Technical Assistance

In order to attain the objectives of the SOP - ICE it is necessary to carry out supportive activities related to management, administration, communication, monitoring, evaluation and dissemination of knowledge and information about the SOP - ICE.

Technical assistance is designated for the following institutions engaged in the process of preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the SOP - ICE:

1. Managing Authority;
2. Intermediate Bodies: the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Scientific Research and Information Technology, executing this task by relevant departments;
3. Implementing Institutions: the Ministry of Economy and Labour executing this task by the Department of Financial Instruments and the Department of Foreign Investments and Export Promotion, the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, the Industrial Development Agency, the Ministry of Scientific Research and Information Technology, executing this task by the Department of Economic Research, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management;
4. Regional Financing Institutions through  the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development;
5. The SOP – ICE Monitoring Committee;
6. The SOP – ICE Steering Committee;
7. The Evaluation Unit within the Managing Authority SOP- ICE;
8. The Working Group for Technical Assistance.

Each measure’s Beneficiaries are indicated in particular measures in details.

Applications for co-financing for the SOP – ICE Monitoring Committee, the Steering Committee and the Working Group for Technical Assistance as well as the Evaluation Unit are submitted by the Managing Authority. Applications for Regional Financing Institutions are submitted by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development.

Objectives of technical assistance
The aim of technical assistance for the SOP - ICE is to support the Programme implementation and monitoring process and to ensure that the Community funds and national resources are used effectively and in accordance with the law and the Community policies by:

• providing for compatibility of the realised projects with the acquis communautaire and the EU policies,
• ensuring high quality and cohesion of measures aimed at the SOP – ICE implementation,
• organisation of a system of information and promotion of the SOP – ICE operations,

Rationale
The institutions in charge of the SOP-ICE preparation, management, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and control must be sufficiently prepared to ensure effective implementation of the SOP - ICE measures. It mainly means that the development of human resources to carry out tasks at all stages of management and implementation is of prime importance. This will be done by provision of staff training, support for the setting up of a computerised system for the Managing Authority, Intermediate Bodies, Implementing Institutions and the remain institutions involved in SOP-ICE implementation, expert support for thematic selection and evaluation of applications, financing the operations of the Monitoring and Steering Committees, and the Working Group for technical assistance application assessment providing funds for information and promotion activities and expert support for the Evaluation Unit created within the Managing Authority.

The SOP-ICE Technical assistance is aimed at providing all institutions involved in SOP – ICE implementation the necessary tools, as well as human and material resources for a correct implementation of the Programme.