval of the initial, interim and final reports / DSE, by integrating the concerned MA(s)
Professional consultations, issuing opinions onpartial documents / DSE, by integrating the concerned MA(s) / Also including the ministries, RDA and other professional representatives
Providing data / DSE, by integrating the concerned MA(s)
Certificate of performance and payment / DSE, by integrating the concerned MA(s)
Use made of evaluation results, recommendations

Evaluation use and communication plan
Operating the reconciliation forum, partnership

/ Concerned MA(s) / During the course of action planning/review, legislative amendment, amendment of the standardised operational manual

[1] As defined under Article 47 of Council Regulation (EC) No.1083/2006 (laying down the general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999).

[2] See all documents by logging on to: \\mehvdfs\mehvdfs\MeHvCommon\MST\_Ertekelesi_es_Modszertani_Foosztaly\Ertekeles\Ertekelesi_rendszer\Ertekelesi_terv\Értékelési rendszer jogszabalyok