TITLE OF THE TRAINING

EU TWINNING PROJECT: PROPOSAL PREPARATION, PRACTICAL

IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT, RTA SECONDMENT

ACCORDING TO THE TWINNING MANUAL

DURATION 3 DAYS

TRAINING DATES

7 - 8 - 9 MAY, 2019

DESCRIPTION The trainees will be introduced to the main concepts of the European

Union (EU) Twinning instrument, history, principles, statistics, actors and their roles, differences between EU Twinning and Twinning light projects, proposal preparation and presentation procedures, finding Member State (MS) partners and forming consortiums, tips for preparation of written Twinning proposal and practicing its oral presentation, Twinning projects’ implementation process, administration and visibility according to the New Twinning Manual (1st July 2017 version updated in 2018).

TARGET GROUP

⦿ Member State institutions and mandated bodies preparing a proposal for Twinning competition and/or implementing EU Twinning Contract; ⦿ National Contact Points of Member States, Candidate and Potential Candidate Countries to EU membership (IPA countries) and European Neighborhood countries (ENI countries); ⦿ Public officials, members of national administrations and mandated bodies in Member States and Beneficiary Countries (IPA and ENI countries); ⦿ Central Financing and Contracting Units (CFCU), Central Financing and Contracting Agencies (CFCA) and Central Financing and Contracting Departments (CFCD) of Beneficiary Countries; ⦿ Programme Administration Offices (PAO) of countries covered by the European Neighborhood Policy (ENI countries); ⦿ Delegations of European Union in ENI and IPA countries; ⦿ Other related institutions.

Training session is designated for approximately 8 - 16 participants.

METHODS

The training consists of theoretical and practical parts. In order to capture practical aspects in the most effective way, case studies, individual and group exercises will be performed. PowerPoint presentations, demonstrations and handouts will be used.

OBJECTIVES

OF THE TRAINING

⦿ To introduce participants to EU Twinning instrument; ⦿ Train participants to find Twinning consortium partners; ⦿ To develop skills necessary to write EU Twinning proposal and prepare for oral presentation; ⦿ Introduce to skills necessary to assure a thorough Twinning projects’ implementation process and administration; ⦿ Share experience on preparing and implementing Twinning projects’ visibility and communication actions.

LANGUAGE

TRAINING VENUE

English 9th floor Conference Room, Central Project Management Agency, Geležinis Vilkas str. 18A, Vilnius, Lithuania

PROGRAMME

EU TWINNING PROJECT: PROPOSAL PREPARATION, PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT, RTA

SECONDMENT ACCORDING TO THE NEW TWINNING MANUAL 7 MAY, 2019

Day one

09:00 – 09:30 Registration 09:30 – 11:00 Introduction to trainers, participants and training programme Introduction to Twinning instrument

⦿ Twinning history and main facts ⦿ Legal framework ⦿ What should we know about Twinning? ⦿ Statistics ⦿ Main changes in the New Twinning Manual

Main Twinning principles

⦿ Key players (MS and BC Project Leaders, RTA, RTA Counterpart, Component Leaders, Short-Term Experts, RTA Assistant, etc.)

⦿ Role of Administrative Office ⦿ Role of National Contact Points ⦿ Role of European Commission ⦿ Mandated bodies ⦿ Twinning versus Twinning light

11:00 – 11:15 Coffee break 11:15 – 13:00 Call for proposals

⦿ Call for Twinning and Twinning light proposals ⦿ Selection of Consortium Partner ⦿ Preparation of Twinning proposal ⦿ Submission of proposals ⦿ Selection of the Twinning partners

13:00– 14:30 Lunch 14:30 – 15:30 Call for proposals: practical exercise

⦿ Review of the Twinning project fiche ⦿ Review of the evaluation of proposals

15:30 – 16:00 Tips for oral presentations ⦿ Preparation of oral presentations ⦿ Role of the project team (Ambassadors, Project Leader, RTA) ⦿ Typical mistakes and how to avoid them ⦿ Frequently asked questions

16:00 – 16:15 Coffee break 16:15 – 17:00 Tips for oral presentations: continuation 19:00 Dinner

8 MAY, 2019 Day two

09:30 – 11:00 Communication and Visibility of the Twinning Projects

⦿ Overall purpose of communication activities ⦿ General rules and key elements of EU visual identity

Preparing Twinning Project communication and visibility plan:

⦿ Identifying key audiences, target groups ⦿ Planning communication and publicity activities ⦿ Choosing visibility tools ⦿ Planning financial and human resources ⦿ Setting indicators of achievement ⦿ Respecting visibility procedure

⦿ Practical exercise Implementing Twinning project visibility plan: CPMA experience

⦿ Different countries, major challenges and best practices

11:00– 11:15 Coffee break 11:15 – 13:00 Twinning project implementation

⦿ Twinning Contract ⦿ Special Conditions ⦿ Annexes to the Twinning Contract ⦿ Drafting Twinning Work Plan ⦿ Changes to the Twinning Contract ⦿ Project reporting

⦿ Project Steering Committees 13:00 – 14:30 Lunch 14:30 – 16:00 Twinning project budget

⦿ Structure of the Budget ⦿ Eligible Cost ⦿ Financial Management and Control

16:00 – 16:20 Coffee break 16:20 – 16:50 Twinning project budget. Practical exercise 16:50 – 17:00 Wrap-up of the course

9 MAY, 2019 Day three

09:30 – 11:00 RTA duty

⦿ Identifying RTA functions ⦿ Arrival of RTA and main upcoming tasks ⦿ Receipt of financing from CA and overview of RTA related budget lines ⦿ Organization of Steering Committee Meetings and reporting ⦿ Preparation of Mission certificates and ToRs ⦿ Contracting of RTA assistants ⦿ VAT exemption and small purchases ⦿ RTA leave entitlement

11:00 – 11:15 Coffee break 11:15 – 12:30 Work plan preparation

⦿ Structure of the work plan ⦿ Timetable of the expert missions ⦿ Implementation of needed changes ⦿ Main challenges, tips and tricks from CPMA experience

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch 14:00 – 15:00 Resident Twinning Adviser experience, main challenges, tips and tricks for future projects

15:00 – 15:15 Coffee break 15:15 – 16:00 Nacional Contact point administration

⦿ Overview of NCP functions ⦿ Identifying main Twinning data ⦿ Involvement of Ambassadors ⦿ Tips from CPMA experience

16:00 – 16:20 Wrap-up of the course NOTE: the programme can be subject to adjustments

LECTURERS

Mr. Gintaras Makštutis Twinning expert having 19 years of Twinning experience as an expert of Administrative Office of Lithuania as Beneficiary Country, as an expert of IPA and ENPI/ENI Twinning projects (when Lithuania is a Member State providing Twinning services for Beneficiary Countries), and as International Expert providing trainings for Beneficiary and Member State Countries: ⦿ 8 years’ experience in financial and administrative EU PHARE and Transition Facility Twinning project management and monitoring in Lithuania in Administrative Office of Twinning projects; ⦿ 6 years’ experience as a Chairman of Twinning Partner Selection Meetings in Lithuania. During his years as EU Twinning Project Manager he was responsible for 125 EU Twinning project administration in Lithuania; ⦿ 11 years’ experience in coordination and administration of many Twinning projects and preparation of Twinning proposals when Lithuania became a Member State Partner; ⦿ participation in Partner Selection when Lithuania became Member State Partner; ⦿ continuous participation in different missions as Twinning Expert, for example, in Bulgaria, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Moldova; ⦿ more than 10 years’ experience in EU Twinning projects trainings (more than 400 Lithuanian Civil Servants trained and more than 200 international trainees trained). Mr. Gintaras Makštutis has University Education in International Business Management and Master Degree in Business Management. He is fluent in English, Russian and Lithuanian.

Ms. Ugnė Chmeliauskaitė Ms. Ugnė Chmeliauskaitė is a Senior Project Manager of International Development Cooperation Projects Division responsible for preparation of Twinning proposals, administration and implementation of EU Twinning projects. She has participated in preparation of more than 30 IPA and ENI Twinning project proposals together with Lithuanian and MSs partners and is in charge of preparation of team for oral presentations. She is responsible for overall training coordination on CPMA EU Twinning projects and is a lecturer of national and international EU Twinning trainings. Ms. Ugnė Chmeliauskaitė is in charge of overall coordination of Twinning projects in Croatia, Ukraine, Turkey, Palestine and North Macedonia, as well as planning, implementing and assuring visibility plans, communication/visibility activities and material of EU Twinning projects in Croatia, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Palestine, North Macedonia following Communication and Visibility Manual for European Union External Actions 2010 and 2018. Ms. Ugnė Chmeliauskaitė has University Education in International Relations and Political Science and has a Master Degree in International Communication. She is fluent in English and Lithuanian. Ms. Austėja Vilkelytė Ms. Austėja Vilkelytė is a Senior Project Manager responsible for administration and implementation of EU Twinning projects. She is in charge for administrative management of 4 Twinning projects in Azerbaijan, Moldova and Turkey, as well as planning, implementing and assuring visibility plans, communication/visibility activities and material of EU Twinning projects. At the moment Ms. Austėja Vilkelytė is implementing the visibility plan in Serbia and Moldova according to the new Twinning Manual 2017 and new Communication and Visibility Manual for European Union External Actions 2018. Ms. Austėja Vilkelytė holds University diploma in International Relations and Political Science and has a Master Degree in Public Policy Analysis. She is fluent in English and Lithuanian. Mr. Klemensas Mažeika Mr. Klemensas Mažeika is a Project Manager responsible for administration and implementation of EU Twinning projects. Currently, he is in charge of administrating two Twinning projects - one in North Macedonia and one in Jordan. On top of that, he oversees project visibility implementation in Serbia, Moldova, North Macedonia. Mr. Mažeika is also responsible for project proposals preparation and assistance to public institutions in taking the first steps to participate in the Twinning program. Mr. Mažeika has a University Degree in Economics from Vilnius University. He is fluent in English and Lithuanian.

Ms. Svetlana Rutkovskaja Ms. Svetlana Rutkovskaja is a Senior Project Financier responsible for financial management and control of EU Twinning projects. Currently she is in charge of financial management of 4 Twinning projects in Moldova, Serbia and North Macedonia. 2 projects are under implementation according to the Twinning Manual 2017 and 1 - according to the new Twinning Manual 2018. Ms. Svetlana Rutkovskaja has Bachelor degree in Economics, Business Management and Finance. She is fluent in English, Russian and Lithuanian. Mr. Dalius Kontrimavičius Mr. Dalius Kontrimavičius is a Senior Project Manager in charge of administering multiple Twinning projects in Moldova, Azerbaijan and Serbia. His past experience also include Twinning and other development cooperation projects in Georgia and Ukraine. He worked closely together with various partners from number of countries while drafting Twinning Contracts following previous versions of Twinning Manual. Also experience gained till 2017 is well applied towards the Twinning Projects’ work plan preparation following guidelines of the latest release of Twinning Manual in November 2018. Mr. Dalius Kontrimavičius graduated from Institute of International Relations and Political Since at Vilnius University and holds a Master Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Hotel reservations The training organisers have not made any arrangements for accommodation of participants during their stay in Vilnius. Please feel free to choose any hotel that corresponds to your expectations. In case you need advice on hotels please let us know. Meals 6 coffee breaks, 3 lunches, 1 dinner in Vilnius old town, 1 excursion and snacks are included in the fee. Please indicate in your registration form inform if you need a special menu (for example, vegetarian). Registration You are kindly invited to complete the online registration form as early as possible and not later than 2 weeks before the training. Only in exceptional cases we might accept later registration. Confirmation After receiving your online registration form, we will send you the registration confirmation and a Pre-Invoice for advance payment of the training fee. We strongly advise not to make any travel (flight and hotel) arrangements until you receive registration confirmation as the CPMA will not be able to reimburse any costs incurred in case of training cancellation/postponement. Payment After the participant fills-in the online registration form, not later than 2 weeks before the training, the participant shall receive the registration confirmation and a Pre-Invoice for advance payment of the training fee. Once the payment receipt is confirmed, the Invoice will be issued and handed to the participants at the training. Please note, that registration fee is not refundable without official cancelation in prior 1 week of the Twinning training. Cancellation/ postponement policy CPMA reserves the right to cancel/postpone the training 2 weeks before the first training day in case it has not confirmed the training earlier. The CPMA shall not accept responsibility for costs incurred by participants (accommodation, travel costs, local transport and etc.). Fee in EUR (per participant) - 1000 EUR The fee includes training material, 6 coffee breaks, 2 lunches, 1 dinner in Vilnius old town, 1 excursion and snacks in the Vilnius old town. Accommodation and travel expenses are at the responsibility of a participant or their administration.