The purpose of the OSVs is threefold:
- to collect information about the progress of the project implementation;
- to conduct quality check of the project documentation; and
- to discuss first-hand the identified challenges and risks and to advise on possible solutions.
The presence of TA Experts for a full work day in the project office will facilitate the process of defining the strengths, weaknesses, risks and opportunities for the implementation of the Grant Projects. The feedback collected from all individual Grant Projects will help the TA Experts identify the specific needs for Technical Assistance and establish a common approach to Grantee guidance.
Although the OSV is taking place in the office of the Leader Organization, the whole Grant Project Team, including the representatives from Partner Organizations, are expected to attend. For an effective and efficient implementation of OSV, the Grant Project Team is expected to be prepared to make an overview of the progress to date, including main achievements as well as major challenges. Also, all operational and financial documents relating to or deriving from the implementation of the Grant Projects should be readily available on the request by TA Experts.
All Grant Projects will be visited at least two times during their implementation, with a possibility some of the Grant Projects to be visited for a third time as well.
In order to ensure a transparent and an equal approach to all individual Grant Projects, the TA Experts have designed, specifically for this purpose, an OSV Evaluating & Reporting Form. Step by step, this form is closely followed by both TA Experts, and the final report produced therein is submitted both to the Grant Scheme Beneficiary and the Contracting Authority and to all individual Grantees.
The 7 individual chapters of the OSV Evaluating & Reporting Form cover the main aspects of the verification process comprising the OSV:
- Progress of the Grant Project implementation in relation to the Action Plan,
- Achievements at the level of the target group,
- Main outputs produced to date, evidenced through an established monitoring system of indicators,
- Visibility of the Grant Project, including information of the public and general promotion of the action,
- Partnership and communication, including cooperation with relevant institutions and stakeholders,
- Overall project management, including cooperation of all project partners, production and filing of project documentation, early detection and management of risks and challenges, and
- Expected impact and sustainability of the Grant Project.
The First Round of On-the-Spot Visits is scheduled in such a way that it precedes the process of development of Interim Reports by the Grantees. Since all individual Grant Projects have the same or relatively close commencement date, their obligation for interim reporting falls more or less within the same deadline.
Therefore, all individual Grant Projects were visited within the same period of 2016, following the OSV1 Calendar presented below.