The overall objective of the project is to further enhance and reinforce the management capacity of the Turkish Administration for more effective and efficient management and utilization of IPA funds. The objectives of this contract are to strengthen the capacity of the NIPAC (National IPA Coordinator) Office and other relevant institutions in the following areas i. strategic planning and programming; ii. developing and prioritizing an appropriate and sustainable project stock; iv. providing support during the procurement phase; expediting the processes of monitoring and evaluation, including reporting requirements; v. providing support to NIPAC for the coordination of Union Programmes; and vi. contributing to the preparation of Cross-border Cooperation programmes.

The six pillars of the project purpose are reflected in six results areas.

Result Area 1: Integration of “strategic” thinking and “results-oriented” planning will focus on improving coordination at the national level on “strategic” programming and alignment with national policies/plans for the introduction of IPA III. The activities will take into account lessons learned from the IPA I and IPA II implementation periods in various beneficiary countries and Türkiye. The development of new strategic documents and the update of existing ones will be supported to fully respect how the new IPA III framework can benefit the country.

Result Area 2: It will address the development of standards and procedures for IPA institutions in relation to project stock preparation and prioritization in line with the new EU financial assistance instrument. A new methodology for the development of projects will be elaborated based on Key Performance Indicators referring to the new thematic priorities established for the 2021-2027 period. The activities of this component will partly depend on the progress made in Result Area 1, under which strategic priorities will be established.

Result Area 3: IPA institutions will be supported for tendering phases (preparation of technical and tender documents, etc.) as deemed necessary. The activities of this component will support the assessment of project proposals, their maturity, readiness and potential impacts. There can be two types of projects: i) pre-selected concepts that will require further maturation and ii) projects ready for tender/implementation. Some procurement documents will be developed from scratch while others will be reviewed and improved in quality and consistency. Consultancy packages, practical assistance, coaching and mentoring will be available for support.

Result Area 4: It will address developing a sound performance monitoring framework that will capture not only project progress but also progress on reforms related to accession negotiations and macroeconomic indicators and criteria established by the Commission in the proposed Regulation.

Horizontal and cross-cutting indicators will be addressed in particular. Activities will also include but are not limited to, the organization of discussion forums, seminars, and conferences, if needed.

Result Area 5: n line with its increased responsibility and oversight/coordination role for the implementation of the EU (Union) Programmes, it will focus on strengthening the capacity of the Directorate for EU Affairs, improving cooperation between stakeholders, enhancing coordination between responsible institutions to create synergies and more, and effective promotion of the Programmes. It, thereby, aims to increase the effective, efficient, and consistent use of Union Programmes toward EU membership.

Result Area 6: It will support the programming process of the three Cross-border Cooperation (CBC) programmes, involving local, regional, and national actors as required in the appropriate areas of the programmes. The needs of the Programme areas, in particular, and those identified within the CPA Regulation will be supported under this component. Support under this component will include strategic environmental assessment, promotional events, training, and other related activities required by PPP programmes.

In line with the result areas, the project is divided into 6 thematic components. There is also a horizontal component (Component 0) as follows:

Component 0 – Horizontal activities

Activity 0.1 Training Needs Analysis

Activity 0.2 Website

Activity 0.3 Social media

Activity 0.4 Visibility materials

Activity 0.5 Communication Plan

Component 1 – Strategic Planning and Programming

Activity 1.1 Supporting the preparation of the Strategic Response Document and implementation of the IPA III Programming Framework

Activity 1.2 Review of Memorandum of Understanding, guidelines, and related guidance

Activity 1.3 Workshops introducing IPA III Windows

Component 2 – Project Stock Development and Prioritization

Activity 2.1 Methodology for project pipeline development and prioritization

Activity 2.2 Supporting the implementation of the project pipeline development and prioritization methodology

Component 3 – Support during the Tendering Phase

Activity 3.1 Consultancy and capacity-building activities for implementation

Activity 3.2 Preparation of technical and tender documents

Component 4 – Improvement of Monitoring and Evaluation Stages

Activity 4.1 Performance framework for monitoring and evaluation of IPA III

Activity 4.2 Methodology/guidelines to promote a monitoring and evaluation approach

Activity 4.3 Systematic structure to improve future planning and programming

Component 5 – Supporting NIPAC for the Coordination of Union Programs

Activity 5.1 Strengthening the capacity of the Directorate for EU Affairs for active coordination of Union Programs

Activity 5.2 Advisory and capacity-building activities for the coordination and management of Union Programs

Component 6 – Support in the preparation of cross-border cooperation programs

Activity 6.1 Increasing the capacity of institutions involved in Cross-Border Cooperation Programs

Activity 6.2 Strategic Environmental Assessment of Cross-Border Cooperation Programs

The target group of the project is the Directorate for EU Affairs and other actors who will be responsible for programming and implementation in the IPA III period, as well as stakeholders in the general public such as civil society organizations, academics, experts, media, etc.