Improving institutional capacity of public administration units in Poland: Lessons from World Bank IDP program as an inspiration for EU sponsored projects S.Alwasiak, T.Potkanski

Summary: § Paper presents experiences of Institutional Development Program implemented between by the Polish Ministry of Interior and Public Administration, §IDP in the scale of Polish administration developed and tested a self-assessment and management capacity building model

Points to be addressed: §In a new member states sub-national units of public administration have new roles to play as moderators and facilitators of local and regional economic and social development. §It is necessary to improve management capacity and coordination of development efforts in order to improve quality and cost- effectiveness of services they deliver.

Points to be addressed: Especially in the new EU member countries, it is necessary to develop a generic model of public administration functioning as a provider of public services. Such model should be a point of reference for continuous improvements programs in all countries Utilizing the method of self-assessment and improvement of management and service delivery of local populations, may significantly speed-up the process of socio-economic development. The paper draws conclusions from Poland but may have a wider implication for new member states. In this context the paper suggests the possible activities in the frame of Interreg.

Personal and organizational information; §The author of this presentation is regional NGO liaison officer in Malopolska region and worked in the frame of the IDP project as a consultant for local government units in the field of project management. Currently is engaged in Interreg-funded project Transnational Toolkit for Micro Enterprises coordinated by the Investment Bank Berlin. §The co-author, an independent consultant was the project manager of the IDP program in Poland between 1/2001 and 7/2004.

Background info: §Background Institutional Development Program was a part of the Rural Development Program (RDP) ( ) sponsored by International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank) and the Government of Poland. §Institutional Development Program General data: Overall budget of IDP as part of RDP: EUR 3,5 million Loan: EUR 3 million §Overall budget of RDP: EUR 297 million §Loan: EUR 119 million §Creditor: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development §RDP Loan Agreement of: 25 July 2000 §IDP Implementation period: October 2000 – July 2004

Key methodological concepts used in the IDP method covered (1): §Identification of nine key management areas in local government practice §Defining the desired status of management competencies in each of the nine management areas and their sub-elements (criteria of assessment). §Defining a five-grade scale of management competencies in each of the management areas and their constituting elements.

Key methodological concepts used in the IDP method covered (2): §Defining and testing the self-assessment protocol adjusted to the competencies of different levels of local government (gmina, poviat, self-governing region). §Assessment Framework developed under the aegis of Quality Assurance approach in EU countries

Key methodological concepts used in the IDP method covered (3): §Methodology in response to weaknesses identified in a given local government as a priority problems. ID Plans would differ from one unit to another. The methodology of preparation would remain the same. §An integrated approach to improving those weakest elements in the management system by utilizing the set of management improvement tools

Key methodological concepts used in the IDP method covered (4): §After a year long cycle of improvements in a given unit, the following self-assessment was performed in order to verify whether the assumed improvements did take place as planned. §Such a system has potential for developing into an institutional capacity building benchmarking initiative, which can be transferred to other countries despite some technical and legal differences between countries.

Pilot Institution Building Project (IDP) – a dilemma of greater „pay-off” l Concentrate all resources on direct improvement of particular services in pilots – and disseminate successful „cases”, or l Divide resources between making direct improvements in pilots, and developing and testing a methodology of implementing improvements of internal management of services, which will only in next step result in improvement of particular services – and disseminate the method.

Towards the future: §it would be useful to bring together the two below mentioned approaches: l The one of IDP, where there is a certain model of good management and a desired standard of delivering public services, which serves as a point of reference for all local government units, and l The one preferred in the Interreg and other EU initiatives, which count on local experiments and ideas born through international exchange of experience.

Final Remarks: §Universally tested models of good management and service delivery, create a living and dynamic system of proven innovations which will be replicable across borders in different regions of the Common Europe. Conclusions from such program would also create an important direction for EC administrators, and EP legislators.