Integrated Quality Management System for Structrural Funds 2007-2013 to the Prefecture of Thessaloniki, GR

Oct 2008

As of November 2008, TREK Consulting has been appointed technical assistance services to the Prefecture of Thessaloniki for the design, implementation and adoption of an integrated Quality Management System according to the requirements set by the Hellenic Governement in view of managing all projects to be co-financed by horizontal and regional operational programmes included in the National Strategic Reference Framework 2007-2013. With this occassion, the required Business Process Management processes will be put in place for further enhancing the Prefecture's administrative efficiency. A full set of rules and procedures will be supported via an enhanced Process Management platform software. Proect duration is 6 months at a budget of 240.000 euros

Within the framework of the Greek National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2007-2013 already approved by the EC, the Prefecture of Thessaloniki has undertaken the realization of major structural interventions aiming at enhancing its administrative competency, with the ultimate goal to certify its services' adequacy prior to undertaking the realization of projects in the new programming period.

More specifically, the aim is to restructure those Prefecture departments that are involved in the management of the life cycle of co-financed programmes, as well as the implementation of an adequate and efficient Quality Management System that will streamline the typical and substantial requirements of the Hellenic Project Management Standard. The implementation of the aforementioned system constitutes a major priority for the Prefecture in the light of adopting and developing an efficient tool for constantly improving the quality of its administrative processes. The Quality Management System to be developed within the context of this assignment shall fulfill the Prefecture's administrative competency requirements set by the Operational Programmes in the programming period 2007-2013, while it will also allow the identification and correction of potential functional and structural weaknesses of project management processes in use. Furthermore, an attempt will be made to establish processes and set up a Business Process Management system in key Prefecture directorates / departments.The project includes two major actions:

Action 1: Restructuring and Business Process Management (BPM) for Programmes implemented by the Prefecture of Thessaloniki.

This action aims to improve and redesign processes and structures related to the management of co-financed Programmes and Projects and focuses on the following actions:

Synthetic Redesign and Process Management Study of those Prefecture's departments involved in the life cycle of co-financed programmes (planning, maturation, implementation, monitoring and closure)
Support during the implementation of the redesign and BPM guidelines foreseen in the aforementioned study
Installation of a software tool supporting project management processes.

The outputs of this action will be the following:

Recording and assessing processes followed by the Prefecture of Thessaloniki and structures responsible for implementing and monitoring co-financed programmes.
Redesign processes and structures required for effective management of co-financed programmes in compliance with the national and community regulatory and legislative frameworks.
Proposal on the management of the selected structures / processes involved in co-financed programmes / projects, with the use of the appropriate IT tool.
Existing situation analysis in the Prefecture of Thessaloniki in terms of use and deployment of new Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and identification of deficiencies and needs in IT systems and project management applications.
Installing a software support system for managing projects undertaken by the Prefecture of Thessaloniki, adapted to the special needs identified in the preceding analysis.

As a whole, the restructuring of the Prefecture of Thessaloniki aims at optimizing project management processes and includes the following:

Recording and analysis of the existing situation
Redesign of the existing operational procedures and organizational structures
Proposal on the introduction of new operational processes and restructuring
Design of the appropriate system for communication among organic units of the Prefecture
Action plan for implementing the conclusions of the redesign study and technical assistance to the Prefecture during the first stages of its implementation
Analysis of the existing IT infrastructure and installation of a customized software tool for project management.

Action 2: Installation of a Quality Management System.

The aim of this action is to develop and install an integrated Quality Management System that fulfills the requirements of the Hellenic Ministry of Economy and Finance on the Beneficiaries' administrative competency for the Operational Programmes 2007-2013. The following activities will take place:

Design and development of a Quality Management System for coordinating the Prefecture's co-financed programmes
Support in the use of the Quality Management System and its first internal evaluation
Regular adjustment of the Quality Management System on the basis of the specifications of the Hellenic Project Management Standard
Training on the use and operation of the Quality Management System as well as on the administrative competency requirements of the Prefecture's co-financed Programmes.

TREK Consulting designs and supports the installation of an integrated Quality Management System in compliance with the Hellenic Ministry of Economy and Finance requirements and criteria on the Prefecture's administrative competency, both during the 2008-2009 transitional period as well as the period following the publication of the Hellenic Project Management Standard which is expected to start in 2009.

More specifically, with regard to the development and installation of the Quality Management System in compliance with the Prefecture's administrative competency standards, TREK Consulting undertakes the following:

Design and support for the installation of the appropriate Integrated Quality Management System (QMS) that will be used for certifying the Prefecture's administrative competency prior to the publication of the Hellenic Project Management Standard, by ensuring the approval of relevant entities that will be designated at a later stage. As far as the administrative procedures for the management of co-financed projects are concerned, the QMS shall be designed on the basis of the specifications of the internationally recognized standard ISO 9001:2000. This approach shall properly prepare and facilitate the Prefecture of Thessaloniki to adopt later on the Hellenic Project Management Standard and its certificate.
Monitoring the progress referring to the development of the Hellenic Project Management Standard until its final version, aiming at regularly adjusting the parameters of the installed Quality Management System to the Standard requirements.
Provision of technical assistance to the Prefecture of Thessaloniki on QMS use and system's adaptations.

Design and elaboration of a training programme for the Prefecture's staff involved in co-financed projects management, focusing mainly on the operation of the Quality Management System and other up-to-date project management issues.