Organisation: / Marshal Office of Slaskie Voivodeship
Website: /
E-mails address: / swiac@ go2.pl
Title: / “Successful project management as a key factor in fostering regional
competitiveness”
The abstract highlights experience of the regional authorities in the Silesia region in implementation of pre-accession funds and presents identified success factors.
The Slaskie Voivodeship is the second most developed region in Poland (in terms of GDP per capita). The area of the voievodeship, covering over 12 294 km2, constitutes nearly 3,9% of Poland, whereas the number of inhabitants - 4 830 000, comprises 12,5% of the whole population of Poland. It is the most densely populated voivodeship in Poland - 1 square km inhabited by 393 people with the country's average of 124. The Silesia region was formed on 1st January 1999 out of the former: bielskie, częstochowskie and katowickie voivodeships. The voivodeship (NUTS II) is divided into 36 NUTS IV territorial units called – poviats and 166 gminas (NUTS V).
Since 1990 the region has been taking part in the European Union Programmes financed by the pre-accession funds. So far over 15 programmes were implemented, namely: STRUDER, RAPID, STRUDER 2, INRED, Phare 98 SPP, Phare Initiative PL, Phare Economic and Social Cohesion 2000, Phare Economic and Social Cohesion 2001, Phare Economic and Social Cohesion 2003, 5th Framework Programme: RIS – Silesia (Regional Innovation Strategy); Prelude, Interreg III C: Industrial Change Network, Interreg III C: Regional Triangle of Weimar. Total amount of aid granted in the period 1990-2003 accounts for 510,72 MEUR.
Nowadays, the Development Programming and European Funds Department of Marshal Office plays a role of the Implementation Authority for Integrated Regional Operational Programme (IROP) financed by the Structural Funds. It is responsible for: programming, launching a call of project proposals, collection of project proposals, formal and quality assessment, organisation of the Regional Steering Committee’s meetings and final approval of projects. Additionally, it is also obliged to implement and monitor selected measures in the Priority 2 of IROP.
Successful implementation of European Union programmes depends on inter alia effective management of a single project. Achievement of projects` objectives contributes to the implementation of programme`s goals. In the respect, it is crucial to concentrate on effective management of a single project.The lecture seeks to stress importance of successful project management in building regional competitiveness.
The Project Cycle Methodology was applied to management of the European Union development projects. The generic project cycle has six phases: Programming Identification, Appraisal, Financing, Implementation and Evaluation. However, a duration and importance of each phase may vary. In practice it shares three common themes. At each phase the key decisions, the information requirements and the responsibilities are defined. One phase needs to be completed for the next to be tackle and the next programming phase builds on previous phase experience.
Since 1990 the Slaskie region has been practising the management of the project cycle by taking part in the European Union Programmes financed under pre-accession funds. The lecture is based on the results of a research aimed at evaluation of project cycle management methodology (PCM) applied to management of the European Union development projects. Projects financed under pre-accession and structural funds were examined in order to identify key success factors and lessons learned during the process of management of the project cycle.
Three success factors identified during management of the pre-accession funds in the region will be presented: Social consultation process, Public procurement law, Environmental impact assessment.
Social consultation process
Project implementation is always associated with changes in the local environment. As every change could rise opposite reactions and fear amongst involved parties. It also influences different social groups often representing contradictory interests. In the respect, social consultation process conducted in the project definition phase is crucial for its later successful implementation. Involvement of representative local actors in project definition phase, precise definition of their needs enables reaching satisfactory consensus on project scope. Finally, it legitimate further actions of project promoter and minimise a risk of irregularities during its implementation once agreement have beenreached.
Public procurement law
Great many project managers working with pre-accession funds have indicated public procurement procedures as one of the greatest risk in completion of a project within its primary constraints: time, scope, money. The process of awarding contracts often has caused delays according to the plan due to not always justified protests. Therefore, it is advised to draw special attention to preparation of the procedures and following documentation.
Environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment has been identified in researched projects as important factor for its success. Draft environmental impact assessment analysis conduced during applications for project funding occurred not to be relevant during its implementation. Thus, additional more specific analysis needed to be provided in order to carry building works. Secondly, it was found difficult to award a contractor of works with specific permissions and experience for that type of works.
Above described lessons learned during management of the pre-accession assistance greatly contributed to effective implementation of the Structural Funds in Poland. It is already remarkable that public bodies benefiting from pre-accession assistance already prepare high quality projects` proposals in the course of Integrated Regional Operational Programme (IROP).
Michal SWIAC - Specialist working for Project Assessment Unit of the Development Programming and European Funds Department at The Marshal Office of Silesian Voivodeship. His education and professional experience was gained at the European Centre for Integration and Development, University of Economics in Katowice, University of Graz, European Academy in Bolzano, International Business School in Jonkoping and European Institute of Public Administration in Luxembourg.