Quality Assurance of Results Oriented Monitoring (ROM) reviews on projects and programmes financed by the European Union within the external framework of its external assistance - ROM QA

Ref. ADE: A546

Description: The Results Oriented Monitoring (ROM) system supports EUD and EC HQ services in project monitoring and reporting functions. The services provided include the performance of review missions with respect to projects and programmes under implementation as well as missions to support end-of-project reporting on results. The services also comprise consolidated analysis of the individual project reviews and results reporting support missions, to be laid down in annual reports to be drawn up by the ROM contractors (external contractors) in accordance with the ROM Handbook guidelines. ROM services are implemented under four service contracts covering different geographic areas and one service contract for Centrally Managed Thematic Programmes (CMTP), managed by the Commission’s HQ services. The purpose of this external Quality Assurance (QA) assignment is to provide assistance to the EC for the verification of the quality of the ROM process and services with respect to the ROM reviews implemented by the ROM Contractors, and to provide recommendations as appropriate for modifications of the ROM methodology for ROM reviews on the basis of a quality screening of the ROM process. The ROM QA Contractor (BSI-ADE) provides assistance to EC HQ services for the monitoring and overall supervision of the quality of ROM services implemented by ROM Contractors in accordance with the rules, modalities, specifications and quality standards set for the implementation of the ROM contracts. The QA Contractor also indicates the modifications it would recommend with respect of the ROM Handbook on the basis of the quality screening of the ROM process and services. The QA contract covers the following main features: 1) the monitoring of the quality of compliance and application of the ROM Handbook to the implementation of the services delivery by ROM Contractors with respect to ROM reviews. The QA Contractor reviews the internal quality control system of the ROM Contractors, the quality of the selection of ROM experts, the quality of the ROM reports and the quality of the organisational, supporting and back-up services provided by the Contractors. This is performed through a quality check on a sample of projects and through interviews with a sample of ROM actors, namely EC services, ROM experts, ROM Contractors and other ROM stakeholders. 2) the provision where appropriate of recommendations to EC services for improvement of the quality of the ROM services related to ROM reviews provided by the ROM Contractors or of the ROM system. Where needed, this may result in revision of the ROM Handbook. Findings and recommendations will be reflected in the different reports to be produced as detailed under the types of services provided.